J. Cole has everyone talking after releasing a documentary for his upcoming album 4 Your Eyez Only. Along with the documentary came two rather controversial songs, “Everybody Gotta Die” and “False Prophets”. Cole goes on a lyrical rant on each songs, both primarily concerned with the current state of rap and his opinions on certain rappers in particular, and leaves the series of disses up for interpretation. This was an extremely clever marketing tactic: by generating conversation and causing controversy, Cole is obviously heightening anticipation for his next project, set to release on December 9th. The question of who the rapper is addressing remains up in the air, arousing rap fans and having everyone watch to see what happens next. However, is commanding attention at the expense of those with mental illnesses an appropriate business tactic?
Before jumping to conclusions, it is important to analyze what was actually said, focusing mainly on the song “False Prophets”. The song was lyrically brilliant and held much meaning, like it or not. There is no denial that J. Cole packs the heat on this record and that he is one of the most talented rappers today. He starts off the song by describing an individual who has “lost their grip and slipped into an abyss.” Cole says:
“No doubt you see these n*ggas trippin’
Ego in charge of every move, he’s a star
And we can’t look away
Due to the days that he caught our hearts
He’s fallin’ apart, but we deny it
Justifying the half-ass sh*t he dropped, we always buy it
When he tell us he a genius but it’s clearer lately
It’s been hard for him to look into the mirror lately”
There is much speculation about who Cole is describing in this verse. Most likely, this is a diss aimed towards Kanye West. Kanye is a self-proclaimed narcissist, who gains most of his commercial success from shock factor and creating controversy (Ego in charge of every move, he’s a star). Kanye’s older albums are regarded as “classics”, and many rappers credit Kanye as their inspiration for entering the game, including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa, and even J. Cole himself (And we can’t look away/Due to the days that he caught our hearts). Kanye has been hospitalized recently for his mental breakdowns and exhaustion, most likely triggered by his mental illness and the attack on Kim Kardashian in Paris back in October (He’s fallin’ apart, but we deny it). Kanye’s last two albums, Yeezus and The Life of Pablo, have had significantly less commercial success than his previous albums, and have been regarded as his worse albums, with rap fans coming to the conclusion that he has officially “fell off” (Justifying the half-ass sh*t he dropped, we always buy it/When he tell us he a genius but it’s clearer lately/It’s been hard for him to look into the mirror lately). J. Cole continues:
“The type of n*gga swear he real but all around him is fake
The women, the d*ckriders, you know, the yes men
Nobody with the balls to say somethin’ to contest him
So he grows out of control
Into the person that he was all along, it’s startin to show”
J. Cole insinuates that Kanye has fallen from grace because the people in his life have never confronted him on his behavior. This is where it gets a bit questionable. So far, it is fair to assume that Kanye may have mental health issues, with him admitting to being on medication. His recent episodes have been considerably erratic and seem to be residual from a deeper issue. Even if he is completely neurotypical and has no mental illness, this man has been hospitalized and had to cancel his tour. So why is J. Cole provoking someone who has taken multiple losses in the past couple of months and is in poor health? It’s not okay to take jabs at someone’s mental health in the name of Hip-Hop, Drake previously did it to Kid Cudi. Now it seems as though J.Cole has done it to Kanye.
The second verse of this song is about another person in J. Cole’s life.
“I got a homie, he a rapper and he wanna win bad
He want the fame, the acclaim, and the respect that’s been had
By all the legends, so every time I see him, he stressin’
Talkin’ ‘bout, n*ggas don’t f*ck with him, the sh*t is depressin’
And I know he so bitter he can’t see his own blessings
Goddamn, n*gga, you too blind to to see you got fans, n*gga
And a platform to make a classic rap song
To change a n*gga’s life, but you too anxious livin’ life”
This verse is most likely alluding to rapper and his longtime friend Wale, who is known for going on rants about how underappreciated his music is. This verse at first glance seems fitting. However, Wale suffers from depression, and has been openly suicidal for years now. It seems as if J Cole is only going after those who he feels do not have real problems. Calling these people fake and ungrateful is undermining their inner struggles. Picking on rappers who are in weak mental states is not something that should be so highly praised. Drake was under intense scrutiny for mocking Kid Cudi’s mental illness while he was sitting in rehab, and rightfully so. But why criticize one and not the other?
This was not an attack on J. Cole, just food for thought. The song is ambiguous, and is most likely targeted towards whoever fits the mold that Cole is speaking out against. It is important to question the morality of some of the artist’s and their actions. Rap is a competitive industry, and the culture has always promoted the “rap beef” that is created in the process. There have been line and boundaries crossed before in order to achieve an artistic or commercial goal. Despite this, moments like these only deepen the mental health stigma and the struggle with mental health awareness in the black community. We have to ask ourselves: how far is too far?
