J. Cole unveiled two previously unreleased songs featuring Kendrick Lamar, offering a glimpse into their creative journey and reflecting on the evolution of their relationship. The tracks, recorded in 2012 during Drake’s Club Paradise Tour in North Carolina, feature production by Oddisee and were made while Lamar was an opening act alongside A$AP Rocky.
Cole recalled the experience of working with Kendrick, describing it as a fun and effortless collaboration: “It felt like when your cousin would come over to your house,” he shared. Despite the enjoyment, Cole admitted that hearing Kendrick’s 2012 album good kid, m.A.A.d. City was a humbling moment that made him feel surpassed.
“I felt like I was being left behind,” Cole confessed, explaining that Kendrick’s success was a tough pill to swallow. “His first-week numbers were more than mine. And there was one show where we were on the same lineup… I went before him, and he went after me.” He described it as a feeling of “surpassment,” which shifted the trajectory of his own journey, much like when Drake’s So Far Gone had first signaled the arrival of new competition.
While their careers have since taken different paths, including recent collaborations on tracks like “First Person Shooter,” Cole continues to reflect on their growth as artists. As part of his ongoing podcast, Inevitable, J. Cole has been sharing unreleased material and reflecting on pivotal moments in his career, including the impact of Kendrick Lamar’s rise.
Fans are hoping that these unreleased tracks will eventually make their way to streaming platforms, joining the growing list of J. Cole’s projects, including mixtapes like The Come Up, which have been made available on streaming services recently.
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