Drake Talks About J.Cole To Complex Magazine
This edition of Complex Magazine which Drake will cover for the month of February/March features a full cover story and gallery with Drake. In this interview Drake has a few words about J.Cole and what he thinks of his talent and work.
Drake: J. Cole, who’s one of my favorite dudes rapping right now. I’ve happened to have had more success. I made the most money, I have number-one records, those guys [Wale, J.Cole, Kid Cudi] don’t have that shit. And it’s just facts, it’s not even my feelings or that I feel I’m more talented
Drake: When J. Cole gets it super-right, I think he’s gonna have a place as a Nas-type character who really stands for hip-hop, but still makes ill records that everybody fucks with.
Complex: If J. Cole is Nas, then who are you?
Drake: [Laughs.] I’m the young big homie!
Props: ATF
Sirron
Sayin Cole is nas? nah, I’d think it’d be more appropriate to compare him to jay z *cough* simba */cough* His lyrics are mad smart and witty, yet his songs are catchy and are mainstream radio play-able. The only reason drake has way more hype over him is the dude is throwing out mixtapes and features like lil wayne. Plus the mainstream audience are too busy being followers rather than lookin for music that has way more depth and soul. They should be listening to that instead. Whatever it is, it’s gunna boil down to who can make the better Freshman Album.
-Sirron
Jan 25, 2010 @ 7:06 pm
Gabby
I enjoyed Drake’s words in this article. I think everyone knows J.Cole has a big future ahead of him and its nice to see respect from others in the same game…
Jan 25, 2010 @ 7:11 pm
Megan
to be compared to Nas is a HUGE compliment….Nas is in no way commercial and has always stayed true to hiself….yea i agree he is the next Jayz but being compared to Nas means that he is nothing but lyrical. Jayz is a little bit commercial his stuff is played on the radio….you dont hear Nas on the radio to much. hes not that mainstream. Jayz has marketed hiself right. I just ready for J.Cole album! know its gonna be straight FIRE.
Jan 25, 2010 @ 7:21 pm
AkiyahB
Yea to be compared to Nas is a great compliement but at the same time its putting J.Cole in a box.. as if he can never out live a great.. Im not saying he cant nor am I saying he cant.. I cant call it.. neither can Drake-who for sure isnt a young version of Jay-Z… smh..
Jan 25, 2010 @ 7:37 pm
Kether
Drake is a clown, he think just because he got money then that makes his a better lyricist then Cole, that just goes to show you that most of these rappers value material possessions more then lyrics with a strong message. I really think Cole is going to blow Drake out of the industry when he drops.
Jan 25, 2010 @ 7:49 pm
SK
yo – drake is playing himself. nas is the truth, but he has floundered a bit throughout the years trying to balance what he stands for with the success that his talent is capable of. IMO cole is smarter at this point in his career than nas probably was at the same point in his (in terms of having retrospection and being able to anticipate his biggest challenges).
also, to be frank, i don’t think drake should be trying to put cole, his main competitor, in some kind of less-successful niche box when he’s just starting to regain footing after almost getting trapped in a “ladies man” box his damn self. jay-z never had to deal with the LL Cool J dilemma that will likely always be hanging over Drake’s head, so to compare himself to hov this early? watch your step..
just my 2 cents
Jan 25, 2010 @ 8:08 pm
foxxy
so much negativity, dang y’all! lol i’m just enjoying the love between the leaders of the new school. they’re both great artists & in no way are they comparable. it’s like comparing apples and oranges to me. regardless, i have an infinite amount of love for both and can’t wait for their frosh records.
Jan 25, 2010 @ 8:14 pm
Megan
oh by the way Drake and J.Cole are both VERY talented artist…Drake sings and raps….plus he has big names pushing him he even have Jayz pushing him…in fact jayz mentions Drake more in interviews than he mentions J.Cole which bothers me a bit…but its all good because J.Coles work can speak for itself….Drake is my fav artist but lyrically aint NOBODY in the new school touching J.Cole…saw the dude live he spit this verse “Hey mama i signed to the Roc guess i lucked up they saying Jigga illumanati guess i f**ked up.” just off the top of the head freestyling that stuff that make you think. J.cole will have his time to shine….and who says that cant both shine together. They both produce great work….Drake just at this point has a wider fan base…im a little disappointed that people dont know who J.Cole is…obviously they are missing out! No negativity here! THey can both shine
Jan 25, 2010 @ 8:22 pm
foxxy
@Megan co-sign alluhdat.
Jan 25, 2010 @ 8:24 pm
AkiyahB
Yea Im a little unsure everyone assumes J.Cole and Drake cant co exist peacefully together.. y does it always have to be a feud type thing when it comes to two talented rappers? Im a little upset Drake didnt just kill the comparisons like J.Cole has done in many interviews prior.. Instead Drake choose to entertain the silly comparison.. it only further perpetuates the fans to do so also ..smh
Jan 25, 2010 @ 8:40 pm
SK
a lot of fans have love for both, rightfully so! i don’t think that’s the problem. i think some of us who listen to both have to respond to everything that is implied in what drake said. he said that he’s at the starting line ready to run the race, and cole (among others) is “at home putting on a tracksuit”? how cole gonna be at home tying laces when everybody knows his mixtape is called “The Warm Up” for a reason? what’s more, to limit his prediction of cole’s success to being “a nas-type character” while he’ll be hov–who most think is the greatest alive–is patronizing. jay-z signed nas and then said himself that he “dropped the label,” while nas is left behind trying to keep his head above water, all late on child support checks.
drake has a ton of talent and i think he makes good music, no doubt (plus i’m a wheelchair jimmy fan all day). but i don’t think the subtext of his statements can be avoided.
Jan 25, 2010 @ 8:42 pm
esau22
j. cole and drake are definitely talented artist but drake has the upper hand with his big buzz and marketing j. cole is still my pick on better lyrist and him being a beat smith makes it even better they will both go down in hiphop history
Jan 25, 2010 @ 8:55 pm
Brandon(from NC)
Firstly, both of these guys are great talents. Secondly, let’s not turn this into “light skin” fly guy vs. “light skin” lyrical. Last year, June 09, me & my homie drove 2 hours to see J. Cole at The Bees Nest(what up Fayettenam). & I remember sayin’ to him(drunk might I add), that the only person that @ the time had a bigger buzz than himself was Drake, which was true.But I also told him that his music had the right message. I can remember leavin the club thinkin’(& listenin to The Warm Up cds they passed out) thinkin’, “J.Cole will say cops love lockin’ ni@@as up, Drake isn’t able to do that.” But now, Drake(to me) is suffering from oversaturation. Like I went to lunch one day, got in the car & “Money to Blow” was on. When I left lunch, it was on again. Radio now is WAY different from how it used to be.Not to mention, I was in the barbershop & heard at least 12 Cash Money/Young Money songs. Drake’s become too mainstream & he raps in somewhat of a humble manner but I think his verses are different on “Money to Blow” compared to “Video Girl”. Both are real verses but it doesn’t “fit” with what his mixtapes have been about. We, if you’re a fan of hip hop, have at times gotten tired of hearin’ Lil Wayne. He’s one of the nicest ever to go in the booth, but hearin your same song 20x a day isn’t good for true listeners(gets you paid tho). Drake seems to be on that path. With Weezy leavin’ soon, I think Drake will be the work horse/mule of Cash Money, left to feature on every song. Check Birdmans album. As well, Drake doesn’t decline name droppin’ Lil Wayne or whatever. That’s his camp/crew or whatever but J. Cole doesn’t name drop Jay-Z. He doesn’t want to or needs to. I remember seeing a magazine caption the read, “I just want people to know that I can do it on my own”.I bought BP3 mostly just to hear J.Cole. When I spoke to J. Cole, he was like a regular dude, not on no “I’m signed to RocNation, I fuk wit Jay-Z” type sh!t. He was on some, Im listenin to what you’re sayin’ as a person & as a fan. Bottom line is this, all the hip hop revolutionary freshman are different. Wale isn’t Lupe & J. Cole isn’t Drake(see that Canadian interview). J.Cole has a Nas like flow/style & Drake seems to have a shine(due to Weezy) that’s reminiscent of Jay’s, but that’s not who the two guys are. Those are big shoes to fill but I believe both are talented enough to surpass them both. I got love for both of those guys, or any other artist who cares to get hip hop out of this recession. I just think J.Cole is more real(Drake seems to have ventured away from rhymes that people can relate to). When their albums drop, I’m coppin both. But right now, I just feel like J.Cole is better(see “A Star is Born” “Beautiful Bliss” & the verse from the R.E. Mixtape, which title I can’t remember at the moment). Signin off, no bias(see facts above), Brandon.
Jan 25, 2010 @ 9:20 pm
doughchick
I have been jammin J Cole for bout a yr now! I luv that he is an educated lyricist that is not afraid to show it! I find myself googling names or topics in his flows…J. Cole makes me think! I think he is the 1st J. Cole & not the next anybody else! It’s sad that we choose to compare ourselves amongst ourselves! J. Cole’s success is not dependent on anyones elses success or failures but his own! I am intrigued by his story & the fact that he seems to be embracing the journey instead of rushing to a destination! J. Cole is definitely headed to the top of the world and I’m honored to be a Fan! Yours Truly, Doughchick a*k*a @e_dub_a_licious
Jan 25, 2010 @ 10:20 pm
Gabby
ahhh! what a great debate!
Jan 26, 2010 @ 12:38 am
Yessir Thats Her
I like both artists…But Im a bigger Cole Fan I can listen to the Warm Up Everyday and not get tired of it…His lyrics speak to me..I think drake might get overrated and saturated like Lil Wayne…Cant wait for Cole album to drop.Love that he’s a humble dude that many people can relate to…Defintely rooting Youuuu
Jan 26, 2010 @ 3:15 am
nikki
“J.Cole” seems to be embracing the journey instead of rushing to a destination…I love that..you nailed it with that statement.
Cole is an educated lyricist..with artists like him you never weight them against popular dudes in the game..he sets the bar for himself and thats just the way his legacy has been established.
Educated lyricist with longevity..thats Cole. I’m glad to be around to share in that journey..i’m not a fan..i’m an admirer for life.
Jan 26, 2010 @ 3:13 pm
John
Bottom line is if both guys are naturally being compared to each other that’s a good thing they can push each other and in turn make better music. Drakes good and if Cole is in comparison than so is that. They need to drop a record together (on some ignorant shit type style of flow) that’d be tight
Jan 26, 2010 @ 5:35 pm
Sirron
@brandon, I co sign what you’re sayin. Tho my problem with the whole youngmoney/cash money crew is that’s all their about, uppin money, women and whips. and after a while it all just sounds like the same garbage spelled differently every time. The reason I back cole is, he’s so much more versatile. Sure drake can sing, but Cole can get so much deeper on each subject yet still sound like it should be played mainstream. Lights please is an excellent example, has a catchy hook like any other radio song, yet he’s tellin a story about how he’s tryin to be real with a woman about how life is, but all she wants is to get laid. I mean shit, you listen to the song and it makes you think. then You go to drake’s tracks, thank me later, replacement girl, money to blow. and meh, he’s talkin about himself the whole time and throws in oh I’ma rub it in this ex’s face.
meh, I guess that’s jus how mainstream audiences are, they want to look up to the the one who is trying to appear to be the dominant “alpha” rather than forming their own opinion on what the music is actually talking about and listening to the humble and wiser dude.
You need two sides so there’s balance, eh?
Jan 26, 2010 @ 6:18 pm
foxxy
i think they were in the studio together not too long ago. we’ll see what comes of that…
i can relate to at least one thing in all of these comments. we have some educated people here, LOVE it.
Jan 26, 2010 @ 6:22 pm
BornAStar
@Brandon. Word? You said that straight my man. I’m going to say it like a lot of people said it. Drake was actually good (On comeback season). but since he messed a lot with wayne. All I hear when he’s rapping is like a new version of wayne. Now Wayne had his buzz like from 06-7 to 08-9. You know from drought 3 and so and so… So Drake was brought up by wayne. By that time I was over Wayne type-of-rap. so I’m not feeling drake at all. I respect people who listens to him. He’s very talented, intelligent. I retweet a lot of his quotes on twitter. I find myself liking him more as a person/individual than a rapper.
I’m going to throw a new comparison. Not lyrically or as a person (just artist-wise). but I feel he’s a new Kanye. Cause Kanye is my favorite artist and he never really a sound attributed to himself. All of his albums are different. He changed a lot and we kind of never know what to expect every time he announced a new album. Just my thought.
Oh and as a matter of fact. Cole can actually sing. That lil ghetto nigga hook is CRAZY. I put this song on replay a lot of times. and he sings on a bunch of other songs like Unabomber, playground, I get up, Show me something etc etc.
ToFollowMe – @GoofyGoofer
Props to everybody commenting, y’all have facts.
Jan 26, 2010 @ 11:59 pm
Jrain
fuck drake….j.cole is the future…anyone who signs with young money is gonna have hype, drakes not talented sorry
JUST MY OPINIONS
Jan 27, 2010 @ 2:50 pm
Sirron
@bornastar
so wierd that you mention that lil ghetto nigga track. I’m listening to that right now just as I read your comment.
Jan 27, 2010 @ 8:00 pm
lilstarter
DRAKE IS JUST TO COCKY I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HOW THIS WORKS IN THE END
Jan 28, 2010 @ 3:02 am
John
From Rags to Riches
Jan 29, 2010 @ 4:26 pm
J.COLE > DRAKE
i’m sorry but drake was very disrespectful towards Wale, J.Cole, Kid Cudi and he needs to get slapped he has a bigger ego than kanye…
Wale J.Cole and kid cudi are a hell of alot more talented than drake he just has better marketing schemes and he’s an attention whore young money has to force feed their music to us
i hope drake fades in a few years and j.cole shines for 10 years so i can look back and laugh at drakes cocky ass
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