ILL – Your biggest fear with the album? Is it not selling, or not delivering? Or are the two the same?
J.Cole - Nah, they’re not the same. I don’t have a fear of not delivering, I know I’m going to deliver, and I don’t have a fear of sales because – I wouldn’t call it a fear of sales because I don’t place that much emphasis on the sales, but I definitely have an excitement over the sales. I want to sell a godrillion. But I’m not scared I’m going sell 10,000 records. I’m not afraid of that.
ILL – So you’re ready. Whatever the outcome is, you’re just like alright…
J.Cole - Yep.
ILL – In an interview you did with Whoo Kid – by the way how awkward can Whoo Kid be?
J.Cole - [Laughing] Oh man!! That’s Whoo Kid for you man.
ILL – Haha! Yeah I know him well, he’s a friend of mine. [Laughing] But yeah, you and Whoo Kid were talking about a “Pregnancy” related track, which I don’t believe you mention anywhere else… I think you said that you have been sitting on it for a while too and making sure to save it for the album. How did the record come about?
J.Cole - The track is called “Lost Ones.” It’s off the album. I have a video for it and everything. It’s an incredible song man; it’s a classic classic song. It’s really stood the test of time because I did that song – I’ve had that song for a minute – I’ve just been holding on to it for the album. And I can’t wait for people to hear it, you know.
ILL – Is it your experience or someone else’s experience?
J.Cole - When I wrote it, it wasn’t my experience, I’m not saying that anything similar ever happened to me or whatever, but there was a real situation – someone that was close to me – that was going through it. But the song even talking about it, it ain’t even going to make sense until people really hear it. I can’t even really express how crazy this shit is. It’s really really good. I can’t wait.
ILL – Is that one of the first singles, since you have a video for it?
J.Cole - Nah, you know I wish. I hope that the next couple of singles I drop are so incredible that I will be able to put that out as a single, because to me it’s like if Eminem can drop – of course his situation is different…If Eminem can drop Stan as a single and all these radio stations are playing that song – the song is a huge record. But it wasn’t a club record, it wasn’t a party record. And that was before people were doing songs like “Airplanes” and “Love the way You lie”…
ILL – Is it dark like that?
J.Cole - Ummm…yeah..
ILL – Dark in the sense that it’s very emotional
J.Cole - Yeah it’s a super emotional song. I would love to put that out last if everything will go well, but you know I don’t know.
ILL – Three other tracks you’ve mentioned are “Won’t be long”, “Never Told”, and “Wet Dreams” – Tell me something particular about each record?
J.Cole – “It Won’t be long” leaked on the internet. It’s not mixed, but they leaked that, but that’s still on the album. “Never Told” produced by NO ID. This is an incredible song. That’s going to be a song that when people are listening to the album it might go over their heads at first because they’re going to be so caught up in the beat, might not even pay attention to the words, but once they finally get it after that 5th or 6th listen, it may become one of their favorite songs. They might even skip it at first, because it doesn’t sound like anything else on the album, but once they listen to it, they will love it. “Wet Dreams” – on the last play list I made – it’s not on my album list – I usually switch up my play list, but that’s just a real classic J Cole song.
ILL – What is a classic J Cole record? You have said that “Won’t be long” is a classic J Cole record as well.
J.Cole - When I say that I have several types of songs like…off my mixtape, “I get up” – when I speak about the song “It Won’t be long” and I’m like “Oh it’s a classic J Cole record” what I mean in my head is that it reminds me of “I Get up”. It’s in that vein. When I say “Wet Dreams” is a classic J Cole record it’s the vein of this song I got called “Dreams” off the mixtape.
ILL – You have said that you don’t like to record on tour but rather take the time to reflect and think and come up with content to rap about. What is your thought process when writing a record like?
J.Cole - Well I’ve only been on tour with Jay, and that was my first experience and I think that’s why I couldn’t write. I’m about to go on the road again October 7th, so I’m hoping that it will be a little different. I’m hoping I’ll be feeling creative out there.
ILL – Where do you prefer to write?
J.Cole - I like to write in my crib. I like to write alone. I write in the studio too, but I grew up kind of just writing in my own little box in my own little space so that’s my most comfortable place.
ILL – What do you need usually to have present in that comfort zone?
J.Cole - Just privacy really. That’s it.
ILL – Back to the Whoo Kid interivew – You said that females frequent many of your shows and you don’t feel you have to dumb down a record as most rappers feel they have to, in order to appeal to women. What do you think it is that women like in you, and in your records?
J.Cole - That’s a good question. I was just thinking about that today. I think it’s the fact that I don’t…that I don’t do that. I feel that women can tell when you’re trying. I’d rather it come across effortless and genuine so when I’m doing a song that’s for women, it’s really for men too. When you do a song FOR women, men can tell too and it’s like “ahhh man… I got to come to your show and rap along with this, why?” You know. I don’t know I just feel like women respect the fact that I’m really just talking about real things and it’s genuine – I guess that’s the word. So when I do speak to women it is a genuine thing, it’s not like “hey this is my song for the women”
ILL – Yeah totally. I agree. And I think most females can appreciate that.
J.Cole - Yeah, it’s a classier…I feel like Pac was really good at that…Nas was good at that, but really Pac was the best at that.
ILL – What do you think women like in you?
J.Cole - Umm I don’t know. I can’t call that one [Laughing] I don’t know. I can’t figure it out man. I guess I don’t think about it much – I guess I haven’t thought about it – but I still am amazed when I go to these shows and it’s like packed with women and they know every word to every song, no matter how aggressive the song is and no matter how lyrical it is. I haven’t sat back and thought about “oh why do women like me” but I hope it continues and I hope they follow me for the rest of my career.
ILL – I think it’s…however you express yourself you show emotion in your face, but you don’t come off as arrogant and you don’t come off as cocky. You’re so super cool and relaxed and chill and I think people feel like they can talk to you. You know what I mean?
J.Cole - Yeah, I definitely understand. And when you say that it reminds me too, it is the emotion in the songs. It’s the fact that I show so much emotion in the songs, I talk about things with so much passion, I feel like if I could say anything, I think that’s what it is.
ILL – Two more questions – Tell me about Ezra Jack Keats Children’s books. How can you relate?
J.Cole - I don’t know if I can relate to him, because I don’t know his story. But I know his books and his artwork. It’s the artwork that I love and I’m trying to find a way to incorporate that into the album artwork. It is so early to be saying all this but yeah. It’s these weird textures almost like cloth mixed with paintings…
ILL – Yeah, totally I’m familiar. He’s known for introducing multiculturalism to childern’s books…
J.Cole - I knew that, but that was not the reason. Yeah, you know, but I remember having the Snowy Day book and without even knowing it I realized “damn this is a children’s book with a black kid,” you know what I’m saying? [Laughing]
ILL – Yeah, totally…My last question since you have to go. What’s been the most difficult experience so far?
J.Cole - The most difficult? [Sighs] In life?
ILL – In music…
J.Cole - It was definitely battling life being broke and all the other life stuff – family issues – and still trying to chase the dream but not knowing if it was really going to happen. And being super dirt broke, and having to keep telling myself and believing – “Nah this is going to happen, it’s going to happen”, when really it could have went the other way.
ILL – So it’s not more difficult trying to upkeep that expectation?
J.Cole - It’s difficult now, but whenever it gets tough I just remind myself like “yo look where you came, there’s no way that you can’t do this. Look what you’ve already been through. The hard part – not saying this part isn’t hard because it is – but the hardest part is over. If you got through that, there’s no telling where you could go now.”
J.Cole - Nah, they’re not the same. I don’t have a fear of not delivering, I know I’m going to deliver, and I don’t have a fear of sales because – I wouldn’t call it a fear of sales because I don’t place that much emphasis on the sales, but I definitely have an excitement over the sales. I want to sell a godrillion. But I’m not scared I’m going sell 10,000 records. I’m not afraid of that.
ILL – So you’re ready. Whatever the outcome is, you’re just like alright…
J.Cole - Yep.
ILL – In an interview you did with Whoo Kid – by the way how awkward can Whoo Kid be?
J.Cole - [Laughing] Oh man!! That’s Whoo Kid for you man.
ILL – Haha! Yeah I know him well, he’s a friend of mine. [Laughing] But yeah, you and Whoo Kid were talking about a “Pregnancy” related track, which I don’t believe you mention anywhere else… I think you said that you have been sitting on it for a while too and making sure to save it for the album. How did the record come about?
J.Cole - The track is called “Lost Ones.” It’s off the album. I have a video for it and everything. It’s an incredible song man; it’s a classic classic song. It’s really stood the test of time because I did that song – I’ve had that song for a minute – I’ve just been holding on to it for the album. And I can’t wait for people to hear it, you know.
ILL – Is it your experience or someone else’s experience?
J.Cole - When I wrote it, it wasn’t my experience, I’m not saying that anything similar ever happened to me or whatever, but there was a real situation – someone that was close to me – that was going through it. But the song even talking about it, it ain’t even going to make sense until people really hear it. I can’t even really express how crazy this shit is. It’s really really good. I can’t wait.
ILL – Is that one of the first singles, since you have a video for it?
J.Cole - Nah, you know I wish. I hope that the next couple of singles I drop are so incredible that I will be able to put that out as a single, because to me it’s like if Eminem can drop – of course his situation is different…If Eminem can drop Stan as a single and all these radio stations are playing that song – the song is a huge record. But it wasn’t a club record, it wasn’t a party record. And that was before people were doing songs like “Airplanes” and “Love the way You lie”…
ILL – Is it dark like that?
J.Cole - Ummm…yeah..
ILL – Dark in the sense that it’s very emotional
J.Cole - Yeah it’s a super emotional song. I would love to put that out last if everything will go well, but you know I don’t know.
ILL – Three other tracks you’ve mentioned are “Won’t be long”, “Never Told”, and “Wet Dreams” – Tell me something particular about each record?
J.Cole – “It Won’t be long” leaked on the internet. It’s not mixed, but they leaked that, but that’s still on the album. “Never Told” produced by NO ID. This is an incredible song. That’s going to be a song that when people are listening to the album it might go over their heads at first because they’re going to be so caught up in the beat, might not even pay attention to the words, but once they finally get it after that 5th or 6th listen, it may become one of their favorite songs. They might even skip it at first, because it doesn’t sound like anything else on the album, but once they listen to it, they will love it. “Wet Dreams” – on the last play list I made – it’s not on my album list – I usually switch up my play list, but that’s just a real classic J Cole song.
ILL – What is a classic J Cole record? You have said that “Won’t be long” is a classic J Cole record as well.
J.Cole - When I say that I have several types of songs like…off my mixtape, “I get up” – when I speak about the song “It Won’t be long” and I’m like “Oh it’s a classic J Cole record” what I mean in my head is that it reminds me of “I Get up”. It’s in that vein. When I say “Wet Dreams” is a classic J Cole record it’s the vein of this song I got called “Dreams” off the mixtape.
ILL – You have said that you don’t like to record on tour but rather take the time to reflect and think and come up with content to rap about. What is your thought process when writing a record like?
J.Cole - Well I’ve only been on tour with Jay, and that was my first experience and I think that’s why I couldn’t write. I’m about to go on the road again October 7th, so I’m hoping that it will be a little different. I’m hoping I’ll be feeling creative out there.
ILL – Where do you prefer to write?
J.Cole - I like to write in my crib. I like to write alone. I write in the studio too, but I grew up kind of just writing in my own little box in my own little space so that’s my most comfortable place.
ILL – What do you need usually to have present in that comfort zone?
J.Cole - Just privacy really. That’s it.
ILL – Back to the Whoo Kid interivew – You said that females frequent many of your shows and you don’t feel you have to dumb down a record as most rappers feel they have to, in order to appeal to women. What do you think it is that women like in you, and in your records?
J.Cole - That’s a good question. I was just thinking about that today. I think it’s the fact that I don’t…that I don’t do that. I feel that women can tell when you’re trying. I’d rather it come across effortless and genuine so when I’m doing a song that’s for women, it’s really for men too. When you do a song FOR women, men can tell too and it’s like “ahhh man… I got to come to your show and rap along with this, why?” You know. I don’t know I just feel like women respect the fact that I’m really just talking about real things and it’s genuine – I guess that’s the word. So when I do speak to women it is a genuine thing, it’s not like “hey this is my song for the women”
ILL – Yeah totally. I agree. And I think most females can appreciate that.
J.Cole - Yeah, it’s a classier…I feel like Pac was really good at that…Nas was good at that, but really Pac was the best at that.
ILL – What do you think women like in you?
J.Cole - Umm I don’t know. I can’t call that one [Laughing] I don’t know. I can’t figure it out man. I guess I don’t think about it much – I guess I haven’t thought about it – but I still am amazed when I go to these shows and it’s like packed with women and they know every word to every song, no matter how aggressive the song is and no matter how lyrical it is. I haven’t sat back and thought about “oh why do women like me” but I hope it continues and I hope they follow me for the rest of my career.
ILL – I think it’s…however you express yourself you show emotion in your face, but you don’t come off as arrogant and you don’t come off as cocky. You’re so super cool and relaxed and chill and I think people feel like they can talk to you. You know what I mean?
J.Cole - Yeah, I definitely understand. And when you say that it reminds me too, it is the emotion in the songs. It’s the fact that I show so much emotion in the songs, I talk about things with so much passion, I feel like if I could say anything, I think that’s what it is.
ILL – Two more questions – Tell me about Ezra Jack Keats Children’s books. How can you relate?
J.Cole - I don’t know if I can relate to him, because I don’t know his story. But I know his books and his artwork. It’s the artwork that I love and I’m trying to find a way to incorporate that into the album artwork. It is so early to be saying all this but yeah. It’s these weird textures almost like cloth mixed with paintings…
ILL – Yeah, totally I’m familiar. He’s known for introducing multiculturalism to childern’s books…
J.Cole - I knew that, but that was not the reason. Yeah, you know, but I remember having the Snowy Day book and without even knowing it I realized “damn this is a children’s book with a black kid,” you know what I’m saying? [Laughing]
ILL – Yeah, totally…My last question since you have to go. What’s been the most difficult experience so far?
J.Cole - The most difficult? [Sighs] In life?
ILL – In music…
J.Cole - It was definitely battling life being broke and all the other life stuff – family issues – and still trying to chase the dream but not knowing if it was really going to happen. And being super dirt broke, and having to keep telling myself and believing – “Nah this is going to happen, it’s going to happen”, when really it could have went the other way.
ILL – So it’s not more difficult trying to upkeep that expectation?
J.Cole - It’s difficult now, but whenever it gets tough I just remind myself like “yo look where you came, there’s no way that you can’t do this. Look what you’ve already been through. The hard part – not saying this part isn’t hard because it is – but the hardest part is over. If you got through that, there’s no telling where you could go now.”
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