J. Cole recently addressed his position in Hip Hop during an interview with Noisey.
“I don’t wake up every day like, ‘I got a great status in the Rap game,’” J. Cole said. “No, I feel behind. I don’t feel like I’ve done enough.”
While he may not feel that he has done enough in Hip Hop, Cole said he sometimes takes time to cherish what he has accomplished.
“I only get brief moments to appreciate things,” Cole said. “I might get a two minute thought of like, ‘Wow, you really did sell more than Kanye. You currently have sold more records [of Born Sinner] than Kanye West’s album [Yeezus], which came out the same day.’ Then I’m back to focusing on what’s next.”
Cole’s Born Sinner has sold approximately 599,000 copies to date. The album was released on the same day that Kanye West released his album, Yeezus, which has sold approximately 537,000 units to date.
Although Born Sinner has sold more records than Yeezus, Cole maintains that he cares more about matters concerning music rather than sales figures and trophies.
“I don’t live for the accolades,” Cole said. “I’m more so about the music. Making it, and putting it out. Those are the two best feelings.”
J. Cole Responds To Critics Who Say He’s Boring
While his music has allowed Cole to hit the charts, it has also allowed for some critics to hit him with claims that he is “boring.” Cole was asked about these critics.
“It’s funny, but it’s sad,” Cole said. “Everybody has their own style of music that they like. I could never let that affect me in the way I make music. The people who like Soul Plane are probably gonna think Shawshank Redemption is boring. It’s not the end of the world.”
Cole also said that he tries to avoid listening to too much criticism.
“I just gotta disconnect from it,” Cole said. “You can’t be a commentator and a player at the same time. I don’t have the energy anymore to care about the small talk. It’s cool that people care, because five years ago, nobody cared, but I don’t care about the chattering. It’s becoming more and more like noise to me.”
J. Cole released the video for his new single “Crooked Smile” yesterday (September 18). The video was dedicated to the life of Aiyana Stanley-Jones, a 7-year-old who was killed during a 2010 police raid in Michigan.
