Before releasing The Off-Season, J. Cole embarked on an unprecedented journey of hopping on features and giving them everything he had. One of them even earned him his first Grammy, the 21 Savage track A Lot. As Cole prepares for what he claims as his last album, The Fall Off, it looks like we're in the midst of another murderous feature run, including the jaw-dropping verse he gave Drake on For All the Dogs.
For long-time fans, this is slight work for the North Carolina native. Along the way, he's managed to gain new fans who marvel at his rapping ability, which he's possessed since his first mixtape, The Come Up, which dropped in 2007. It's been over a decade of immaculate verses and the fun part is that they're only improving with time, epitomizing the fine wine saying. The only thing left to do is anticipate The Fall Off or his next guest verse, either of which will be something fans of Cole and Hip-Hop would love to hear.
As we near the next release, it seems like a worthy time to rank his top 4 features during this latest run.
J. Cole Performing
4. Burna Boy, “Thanks”
This was probably the most surprising feature of 2023 from Cole. An Afrobeats artist who exudes vibes fit for dancing all night linking up with a rapper who takes pride in dropping amazing bars didn't seem like something that made sense. On the first listen, audiences get a different Jermaine Cole than they're used to hearing. He even went as far as to compare himself and Burna Boy to Kobe and Shaq, an unfamiliar braggadocious move from the Born Sinner.
After about two more listens, the cadence, wordplay, and everything else are loud and clear. This J. Cole verse is a new flow from him, but one that's highly appreciated. Burna Boy's voice also provides a soothing tone to offset the flames left behind by Cole. If it could, this would go higher in the ranks, but the ones that follow are insane.
3. Lil Durk, “All My Life”
Lil Durk and J. Cole, an unexpected rap duo, took the music scene by storm with their hit track “All My Life.” While both artists are rap heavyweights in their own right, there were initial doubts about how their distinct styles would mesh. However, these concerns were quickly put to rest as Cole seamlessly adapted to Durk's signature sound, delivering a visceral verse that resonated not only with the streets but also with media outlets.
One particular line in the song caught the attention of media pundits: “And media thirsty for clicks / I got a new rule / If you ain't never posted a rapper when he was alive / You can't post about him after he get hit.” This hard-hitting lyric sparked discussions and put media publications on high alert.
2. Lil Yachty, “The Recipe”
As unexpected as the Lil Durk team-up was, Cole and Yachty is something fans never thought would happen. Sure, Lil Yachty has teamed up with other artists from the Dreamville camp, but getting on a song with Cole as an artist not particularly known for their lyrical prowess was a bold move.
Surely, Cole World did what he had to do and completely destroyed this track. The beat is sublime as well, and although Lil Boat tried his hardest, Cole was like LeBron James in '08 on a fast break with a clear lane – there was no stopping that man from causing havoc. Much like the Burna Boy song, this was a new style of rapping from the emcee as well, one that had people speculating that it could be a verse of the year contender.
1. Drake, “First Person Shooter”
Drake placing Cole on this track while the man is on another one of his sprees takes guts. Drizzy kept true to form rapping about going on dinner dates with women and asking them who they think the GOAT is, while J. Cole didn't hesitate to proclaim himself as the Muhammid Ali of the big three of rap, which includes himself, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake.
The pair strongly proclaim their rapping together is as big as the Super Bowl, and that might not be that far off of a claim. These are two of the biggest stars in music, each of them having remained relevant for over ten years and continuously fighting for the crown like rap Game of Thrones.
In the end, J. Cole took home the belt on this track, which might've even prompted Drake to add that extra verse at the end, complete with a beat switch-up.
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