MUSIC
J. Cole “Stands Behind” Song That Takes Shots At Rapper Noname
J. Cole is catching flack for his latest song, but it’s his response to the criticism that may be even worse.
Cole dropped his first single of the year on Tuesday night and fans certainly got an earful. On the track, “Snow On Tha Bluff”, the 35-year-old rapper talks about the recent protest against police brutality and also reveals his own inadequacies in speaking out and fighting against injustice. However, in doing so, he seemingly calls out female rapper Noname. Just a couple of weeks ago, the “Telefone” rapper tweeted her confusion about rappers, who achieved success rapping about the Black plight, not protesting for Black lives.
🗣 RT @noname: poor black folks all over the country are putting their bodies on the line in protest for our collective safety and y’all favorite top selling rappers not even willing to put a tweet up. niggas whole discographies be about black plight and they no where to be found
— Cam (@ATriniPeach) May 30, 2020
It seems that tweet sparked Cole’s insecurities and on “Snow On Tha Bluff” he raps:
“She mad at the celebrities, low-key I be thinkin’ she talkin’ ‘bout me / Now I ain’t no dummy to think I’m above criticism / So when I see something that’s valid, I listen / But shit, it’s something about the queen tone that’s botherin’ me.”
He goes on…
“F-ck is the point of you preaching your message to those that already believe what you believe? / I’m on some “F-ck a retweet,” most people is sheep / You got all the answers but how you gon’ reach? / If I could make one more suggestion respectfully / I would say it’s more effective to treat people like children / Understandin’ the time and love and patience that’s needed to grow.”
Almost immediately, fans took offense at J. criticizing a woman’s “tone”, practically asking to be spoon-fed information, and not taking accountability for his own shortcomings.
J. Cole’s entire brand is being “too deep” and “too smart” for niggas to understand and he just woke up this morning to tell y’all that he doesn’t read and just be talking. I won’t be on here today lol.
— Jaz Wick (@JazzieBURR_) June 17, 2020
I don’t understand what the obsession is with y’all needing women to talk softly even about something as radical as abolition. if a man tells me my tone is too aggressive I just assume he’s not built to go where we going.
— Jahkara Smith✨ (@SlaylerJ) June 17, 2020
black women: we need black men to protect us
black men: pic.twitter.com/9tIK0WiCyf— ✨ Hoochie Mama ✨ (@_benjvmins_) June 17, 2020
However, on Wednesday morning, Cole hopped on Twitter to defend his lyrics and “stand behind every word of the song…”
Morning. I stand behind every word of the song that dropped last night.
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) June 17, 2020
Fellow MC Chance the Rapper is calling BS. Both Chance and Noname are from Chicago and have worked together, so it’s no surprise he’s defending her. But, he does have a valid point, this isn’t about friendship, it’s about protecting Black women — especially now!
Yet another L for men masking patriarchy and gaslighting as contructive criticism.
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) June 17, 2020
They both my peoples but only one of them put out a whole song talking about how the other needs to reconsider their tone and attitude in order to save the world. It’s not constructive and undermines all the work Noname has done. It’s not BWs job to spoon feed us. We grown https://t.co/TjIrMyFzQd
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) June 17, 2020
Also, it’s worth noting, that if Cole really wanted to be educated he could just join Noname’s book club, which she started after being called out on Twitter for not knowing enough about the fight.
Take a listen to “Snow On Tha Bluff” and let us know your thoughts…