J.Cole Adds “Be Free” Verse On ‘Letterman’
December 11, 2014 @ 8:40 AM EST
News
All We Want.
Jermaine returned to the Late Show With David Letterman last night to perform his loosie, “Be Free”. At the 2:28 mark, he tacks a new verse to his song cry. Deep stuff. Download 2014 Forest Hills Drive on iTunes here.
Letterman felt that in his SOUL. You can see it in the handshake.
New verse is very very wavy. Track not even on the album. Just spreading the message on a big stage. Salute. #2014ForestHillsDrive #TIMELESS
Yeah, that’s definitely one of the best that i’ve heard from him.
If the Truly Yours mixtapes are any indication, J. Cole is at his best when he’s not trying to be the best. On those EPs, there was no falling back on ‘90s nostalgia by jumping on famous samples (“Villuminati” and “LAnd of the Snakes”) or paying tribute to the greats (“Let Nas Down”). Instead, it was just good raps over good beats. perhaps this was going to be an artistic statement whereas his previous two albums were mildly enjoyable bits of pop rap that mostly didn’t pop at all.
With respects to diminishing returns, both his rapping and his production seems to be worse than ever before. J. Cole compares himself to Rakim before feebly namedropping five people and declaring that he’s God in his typical rhyme-a-word-with-itself-ness: “You ain’t the God / Nigga, Cole the God”.
If I’ve seemed unduly harsh on J. Cole, it’s because I know he can do better. I long for him to stop relying on rhyming the same word with itself, i.e. most of the second verse on “G.O.M.D.”.
and with that said.
J.coles album fucking sucks, it’s worst then the last which was worst then the last. bring that friday night lights “farewell” “before i’m gone” j.cole – blank bored stare the entire time listening to this album.
removed my headphones and threw them down, was so pissed after listening to this, expected so much more. the BEATS SUCCKKK YO. audio valium. cringeworthy singing, laziest hooks, lamest rhymes and patterns, his doing his best eminem , shouting loud and showing us how angry he is with nothing to say. abc rhyme patterns just rhyming the end of every sentence —–cat, —–hat, ——-sat.
then his like oh fuck people arguing over who’s the king everyones the king, that doesn’t matter. then the net track his like fuck you i’m the king of this. then white people snatched the sound. does he know him and drake are half white with with white mothers who raised them…white? smh.
The Warm up and friday night lights are the only projects you need from this guy. he just seems pissed his realised his nowhere near the caliber of talent required to take the throne (nowhere even close to drake or kendricks talent and they in turn are nowhere close to the talent of the 90s cats like nas, big pun, jay, pac, eminem, raekwon, andree 3000 in their prime – not even close) so now it’s fuck the throne fuck being the best. well better to hate what you can’t have cole. this guy is a hypocrite he seems more interested in being the best then making the best records or best rhymes – his trying to be personal like kendricks good kid mad city but he was a better rapper when he told other peoples stories and connected himself to them. friday night lights is what this album is trying to be but check out friday night lights check out – farewell and you you’ll find that there isn’t one song on this new album that captures him reminiscing as well, as interesting, on as dope a beat with as dope a flow. farewell, before i’m gone, 2 face, the autograph, head buss, rise above, see world, all these songs from his mix tapes shit all over anything on this album. the worst song on friday night lights would be the best song on this album. get this guy off the stage his not even a contender anymore. memphis bleak 2.0.
Can’t take your opinion serious when you write a dissertation.
that’s exactly why you should take it seriously duh
Anybody that has time to write the equivalent to a 4 page paper in the comment section of a rap blog is the epitome of a troll. I’m coo.
Niggas act like it takes 6 years to leave a long comment smh. He had a lot of great points that niggas want to invalidate because “it was long, so you must be a troll” LOL what a coincidence…
You’re very first sentence sums up why I like this song. He’s clearly going the route of the heart and not some “im the best lyricist who spits 1000 rhymes a minute”…I actually like the repetition of wordplay because I find that sometimes hiphop has to try too hard to pull variety for word play for the sake of sounding complex rather than ACTUALLY being complex based on the message you are trying to send. Being good at puzzles, such as words is great, but that’s like saying I only watch a movie for the directing – and I don’t, it’s about the story and the whole production. So with that said, I like how Jcole was able to traverse over this type of intstrumental and still pull off a convicted tone to his political message without trying to sound like a rap elitist.
Wait wait wait, i literally cannot agree with Oz more on this. The guy has fucking nailed the entire theme of the new album, honestly i’m so glad someone has the same opinion. Too many people are giving these rappers a pass, for no reason, Cole’s tapes are worlds apart from any album he’s made, Truly Yours collection is truly music in its best form, pure art. Guys, actually pay attention him, don’t just bump albums cause they’re from respectable emcees, treat them all fairly as if they still have something to prove, cause they always still do.
His album isn’t a big stage? Should have took off the “I had a boner in 8th grade song” and replaced it with this, would’ve made it closer to being a classic
ya yur right
Be Free wouldn’t make #2014ForestHillsDrive any closer to a classic than Wet Dreamz would. He doesn’t have a “classic” yet in my opinion. I only feel 5/13 on this album, honestly. Too much singing. #TIMELESS
nothing wrong with singing though…been going on in hiphop since the 80s
In “Wet Dreamz” he’s personifying hip-hop as a woman. It’s a trend he’s done on previous works “lights please”. The song was originally intended for his first album, that’s why there are so many first time references. Maybe his music is just too deep for you.
Finally
So he had his first experience with hip hop at 14? And when he went to go fuck her she said “I ain’t never did this before”?
You smart-dumb niggas are having a field day with the “J Cole’s album went over your head” jokes lmao
Yea, he actually did. That’s when he took the bball posters down in his room and replaced them with lyrics. That’s when he stopped listening to no limit and more canibus/Em/Nas. It’s art. And if you READ, you would know something. This is the Information Age. Just google and cross-check your references and you can learn something.
Cross check what references? Lmao you mean Google the lyrics? Where it’s clear that you’re forcing a “metaphor” when he’s only talking about losing his virginity, in a pretty crude and juvenile way, at that? Are we talking about the same song?
The twist at the end makes absolutely zero sense btw if it’s a metaphor. Just stop.
Not forcing anything. You Non-backpack hip hop fans need to just admit you don’t like the genre and refrain from going in on an artist everytime their tracks seem simple. Dude has been working out his album for 18 months with no radio singles. Song has been in His stash since 2011. You think he’s just about to make song with no depth talking about sex? Sex is the one topic where parallels can be drawn from any walk of life. Anyone that’s listened to his previous material knows he always had double meanings and triple entendres in his lines. Wake up.
No you need to correct your fucking posture and rebut a point instead of making assumptions. I bought Food & Liquor which basically invented backpack rap. I’m not talking about track records and “he’s had this since 2011” I’m judging the song on it’s artistic merits and it’s a very vapid storytelling song that doesn’t at ALL serve as a metaphor. I like that you didn’t even argue against the fact that the “metaphor” makes zero sense if you consider the “twist” at the end, just tried to say “you don’t like backpack rap so don’t judge it”. That’s not a point, that’s just lazy, much like this record. Wake up? Ha…quit dreaming.
I never post but I wanted to help you out Honestly because you may be making valid points. But did you actually just say Food and Liquor “basically invented backpack rap”? Well that just made every other point you made seem invalid. Sorry but if you think Lupe’s 2006 Food and Liquor is the originator of backpack rap no one will take you seriously.
The problem is that metaphor has been done to death, and while it might have been a decent concept for his first album it feels a little out of place on Forest Hills Drive…definitely the worst track on the album, why Cole always throwing songs that are years old on his albums?
https://bkjames.bandcamp.com/
Finally, a non-idiot who can think past the first level.
Agreed. He has hit the topic too many times. Along with the notion of “playing ball or picking up a mic, that’s a stereotype”. Good album overall tho.
that boy did that
EXCELLENT.
Your Excellency??
Yes? Care for a million dollars?
Such a powerful message. Respect
That was incredible
Props where props are due. Well done.
U KNOW UR BARS IS TIGHT WHEN LETTERMAN IS JUICIN’ – “THEY LET A BROTHER STEER THE SHIP FORGOT TO TELL HIM THAT THE SHIP WAS SINKIN” – LETTERMAN REACTED LIKE ” OH, U HEARD WHAT HE SAID – !!!” LETTERMAN HAD ON A “I CAN’T BREATHE” HOODIE DURING THE PERFORMANCE HEAD NODDIN- THEN HE TOOK IT OFF REAL QUICK – TO SAY GOODNIGHT TO AMERICA —
#1ALBUM IN THE COUNTRY #1 RAP SALES OF 2014 =J. COLE -CLAP FOR EM
SAPPY ASS NIGGA!!!! STOP FUCKIN’ SINGIN’!!!! DRAKE GOT THAT LANE ALREADY!!!! YOU SILLY NEGRO!!!! THIS WAS A WACK PERFORMANCE!!!! YOU’RE BETTER THAN THIS COLE!!!! SMFH!!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
i generally agree with your angry rants
As for your commentary on this video your clearly the definition of a fuck boy…Before you go on tirade of “Fuck you and eat a d*ck” towards me. Know this, we will never meet, but if we did Im quite postive i would beat the shit outta you.
I digress…..You clown a man for cleary a great performance, we can debate, but the actual rap verse was flawless, and the singing was along the lines of Mos Def “Umi Says”. He doesnt need to be fucking Pavarotti with his fucking octaves, It was a soul song and he carried it well. Your soooo used to hating that you literally have lost all objectivity and you missed the WHOLE point of this song. There was a clear message you doofus.. Enjoy music and shut the fuck up.
TAKE THAT PARAGRAPH AND WASH YOUR ASS WITH IT!!!! AND PUT AWAY THOSE THUG COOKIES!!!! YOU AIN’T BEATIN’ NOBODY’S ASS!!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
yo on the real..you gotta see a psychiatrist bruh
you have no job, no life, and no friends…you need help dude
DON’T HATE ON MY ADVICE!!!!
I cant be the only one that realizes that “Mac Deisel” works for Rap Radar…. or maybe I am y u think he trolls Bdot the most. Wake up he does kinda the reason y Charlemagne is on the breakfast club trollin to get a reaction.
if thats how desperate rapradar is, then BDot and Elliot are the most pathetic people in the industry
This makes little to no sense
Performance is coming back…slowly but surely. drizzy kills every live performance, Kendrick slaughtered that SNL performance and now j.cole following suit…dope
no bias at all…when it comes to performances..its Cole>Drake>Kendrick
i go to OVOfest all the time…but drakes not fuckin with Cole in live performances
Kendrick seems to have learned a lot from Ye last year
First I was like “Why is Cole performing this shit…isn’t even on the album”. Then his spit that verse and I was like “GOT DAMNNNNN”. Then I see letterman shook. This shit was powerful and I’m glad he used the platform to send that message.
This shit was amazing…that nigg letterman even felt that shit like damn…
2014 Forest Hills Drive is a phenomenal album. He touches so many topics that nobody even has the intellectual to touch. J. Cole is an incredible artist!
Lmao “nobody even has the intellectual to touch” apparently all you need is rudimentary grammar to grasp it, though.
AMEN
.,.Read here
FUCK YOU
dope performance.
Cole is Clutch for this one. This came at a perfect time, people needed to here this. Most of hip hops upper echelon artist remain silent on these issues because of sponsorships or just scared to make a real stand for something. If Letterman’s reaction is any indication, Cole should be on the on the couch next time, not just the entertainment. Clap for em, he’s doing hip hop justice in this microwave era
How can anyone not like this, He giving you substance in his music. #ColeWorld
PLEASE SHAVE
OR AT LEAST TAKE A FUCKING SHOWER
THE SONG CALLED “CRY” BECAUSE THE STANK OFFA COLE MAKE YO EYES WATER
why are you concerned with a mans image?
take that Wu Tang off your name…those were the grimmiest niggas, you just disrespected them
Here’s the last verse fellas! Wrote it out and thought I’d share!
We so elated we celebrated like Obama
waited until his last day in office to tell the nation
brothers getting they reparations
a man can dream can he
No disrespect, in terms of change I haven’t seen any.
Maybe he had good intentions but was stifled by the system
and was sad to learn he actually couldn’t bring any
that’s what i get for thinking this world is fair
they let a brother steer the ship
and never told him the ship was sinking
but i got other shit to think about
like my bank account
forget that watch you paid too much for it
you ought a be ashamed
with brothers back home who be dreaded when the seasons change
because they aint got no heat
and they aint got no ac
walmart distribution fired my homie he just had a baby
you wonder why there’s been so many bne’s lately
why brothers from the hood shootin like this is TNT lately
this is all the ballers leaving college early
i turn on the TV and don’t see no brothers with degrees lately
Are we we on our own?
Fighting on our own
Please give me a chance
I don’t want to dance
something’s got me down
I will stand my ground
Don’t just around
Don’t Just stand around
All we want to do is be free
All we want to do is be free
All we want to do is take the chains off
Yooo, I wrote the lyrics of the last verse out. Not sure if they are available so I thought I’d share them!!
We so elated we celebrated like Obama
waited until his last day in office to tell the nation
brothers getting they reparations
a man can dream can he
No disrespect, in terms of change I haven’t seen any.
Maybe he had good intentions but was stifled by the system
and was sad to learn he actually couldn’t bring any
that’s what i get for thinking this world is fair
they let a brother steer the ship
and never told him the ship was sinking
but i got other shit to think about
like my bank account
forget that watch you paid too much for it
you ought a be ashamed
with brothers back home be dreaded when the seasons change
because they aint got no heat
and they aint got no ac
walmart distribution fired my homie he just had a baby
you wonder why there’s been so many bne’s lately
why brothers from the hood shootin like this is TNT lately
this is all the ballers leaving college early
i turn on the TV and don’t see no brothers with degrees lately
Are we all alone?
Fighting on our own
Please give me a chance
I don’t want to dance
something’s got me down
I will stand my ground
Don’t stand just around
Don’t Just stand around
All we want to do is be free
All we want to do is be free
All we want to do is take the chains off
Amazing Kanye song!
…………HA!!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
He’s an awful singer, leave the singing to Drake. Which is hard, cause he has made a whole career of ripping off Drake.
this is the perfect example for when i tell people why j cole is above drake as an artist of todays generation you just cant put a price or a statistic on this type of shit
BTW, your name is too dope.
thanks bro
Lol Letterman got hit by that coleword breeze couldn’t even let a nigga hand go. On the real respect to the Therapist ‘man of the people not above but equal.
GREAT SONG WITH A GREAT MESSAGE
also lets aknowledge that is dope that he has the freedom to perform this and the label doesn’t force him to perform something just to sell albums. dope song, dope verse, dope performance, dope album.
This shit dope.
I’m a huge fan of Cole. I think this record is great but more importantly the message he delivers is phenomenal…. With all that being said, this song would be epic with someone on the hook. I mean I love Cole but he sounds like a nigga who is going through puberty when he’s trying to sing.
The fact he performed this song and it’s not on the album irks me. Especially when it’s better than 95% of the songs that did make it.
…Cole World Order.
That boy good. Powerful music.
I always rocked with cole I was upset with mr nice watch but I see he ain’t gonna be about that bullshit for the admiration no more!
I can dig when artist stand up and be artist and not hoe ass rappers!
This guy is the Absolute TRUTH! He could’ve did songs off his album but he wanted the nation to hear the message #Classic #ColeWorld
chills.
Everyday, a Star is born. #ColeWorld
j cole is boring as fuck overall
but THIS. this was one of the most powerful moments in television history
glad he chose to do a song that pertained to the times we are in in this world
#FIREEEEEE
Deep stuff. 2014 Forest Hills Drive,always on repeat ………………..
That was phenomenal
This beat sounds like Musiq Soulchild Halfcrazy.
cole we needed that bruh
did you miss me?
whoisvarnellhill.com
some where kanye saying did this nigga just did new slave part 2 lol..this was nice to watch a message is needed.
MUCH RESPECT.
This verse is better than most of the album. Dope album tho.
Just Shedd a tear real talk. Listen to this like 15 times in a row. I have to apologize to Obama. I been dogging him out lately. Oh and my diamond watch for sale
This performance was great. Letterman himself and the white crowd respected the thoughts,words and feelings that was put into this piece of work. Jcole has a message and is trying to make others visualize that message throughout the power of his words. LISTEN. There are 10 million things going on in all our schedules and we make time for the trash and certain situations or sounds that influence ourselves in a negative way. Listen and if things are made clear, let those words make a difference in your/our lives. LETS TRY TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. #befree
“Forget this chain cause’ this aint me
Though I’m internally grateful to Jay-Z
So elated we celebrated
Like Obama waited till his last day in office to tell the
nation that brothas’ are getting their reparations (Hey!)
A man can dream can’t he?
No disrespect in terms of change I haven’t seen any
Maybe he had good intentions but was stifiled by the system
And was sad to learn that he actually couldn’t bring any
That’s what I get for thinking the world is fair,
They let a brotha steer the ship and never told him that the
ship was sinking
But I got other (Things) to think about, like my bank
account
Forget that watch! You paid too much for it
You ought to be ashamed
When brothas be back home dreading when the seasons change
Cause the aint got no heat, and they don’t got no AC
Walmart distribution fired my homie, and he just had a baby
Wonder why there’s been so many B and E’s (breaking and
enterings) lately
Why brothas from the hood shootin like this is TNT lately
And since all the ballers leaving college early
I turn on the TV and don’t see brothas with degrees lately”