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J. Cole

J. Cole Quotes

Recording Artist

J. Cole, whose real name is Jermaine Cole, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Born on January 28, 1985, in Hartford, North Carolina, J. Cole has made a name for himself in the rap industry with his profound lyrics and unique musical style. His music often delves into social issues, personal growth, and inner struggles.

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All Ifs Knows Feels Rap Rapper Thinking People Trying Beats Dream

Famous J. Cole Quotes

“I just feel like, with rappers, there's so much complacency. It's like, 'Oh, I'm a rapper. I'm successful. I make money. That's all that matters.' But there's a lot of stuff going on in the world. Whether or not you're aware of it, it's happening.”

World Feels Matter Stuff Successful Happenings Making Money Rapper Complacency

Author:J. Cole

“I'm a super-duper over-analyzer. You mix that with self-doubt and pressure, and that's never healthy.”

Self Doubt Healthy Pressure Self-doubt

Author:J. Cole

“My parents were divorced by the time I was even conscious - like I don't remember them ever being together.”

Together Remember Parent Conscious Divorced Being Together

Author:J. Cole

“I'm half-black, half-white, so I basically put it like this: I can fit in anywhere. That's why I write so many stories from so many different perspectives, because I've seen so many.”

Writing I Can Different Stories Black White Half Perspective Fit Different Perspective

Author:J. Cole

“One day, I'll be listening to a bunch of Ray Charles, the next day it's nothing but Red Hot Chili Peppers. The next day it might be Tupac all day.”

Might Next Listening One Day Red Hot Bunch Rays Next Day Peppers Red Hot Chili Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers

Author:J. Cole

“Barack Obama would not be President if he were dark skin. You know what I mean? That's just the truth. I might not be as successful as I am now if I was dark skin.”

Ifs Knows Mean Might President Dark Successful Skins Barack Dark Skin

Author:J. Cole

“My real dream is to have a whole, like, buy a whole piece of land. Imagine, like, a long driveway. Like, a cul de sac-type street, with maybe, like, seven houses. Me be right here. Have my mom be able to be right here. My brother over here. My girl's grandmother and family right here. Friends over there. That's my real dream.”

Long Real Whole Dream Able Girl House Pieces Imagine Streets Land Brother Mom Type Seven My Mom My Brother Grandmother My Girl Driveway

Author:J. Cole

“I was a super-duper Tupac fan, and I realized later, when I became a huge Nas fan and a huge Eminem fan, I was drawn to the storytellers. They all told stories in different ways, but they were all like the best storytellers.”

Way Different Stories Fans Huge I Realized Different Ways Storyteller

Author:J. Cole

“I've got two Rolexes that I'm very proud of - a gold Presidential that was a gift and a white gold one I gifted myself. I'm trying to step my game up and get a few more of those.”

Trying Two Games White Steps Proud Gold Presidential Gifted Rolex

Author:J. Cole

“My fans love me for me, my beats, my rhymes.”

Fans Beats Rhyme

Author:J. Cole

“I now possess the tools as a producer and a songwriter to really just go out and make smashes all day long. I could make an album full of smash records that got pop appeal. But my heart is in hip-hop. My heart is in telling stories. And it's like therapy for me.”

Heart Long Stories Records My Heart Tools Hip Hop Albums Pops Producers Hips Appeals Therapy Hops Songwriters Telling Stories

Author:J. Cole

“When you're headlining, people are paying to come see you specifically. It's a different kind of pressure, because you've got to deliver. You've got to give these people what they paid for. It's a different mind state, a different type of mentality, but it's honestly a pretty good problem to have, you know?”

People Knows Giving Mind Kind Different States Problem Type Paid Pressure Honestly Different Kinds Mentality Different Minds

Author:J. Cole

“I worked in ad sales. I would call up local businesses and try to get them to buy ads in the paper. The whole time, I felt like I was just scamming people.”

People Trying Whole Felt Paper Locals Ads Local Business

Author:J. Cole

“You can't reverse fame. You can lose all the money, but you'll never lose people knowing you.”

People Loses Knowing Fame Reverse

Author:J. Cole

“I want people to follow their dreams, yes but I'm not interested in telling young black kids how to be rappers I want to show them that there's so many other paths you can take, besides a rapper or basketball player.”

People Want Shows Dream Kids Young Black Path Player Basketball Rapper Not Interested Basketball Player

Author:J. Cole

“There was the time I bought three cars in the span of three or four weeks. It was crazy; it wasn't greedy. It was mine, my girl's, my mom's. I got Benzes for my ladies. But I felt crazy. You have to understand I come from a world where we're very modest. But that's not greedy. That's nice, right?”

World Girl Three Felt Four Nice Week Crazy Car Mines Mom My Mom Modest Greedy My Girl

Author:J. Cole

“I want to be like Bruce Springsteen or something, making songs that are relevant.”

Want Song Relevant Springsteen

Author:J. Cole

“While silly ni**as argue over who gon' snatch the crown / Look around my ni**a, white people have snatched the sound / This year I'll probably go to the awards dappered down / Watch Iggy win a Grammy as I try to crack a smile.”

People Trying Years Looks Winning Sound White Watches Arguing Silly Cracks Awards Crowns Grammy

Author:J. Cole

“I still wanna rap better than everybody else, and I wanna say important things.”

Stills Important Important Things Rap

Author:J. Cole

“In hip-hop, there's not a lot of love. There's not a lot of love being spread. It's always like 'I'm stuntin' on you raps, or I'm better than you raps.' It's not a lot of 'Yo man, I idolize you raps.'”

Men Love Is Hip Hop Spread Rap Hips Hops Better Than You

Author:J. Cole

“I'm not gonna be bad at anything, and I want to actually be the best at anything I'm doing. So if I'm playing basketball, if I'm taking the SATs, like, there's a competitive spirit behind it. With production, it's the same thing.”

Ifs Want Spirit Behinds Basketball Productions Sat Being The Best Playing Basketball Competitive Spirit

Author:J. Cole

“I pay attention to lyrics and I know what rap fans care about. I try to write for the average listener and I'm conscious of the mainstream without selling out.”

Knows Writing Trying Care Pay Attention Fans Conscious Average Rap Selling Pay Attention Mainstream Listeners Selling Out

Author:J. Cole

“Touring is very routine. You get to the city, you go to the hotel, you got to be at the hotel by a certain time - it's very routine. I'm not a very structured person, so when I get some structure, it's cool; it's good for me.”

Persons Certain Cities Structure Hotel Routine Touring

Author:J. Cole

“Sometimes I try a Mai Tai. It's so fruity. It's a little embarrassing, but I like it.”

Trying Littles Sometimes Embarrassing

Author:J. Cole

About the Author

Born: January 28, 1985
Known for: Recording Artist
Quotes: 124

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Ifs Knows Feels Rap Rapper Thinking People Trying Beats Dream

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