Dreamville’s own J. Cole has credited Kanye West as a pivotal influence in his life and artistry, revealing how Ye’s unique style and storytelling helped him embrace authenticity in his music.
On his new audio series Inevitable, J. Cole reflected on his early days as an aspiring rapper, explaining how Kanye’s rise in the early 2000s changed his approach to hip-hop.
I was an aggressive battle rapper with bars, but I didn’t know how to connect my real life to my music
Cole shared.
I wasn’t living the street life like my favorite rappers. My life was regular—then Kanye West happened.
Cole described the moment Kanye’s “Through the Wire” video dropped in 2003 as a game-changer. “He made it okay to rap about your everyday life and still make it captivating. That summer, I became a massive Kanye fan. He showed me how to tell my story in a relatable way. He cracked my mind open.”
Despite his admiration, the relationship between the two has had its ups and downs. Cole’s 2016 track “False Prophets” was widely interpreted as a critique of Kanye, lamenting his “fall from grace.” Similarly, Cole’s 2019 hit “Middle Child” contained lines that some interpreted as a dig at Ye’s ventures into fashion and celebrity.
Kanye hasn’t held back either. He once demanded a public apology from Cole and took lyrical shots in the “Like That” remix. In interviews, Ye even dismissed Cole’s relevance, calling out his critiques and collaborations.
While their relationship has been complicated, Cole’s respect for Kanye’s early influence remains evident. “Kanye was the first artist who felt like me,” Cole said, underscoring Ye’s impact on his journey from a dreamer to one of hip-hop’s most celebrated voices.
