HipHopRaisedMeTheBlog.com is excited to share that J. Cole has revealed additional unreleased collaborations with Kendrick Lamar while reflecting on the impact of Kendrick’s iconic album, good kid, m.A.A.d city. During the latest episode of his audio series Inevitable, Cole recounted his experience recording with Kendrick on Drake’s Club Paradise Tour in 2012.
Cole reminisced about their time together, stating, “He came to Fayetteville and we worked on that studio bus for two or three days. Before, I had sent him joints, but this was the first time we actually got to lock in and work on things. And that was so fun, dawg… It felt like when your cousin would come over to your house.” He expressed his belief that they could create something special together, mentioning, “I knew we would do something crazy if we ever got the chance to do an album.”
During the episode, Cole’s manager, Ibrahim “Ib” Hamad, played an unreleased collaboration produced by Oddisee, followed by another track featuring a more aggressive beat and intense exchanges of bars between the two artists, with Cole channeling Project Pat’s signature style.
After the music played, J. Cole mentioned that they have even more material stored away, saying, “There was another we did that is my favorite one.” He also shared that he had an early listen of Kendrick’s good kid, m.A.A.d city during their studio sessions.
Cole reflected on hearing the album in its entirety after its release, praising Kendrick’s work: “This n-gga did exactly what I wanted to do with a debut album. It was so pure. He hit it out the park. It was perfect. It walked the line perfectly between classic content and commercial appeal.” He emphasized the album’s sonic quality, stating, “From a writing perspective, from the hooks and the melodies — it had all of that. You just felt it right away.”
Additionally, Cole admitted to feeling that Kendrick had “surpassed” him following the album’s release, comparing the moment to when Drake’s So Far Gone dropped. He noted that Kendrick’s first-week sales outperformed his own debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story, and recalled a time when they performed on the same lineup, with Kendrick closing out the show after him. However, he expressed no bitterness toward Kendrick’s success, understanding completely why Kendrick was chosen to headline.
In a previous episode of Inevitable, J. Cole also played two other unreleased tracks recorded with Kendrick back in 2010, titled “Temptation” and “Shock the World.” The audio series has provided fans with a treasure trove of never-before-heard material, showcasing Cole’s early collaborations, including work with Pharrell in his pursuit of a hit.
For more updates on J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, and the latest in hip-hop, stay tuned to HipHopRaisedMeTheBlog.com, where we keep you in the loop on all things music and culture!
