In a recent interview with Angela Yee on Way Up, J.I.D opened up about the significant influence J. Cole has had on his growth as an artist and his deep admiration for battle rappers, whom he believes are at the pinnacle of lyrical skill. The Dreamville artist shared insights into his creative process, revealing how Cole’s mentorship has shaped his approach to writing and freestyling.
J.I.D, known for his razor-sharp rhymes, discussed his relentless work ethic and dedication to refining his craft. He mentioned that he has been experimenting with various writing techniques, including recording over 30 freestyles to enhance his skills. “I learned this from Cole,” J.I.D stated, emphasizing the importance of constant practice and not overthinking the process. “Just line for line. If you got the next line, just go into it and then pick up from there.”
Reflecting on his journey, J.I.D credited Cole for encouraging him to embrace spontaneity in songwriting. “This is just more of a practice,” he explained. “Repetition, trying it. Whatever way I can just get it done.” This approach has allowed him to tap into a more fluid and organic style of writing.
The Atlanta rapper also expressed his admiration for battle rappers, calling them “the best rappers on earth.” He reminisced about the Smack DVD era, highlighting its impact on his early inspiration in rap. “Those ones, oh my god. That’s how I started it,” he recalled.
J.I.D’s confidence in his lyrical abilities shone through as he playfully suggested that he could hold his own in battle rap arenas, saying, “It’s a whole list of folks I could eat up for that.” His competitive spirit reflects his deep-rooted passion for the art form.
When discussing his recent surge of freestyles, J.I.D shared that he has been busy recording and is eager to release the 30 freestyles he has crafted thus far. “I’m put them out, the ones I did before 30,” he said. “The ones I did before wasn’t as good. It was just practice, like I was saying, so I probably won’t do nothing with them. But I’m gonna just keep going. When this one hit like a million views on YouTube, I’m just drop another one.”
For those who may have missed it, J.I.D kicked off the year with his “30 (Freestyle),” which garnered praise from fellow artists like Russ and his Dreamville labelmate Cozz.
