J. Cole‘s first official studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story is out today, ready for the masses to hear.
Saying that this album’s release was highly anticipated is an understatement. Fans’ mouths have been watering for some official J. Cole album cuts ever since he dropped his first mixtape, The Come Up back in 2007. Since then, we’ve been lucky enough to get our hands on his follow-up mixtapes The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010) as well as his first EP Any Given Sunday earlier this year.
Ready for the real thing? Yes, we are too. And, in honor of J. Cole’s album release today, we have officially taken over GlobalGrind with a ton of exclusive content. Check out the 411 on his album!
Global Grind: How does it feel to finally be dropping your album?
It feels so good. I’m so excited and almost relieved. I’m feeling really positive and happy.
We hear you did most of the production on this album. What was your beat making process like?
It’s always different. Sometimes I might find a sample and start with that, but a lot of the times I start with the drums. For the past year or so I’ve been starting with drums that I like, then I find some music to go over it, start playing something or find a sample that can go in. From there, if it’s a really good day, I’ll just start humming something for the hook or start writing a verse. That’s usually how the process goes.
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Do you ever have a verse and then do a beat after?
That happens sometimes, but not as much as the other way around. I’ll write a verse to no beat. If I write a verse on a plane or in the car to no particular beat, it usually happens that the next beat I do, I’ll put the verse over it. It’s weird!
What was it like working with a legend like Missy Elliott?
It was incredible. She was super cool and I’m just such a big fan. I have great memories of riding around listening to Missy and this older girl I had a crush on always was playing Missy, all the time, so I have good memories with Missy. Just the fact that I did this song. I’d been wanting to work with her by the way, throughout the making of the whole album, but I never had anything particular that she could get on and it just so happened the last week of the album I did this song and it had an Aaliyah/Timbaland-type-vibe. So I wrote the hook with her in mind and she was really cool about doing it. She’s the sh*t, man!
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Do you think the success of your album and career will mean more if you don’t have a feature from Jay-Z?
I don’t know, I have to see what happens. Either way it would feel good, successful with a Jay-Z verse or successful without one.
What are your thoughts on this supposed Lil Wayne/Jay-Z battle that may or may not occur? Do you think Jay should respond?
I don’t know if it’s that serious. I heard the song one time. I don’t know if I have any thoughts on it. It doesn’t feel like a Jay-Z/Nas type situation. It doesn’t feel that way to me, it doesn’t feel like real problems.
