(AllHipHop News) “I stand behind every word of the song that dropped last night,” tweeted J. Cole on Wednesday morning. The Dreamville Records leader was referring to his new track “Snow On Tha Bluff” which landed overnight.
“Snow On Tha Bluff” garnered a lot of attention because some listeners had a problem with Cole allegedly addressing Noname on the record. The Chicago rapstress has been critical of Black celebrities during the current Black Lives Matter protests for racial justice. For example, she called out Black men with large platforms who advocate for Black liberation but do not do more to protect Black trans and queer people.
https://twitter.com/noname/status/1266742682790932480https://twitter.com/noname/status/1268194024319406080
On “Snow On Tha Bluff,” Cole raps about a “young lady” being on the Twitter timeline expressing anger at “crackers,” “capitalists,” “murder police,” “n*ggas,” and “celebrities.” He then admits on the track, “Lowkey I be thinking she talking ’bout me.” He also says, “It’s something about the queen’s tone that’s bothering me.”
Some Twitter users then accused J. Cole of being misogynistic for supposedly trying to police Noname’s opinions and tone. In addition, Cole caught heat for spitting subliminal lyrics and not actually mentioning exactly who he was referring to on the record.
After the online backlash, J. Cole took to Twitter to offer a response to his critics. The Grammy-winning emcee tweeted:
Morning. I stand behind every word of the song that dropped last night. Right or wrong I can’t say, but I can say it was honest. Some assume to know who the song is about. That’s fine with me, it’s not my job to tell anybody what to think or feel about the work. I accept all conversation and criticisms. But Let me use this moment to say this Follow @noname. I love and honor her as a leader in these times. She has done and is doing the reading and the listening and the learning on the path that she truly believes is the correct one for our people. Meanwhile a n#### like me just be rapping. I haven’t done a lot of reading and I don’t feel well equipped as a leader in these times. But I do a lot of thinking. And I appreciate her and others like her because they challenge my beliefs and I feel that in these times that’s important. We may not agree with each other but we gotta be gentle with each other. ✌
Right or wrong I can’t say, but I can say it was honest.
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) June 17, 2020
Let me use this moment to say this
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) June 17, 2020
I haven’t done a lot of reading and I don’t feel well equipped as a leader in these times. But I do a lot of thinking. And I appreciate her and others like her because they challenge my beliefs and I feel that in these times that’s important.
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) June 17, 2020
We may not agree with each other but we gotta be gentle with each other. ✌🏿
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) June 17, 2020