J. Cole Sends Shots at Noname on New Song "Snow On Tha Bluff"
On "Snow On Tha Bluff," J. Cole gets some things off of his chest.
J. Cole has released his first song of 2020.
The song is called "Snow On Tha Bluff" and was posted on the rapper's YouTube page on Tuesday (June 16th.) The song's artwork is a notepad with the lyrics and the date, June 4th, on the top. (We're just going to assume that's when he wrote the song.)
"Snow On Tha Bluff," which is named after the 2011 movie, sees J. Cole wrestling with the times. However, instead of addressing any particular protests or injustices it seems like he's talking to one person (or woman.)
And, while he doesn't say any names, it seems like he is rapping about Chicago rapper Noname. On the track he says:
"Niggas be thinkin' I'm deep, intelligent, fooled by my college degree
My IQ is average, there's a young lady out there, she way smarter than me
I scrolled through her timeline in these wild times, and I started to read
She mad at these crackers, she mad at these capitalists, mad at these murder police
She mad at my niggas, she mad at our ignorance, she wear her heart on her sleeve
She mad at the celebrities, lowkey I be thinkin' she talkin' 'bout me."
Later on, J. Cole gets more direct with his critique, saying:
"How you gon' lead, when you attacking the very same niggas that really do need the shit that you saying?
Instead of conveying you holier, come help get us up to speed."
Noname has taken a more political turn over the last year and a half. She has not put out as much music, instead investing her time into her Book Club and organizing efforts. It seems like Cole is upset with a May 29th tweet that Noname sent out and deleted.
Twitter had mixed — we're being kind here — feelings about the song.
\u201cSo this J Cole song is basically, "You're right Noname but you could be nicer about it :("\u201d— dan (@dan) 1592358365
\u201cJ. Cole basically told Noname to chill on him and to watch her tone in 3 minutes & 55 seconds. Love that for him.\u201d— Ronald Isley (@Ronald Isley) 1592359235
None— lord\ud83c\udf9f (@lord\ud83c\udf9f) 1592360993
\u201cis he serious?? like noname didn\u2019t get called out on twitter and educate herself just like 2 years ago?? like she isn\u2019t constantly providing resources for everyone to educate themselves?? a whole book club maybe?? how is it good idea to tear down to a black woman that has (1/2)\u201d— noah (@noah) 1592359238
None— Melvin (@Melvin) 1592418793
Even though Noname herself didn't seem to be too phased by it all. Tweeting and deleting "QUEEN TONE!!!!!!" which is a reference to a line in the song.
Interestingly enough, Ari Lennox, an artist signed to Cole's Dreamville label, wrote an Instagram post dedicated to Noname, writing "I feel and appreciate everything you put out to the world."
On Wednesday morning J. Cole responded to the criticism on his Twitter. In a series of tweets he said he stood by everything on the song. He also didn't say explicitly who the song was about. (Even though it's clearly about Noname.)
\u201cMorning. I stand behind every word of the song that dropped last night.\u201d— J. Cole (@J. Cole) 1592396382
\u201cRight or wrong I can\u2019t say, but I can say it was honest.\u201d— J. Cole (@J. Cole) 1592396382
\u201cSome assume to know who the song is about. That\u2019s fine with me, it\u2019s not my job to tell anybody what to think or feel about the work. I accept all conversation and criticisms. But\u201d— J. Cole (@J. Cole) 1592396382
Cole then dedicated some tweets toward Noname, calling her a "leader" and also adding that, "We may not agree with each other but we gotta be gentle with each other."
\u201cLet me use this moment to say this\u201d— J. Cole (@J. Cole) 1592396382
\u201cFollow @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 nigga like me just be rapping.\u201d— J. Cole (@J. Cole) 1592396382
\u201cI haven\u2019t done a lot of reading and I don\u2019t 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\u2019s important.\u201d— J. Cole (@J. Cole) 1592396382
\u201cWe may not agree with each other but we gotta be gentle with each other. \u270c\ud83c\udfff\u201d— J. Cole (@J. Cole) 1592396382
J. Cole was recently seen at a George Floyd protest in North Carolina.
Listen to the track below.
