Reason Predicts That J. Cole Will Be “Bigger” Than Kendrick Lamar After ‘The Fall Off’

Reason is weighing in on comparisons between J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar. Fresh off the release of his sophomore album, Porches, the Carson native appeared on podcast New Rory & Mal to discuss the tenth anniversary of Big Sean single “Control,” where Lamar called out rap peers Cole, Drake, Meek Mill, Wale, Pusha T, Tyler, the Creator, Mac Miller and more.

Reason, born Robert Lee Gill Jr., then stirred the pot by forecasting that Cole would soon gain more notoriety than the former Top Dawg Entertainment artist. “At that time, if I’m correct and I could be wrong, I think Dot was bigger than the majority of the people he named … Drake, of course not,” Reason said.

10 Year Anniversary Of Control ft. Reason | NEW RORY & MALyoutu.be

He continued, “I think Cole and him was around tied at that point, but you could argue he was bigger than Cole because he had good kid, m.A.A.d city. Cole didn’t have Born Sinner out yet.”

Reason then went on to suggest that The Fall Off not only could be Cole’s biggest album yet, but may put Lamar’s platform on shaky ground.

“I think when The Fall Off drops, only on the strength of — ’cause TDE fans are f****** crazy — not ’cause he’s better than Dot, but just because he’s been more active. I feel like when The Fall Off drops, the fruits of his labor from being so active are gonna show,” Reason added.

He continued, “But they’ve done this for years, though. To me, they’ve kinda like — Dot is bigger at this point, Cole [is bigger at that point]. They’ve kinda done that for a long time.”

Lamar’s fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, was released last May, and the rapper’s companion tour was named the highest-grossing rap tour of all-time the following year. Cole’s most recent LP, The Off-Season, was released in May 2021, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, moving 282,000 units first-week.

Reason might have also commented on Lamar and Cole due to Lamar’s longtime manager, Dave Free, allegedly suggesting to TDE executives that Reason wasn’t up-to-par with the label prior to being signed. Last week, TDE co-president Anthony “Moosa” Tiffith Jr., called into podcast BACKONFIGG (where Reason was a guest), and claimed that Free didn’t want the rapper to be signed.

“Aye, [Dave Free], [Kendrick Lamar], I love them ni****. Dave never wanted us to sign Reason. He called him a substitute teacher,” Tiffith said. “Dot only said Reason had talent, but it’s gon’ take more than just talent in this game right now and everybody know that.”