While Kanye West helped shift the way J. Cole approached rap, Drake had an influence on his The Warm Up mixtape. In the second episode of Inevitable, in which Cole reflects on his career, he recalls how his mind shifted after hearing “Say What’s Real” and seeing how quickly So Far Gone had become a success.
“For so long, I felt confident in the fact that I was the only one occupying that space, the only one with that perspective and that sharp of a pen…,” Cole said of Drake being a relatable rapper, per HipHopDX. “So the second I heard [‘Say What’s Real’], one, I was blown away because of how good it was. But two, subconsciously I was like, ‘Ha! There was someone else out there the whole time that was working maybe just as hard as I was working, was thinking the same things and who had the same opportunity to occupy a certain lane that I never saw any competition for.’”
Cole added he was unaware of Drake’s Young Money affiliation but witnessed as So Far Gone “became a wave in 24 hours.” “I’m like, ‘Not only am I not the only one in this space, I’m now actually starting late! My deal with Jay [-Z‘s Roc Nation] ain’t even done. I’m not even anybody yet,” Cole said. “And this n***** off to the races with hits, like cultural-shifting s***.’ At that moment, I had to shift my mindset about what The Warm Up was about to be ’cause Drake just changed the game.”
The Warm Up was initially supposed to be a compilation of freestyles to sharpen Cole’s pen, inspired by Kobe Bryant‘s work ethic. “It was gonna be like practice,” Cole explained. “It was just getting me ready for what was to come.”
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