After more than a decade in the making, J Cole joins Nadeska Alexis for a rare, in-depth conversation on Apple Music, reflecting on the road to ‘The Fall-Off’, his highly anticipated seventh studio album. The candid discussion traces the project’s origins back to ‘2014 Forest Hills Drive’, offering insight into the discipline, pressure, and personal growth that shaped its evolution, and marking a pivotal moment in Cole’s career.
Throughout the conversation, Cole shares that ‘The Fall-Off’ remained his “North Star”, even as projects like ‘KOD’ and ‘The Off-Season’ emerged along the way. He admits there were moments of exhaustion after “eight years” of work where he was ready to “just put this out and be done with it”, but his commitment to growth pushed the album further, carrying him through burnout and into renewed inspiration.
Elsewhere, Cole reflects on his evolving relationship with his artistry—at times viewing himself as “my favourite rapper”—whilst also opening up about stepping outside his comfort zone to reconnect with fans. He describes hearing his music in the real world as both grounding and necessary after years of relative isolation, and offers a thoughtful critique of comparison-driven culture, noting it often “robs you of the joy” of simply appreciating the music.
J Cole with Nadeska Alexis
J Cole on the Kendrick Lamar vs Drake feud
“I admire these dudes. I’ve got genuine love for these dudes. I hate to see the world sh*t on either one of them in defense of the other. You know what I mean? Even saying it out loud is a little silly.”
J Cole on the mission of ‘The Fall-Off’
“The whole mission of ‘The Fall-Off’, in a nutshell, was to become again a rapper that I want to hear. To make the music that I want to hear. To write the verses that I want to hear. To make the album that I want to hear.”
J Cole on the 10-year journey to releasing ‘The Fall-Off’
“For a long time, ‘The Fall-Off’ was always my North Star. Even when I thought it was right around the corner, the reality was I had a higher bar I was trying to reach—creatively, lyrically, in every way. That pursuit is what stretched it into a 10-year journey. There was a point, probably eight years in, where me and my team were exhausted. We were like, ‘Let’s just put this out and be done with it.’ The music was there, but mentally, I felt like I had already given everything I had.”
J Cole on balancing other projects vs the main goal
“Even when other projects were coming out, ‘The Fall-Off’ never left my mind. That was always the goal, but I couldn’t ignore what was naturally coming out of me in the moment. Some of those projects weren’t planned. The music would just come, and I had to respect that. I couldn’t sit on it just because it wasn’t The Fall-Off—I had to follow where the creativity was leading me.”
J Cole on publicly apologising on stage at the 2024 Dreamville Festival
“In the days leading up to that moment, I was stressing because something didn’t feel right. I knew I had misrepresented myself in some way, and it was sitting with me heavy. It wasn’t something I could just ignore or push past… then about an hour before I went on stage, it became clear what I needed to do. As soon as that clarity hit me, everything lifted. I felt light, I felt excited, and I knew it was the right move. It was one of those moments where you just trust yourself completely.”
J Cole on falling in love with the process of making music again
“There was a time where I was just exhausted and felt like I had given everything I had creatively. But now, I feel inspired again. I feel like I’m back in that space where making music is exciting, and that feeling is what keeps me going. There are moments now where I listen to myself the same way I would listen to my favorite artists. That’s when I know I’m locked in.”
