I never really told anybody that I'm a rapper. I wasn't walking around being like, "Yo, check out my mixtape!" It was… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
I still wanna rap better than everybody else, and I wanna say important things. — J. Cole Copy Share Image
One day, I'll be listening to a bunch of Ray Charles, the next day it's nothing but Red Hot Chili Peppers. The… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
It's no coincidence that all the greatest rappers - whoever you put in your top five - I guarantee you they a… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
No rapper in the world from Jay-Z to Tupac to Biggie has 100 percent love on everything they do. — J. Cole Copy Share Image
When you're a rapper, just a rapper, you have to kind of settle for whatever comes your way - if a beat… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
Tupac was just so passionate about what he believes in and not afraid to say anything. — J. Cole Copy Share Image
I was a super-duper Tupac fan, and I realized later, when I became a huge Nas fan and a huge Eminem fan,… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
In hip-hop, there's not a lot of love. There's not a lot of love being spread. It's always like 'I'm stuntin' on… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
I don't wanna forget the fact that I wanna be one of the best rappers. I feel like some of the best… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
Rhyme patterns are nothing without meanings to the words. A lot of rappers can do those flows, but the raps aren't really… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
I'm not a conscious rapper, all those things we talk about, the struggle, the pain, the outlook to the future, keep your… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
There's been people who've rapped and produced - like Kanye - but I don't feel like on the rapping side there's ever… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
Usually I start with a beat, I start making a beat, and my producer side is making the beat. And on a… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
I want people to follow their dreams, yes but I'm not interested in telling young black kids how to be rappers I… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
When you're a producer on top of that, just havin' a beat that's hot is not enough. Now you know your sound,… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
When I first started rapping, when I switched my style to more like a punch line style - this is when I'm… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
I wanna show you I can out-rap your favorite rappers. I wanna show you I can out-produce your favorite producers. So I'm… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
Far from the richest rapper, but my biggest personal achievement thus far in my life has been retiring my mom early from… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
I pay attention to lyrics and I know what rap fans care about. I try to write for the average listener and… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
I just feel like, with rappers, there's so much complacency. It's like, 'Oh, I'm a rapper. I'm successful. I make money. That's… — J. Cole Copy Share Image
It's the way I enjoy making art - I like sitting down and making five beats; I enjoy that process. I can go two… — J. Cole Copy Share
Producing all my own songs and refusing to go to the hot producer. That's the biggest risk I've taken so far. — J. Cole Copy Share
Sold my soul to Satan. I've been dancing with the devil. So when you get to hell you can say you know me. I'm… — J. Cole Copy Share
I truly believe that I make my path and I set my course, and where I land, at the end of the day, or… — J. Cole Copy Share
My parents were divorced by the time I was even conscious - like, I don't remember them ever being together. — J. Cole Copy Share
When I first started rapping, when I switched my style to more like a punch line style - this is when I'm like 13… — J. Cole Copy Share
I'm not gonna be bad at anything, and I want to actually be the best at anything I'm doing. So if I'm playing basketball,… — J. Cole Copy Share
We got dreams and we got the right to chase 'em, Look at the nation, that's a crooked smile braces couldn't even straighten. — J. Cole Copy Share
I seen a baby cry seconds later he laughs... the beauty of life, the pain never lasts. — J. Cole Copy Share
If I'm a character, it's a biographical movie. My character is as close to me as possible. As close to being myself as possible.… — J. Cole Copy Share
You can't take yourself too seriously. Like, yeah, I'm doin' all that, but still I don't feel like I've done anything, really. I feel… — J. Cole Copy Share
When you're headlining, people are paying to come see you specifically. It's a different kind of pressure, because you've got to deliver. You've got… — J. Cole Copy Share
