J. Cole is back and has some critical bars for his peers. On his new song “False Prophets,” which is part of a Tidal exclusive documentary called Eyez, Cole uses his perceptive eye to respectfully break down the shortcomings of Kanye, Wale and possibly Drake.
In light of Kanye’s recent “breakdown,” the subject of the below lyrics is obvious.
Ego in charge of every move, he’s a star/ And we can’t look away due to the days when he caught our hearts
He’s falling apart but we deny it/ Just to find the half-assed shit he drop, we always buy it.
When he tell us he a genius but it’s clearer lately/ It’s been hard for him to look into the mirror lately.
There was a time when this n*gga was my hero maybe.
That’s why his fall from grace is hard to take/ Cause I believed him when he said his sh*t was purer.
A reference to ghostwriting has most believing the lines were about Drake, but Cole is still referencing the first subject’s fall from grace (Kanye), so it’s debatable despite the reference to trend-hopping being Drake’s M.O.
Maybe it’s my fault idolizing niggas based off the words they be rapping/ When come to find out these niggas don’t even write they shit/ Hear some new style bubbling up/ Then they bite that shit, damn
While the Kanye picture is one about a fall from grace, the Wale deconstruction is more of a call to stop complaining about not being a media critic darling and appreciate the fans who love you.
Every time I see him he’s stressing/ Talking about niggas don’t fuck with him/ That shit is depressing
He so bitter he can’t see his whole blessings/ Cot damn nigga/ You too blind to see you got fans nigga?
And a platform/ To make a classic rap song/ And change a nigga’s life/ But you too anxious living life/ Always worried about the critics who never fucking did it/ I write what’s in my heart/ Don’t give a fuck who’s fucking with it
I wouldn’t call this a diss record. False prophets is more of a warning to remember the pure intentions you had for your art when you came in the game. We’ll see if Cole’s targets can answer his criticisms with equal eloquence.
Back to basics video with real lyrics.