Jermaine “J. Cole” may be an elite MC on his albums, but when he’s a featured guest on another artist’s song, he’s a criminal who verbally commits homicide. For an artist to ask Cole for a feature verse is like inviting a world-class thief into their home. As evidence, below is a list of J. Cole’s features that he kidnapped as his own.
1. Bas – Passport Bros
In the past, these two Dreamville MCs rapped in sync. In the present, Cole’s big brother style Bas by calling him “Lil Bassy” on the track and leaping miles ahead.
2. Summer Walker – To Summer
Unless they’re LL Cool J, rappers on R&B tracks often rhyme off the songs’ subject. J. Cole went against that stereotype and wrote an open love letter to Summer Walker that describes the personal public moments of her life. And, oh yeah, Summer sings on the record as well.
3. Lil Durk – All my life
J. Cole rapped on a Sesame Street jingle, waving his finger at the media for their wrongdoing with deceased rappers while digging Lil Durk’s grave.
4. Drake – First Person Shooter
Whoever said to keep your enemies close wasn’t speaking about Drake and J. Cole. Yes, Drake is the more commercially successful star of the two, but on this track, Cole boldly calls himself “Muhammad Ali” and puts Drizzy in the elementary school corner to wait on his parents for pick up.
5. Lil Yachty – The Secret Recipe
Respectfully, Lil Yachty gave it a good old college try, but J. Cole flunked him out of school anyway.
6. Young Thug – The London
Somewhere on this track, you can locate Young Thug and Travis Scott, arms folded while pouting in the corner. J. Cole’s “I killed some n***az, and I walked away from it” is a bully line that brags about stealing kids’ cookies.
7. Dreamville – Sacrifices
The Dreamville staff of EARTHGANG, Smino, and Saba do a decent job until J. Cole enters as an office Boss, forcing everyone’s heads down at their cubicles.
8. JID – Off Deez
You know those siblings fight when the younger brother throws multiple fast punches that seem to be winning until the big brother delivers a decisive forward blow that quiets the room. That’s what J. Cole did once he opened the song with “Legend out the 2-6/Ya’ll know who the truth is/Crazy like a movie by that n***a Stanley Kubrick.”
9. BIA – London
As an MC, Bia is nice. However, J. Cole demonstrates lyrically that he’s an equal opportunist when he vanquishes Bia in her song.
10. Benny the Butcher – Johnny P’s Caddy
There was a time when Benny was the underground champion that many core fans felt was the next contender to take the crown. Then J. Cole delivered an arsenal of verbal bars that butchered Benny’s potential into a coma state.
11. Royce Da 5’9 – Boblo Boat
This song is 1997, and Royce is Michael Jordan getting crossed over by J.Cole, who is Allen Iverson.
12. 21 Savage – A Lot
Truthfully, 21 Savage knew the song was over before it began, yet J. Cole still eliminated him from existence on the record.
13. Big K.R.I.T. – Prove It
KRIT, being from the same class as J. Cole, is no lyrical slouch. On the other hand, Cole takes over by telling a story of a day one supporter and shouting them out, winning a possible lifelong fan for life and everyone else.
