Did J. Cole really Let Nas Down?
By: Lonwabo Marele
The article is based on the misinterpretation a lot of listeners have had of J. Cole’s smash hit, Let Nas Down. But before we dig in deep, the next two paragraphs are similar information linked to the situation: politics in rap and Political rap.
When it comes to politics in Rap music, it is always appealing for the audience to be kept entertained, depending on what kind of condition the politics is angled from. Political rap and politics in rap are two different standpoints, with different outcomes most of the times. “Beef” as politics between artists is called, is when an artist/group has a grudge or is fighting against another group. It is often solved through a battle of free-styling or writing provocative songs and allowing the audience to determine who has the better lyrics, otherwise punch-lines. Political rap is when hip-hop is used as a tool against the government, stating the negativity of the governments rule and pessimism in the politics of a country. Politics in rap can also apply to a situation where the rapper/musician is radically stating a social or conscious point, awaiting a solid response that’ll empower the people listening.
A good example of Political Rap is some music from the artist Immortal Technique, he writes what he sees, and he calls a spade a spade. Although Beef is entertaining to listen to, most of the time it never ends well. Often blood is spilled. For instance, the Notorious B.I.G versus Tupac Shakur battle. That never concluded well, because both artists ended up losing their lives at a young age (both at 26). However, the Nas versus Jay Z battle of the early 2000's, now that was another story; it had a motivating ending. Who would have thought the two hip-hop superstars would step up on stage in front of a whole crowd and truce to squash the beef? No one expected that, that is one of the reasons why a lot of spectators took their hats of and saluted them both. Whereas, the Notorious B.I.G and Tupac Shakur situation was not abandoned, but instead, everything happens for a reason.
“People die but legends live forever!” Tupac Amaru Shakur.
In the case of J. Cole and Nas, listeners often misinterpret J. Cole’s single, Let Nas Down. From research, interpretation and calculations, a lot of listeners believed the song was written to Nas as a way of Cole starting beef. Which is incorrect, the reason Cole wrote the song to Nas, was out of anger and disappointment of himself for letting his childhood idol down.
J. Cole, like many Rappers, had to hustle his way up the music industry. He introduced himself to the music world with his warm-up single, “Who Dat”. It was a decent song, but it wasn't radio material. Since he had a background on what would work on radio stations and what they’re liable to play. He knew that he needed to write and record something with much more emphasis and enthusiasm, something Jay Z would drop in studio, something with emphatic melody and research for the ears to listen and the eyes to catch.
After two years of working on a studio album, he recorded a song called “Work Out”, he was excited because he had the guarantee that this is the song the listeners had been waiting for, and this was the one.
“When I made that song, it was a triumph, I felt like I beat the game” J. Cole explaining how he felt after the song “Work Out”.
While Nas was in studio ready to record, No I.D. was with Nas (J. Cole’s production partner and friend). No I.D asked Nas to listen to the song Work Out whenever he can and give feedback. After he listened to the song (Work Out), he saw no reason why the song was a hit; he hated it and was wondering why Cole even made the song. No I.D. called Eve, two of Cole’s work partners to tell him what Nas had said. While on the phone, Cole could tell that No I.D. was speaking to Eve. Cole could hear the high tone Eve was carried through in the conversation, he overheard No I.D. asking, “now why you got to put up… why that song” Cole got mad in the essence of, why he didn't talk to him about it. Fast-forward, a week later in studio, No I.D. told Cole that he was in studio with Nas and how his response had gotten into the wrong ears. The media had heard about it and it had gone viral.
“Why he got to do that, doesn't he know his the one?! You got to bring it to him” No I.D. about Nas to Cole.
Cole was angry and ashamed, he picked up his phone, with resentment in his tone, and he called Nas. Nas was on tour with an ongoing concert at the time, performing. He couldn't and didn't pick up.
“This is what he wants; I’ll bring it to him!” J. Cole, while in studio ready to record the monster track, “Let Nas Down.”
The best time to write music is when you are emotionally challenged. After hours of calming himself down, Cole wrote the song, understanding the perspective Nas was coming from and agreeing, the only reason that made him act the way he did before he made the call was, the fact that Nas had to tell someone else what he thinks of the song instead of telling Cole face to face. He recorded one of his quickest and biggest records of all time, Let Nas Down.
It’s entertaining how a few weeks before Nas passed the comment, himself and J. Cole met on tour, and Cole shook his hand to let him know he was the man, but when Nas said he was a fan, it was too hard to understand for Cole. Is this a sign of competition or admiration?
In the introduction of the song, Cole used the intro of one of his idol’s song, “Nas Is Like”. Cole sings the intro like a fan listening to a song his heard a thousand times, the way he overtakes Nas’ voice at the end of the intro is the beginning of how he paints a picture of him taking the torch from Nas. He then goes on about how Nas’ inspired him while growing up. To him, Tupac Shakur was like Jesus, and Nas wrote the bible. Tupac Shakur to a high percentage of hip-hop listeners is portrayed as the face of hip-hop. Nas, for his lyrical content and raw hip-hop talent on his ’94 album, Illmatic, is often referred to have written the Hip-Hop bible. The two idols were deep and influential in Cole’s rise to success.
“Yeah, long live the idols, may they never be your rivals” J. Cole is at the point where his hip-hop career is competing with his idols, where his idols are becoming his rivals because of competition.
Drake has a similar line in his song, “Thank Me Later”. “And that’s around the time that your idols become your rivals, you make friends with Mike, but got to A.I him for your survival” These two artists are at the point where they are in competition with their idols with selling records and fan publicity.
“I used to print out Nas raps and paint them up on my wall, my n* thought it was words, but it was pictures I saw”. Every time J. Cole listened to Nas’ lyrics, it was no ordinary rap lines to him; it was paintings and levels to success. While his friend’s thought it was just raps and admiring Michael Jackson, he used to put up lines and quotes from Nas on his wall and read them like they were pictures, he used to read them in awe, mind blown, amazed!
In the second verse of Let Nas Down, Cole offers explanations to why he dropped the single he did, whereas he was trying to appeal to Nas’ thoughts of the music industry. Not in a negative attitude, but in a symphonic and understanding way.
In The final verse, J. Cole portrays how he accepts the state and the commitment of his greater goals in hip hop.
Nas replies to Cole in a remix of the song by showing his gratitude and how he is not disappointed by Cole. Rather, he was strengthening him, showing him how the game is, the struggle and the fame. In late June 2013, Nas mentioned J. Cole in a tweet, saying he didn't let him down, in fact, he made him proud.
The song revolves around the “Five Stages of Loss and Grief” (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance), demonstrating that letting Nas down was a very traumatic phase for Cole. The way we deal with grief and remorse is different, some people deal with this by carrying it in their sleeve and outwardly expressing it and others deal with it more internally or differently.
In life we have to learn, what doesn't destroy us makes us stronger: life is a lesson in disguise; we should learn from our mistakes and make the better out of them, for a better tomorrow.
