KIDS ON THE BLOG: September 2009

Complex: How were you approached to be on “A Star Is Born”?

J. Cole: I had a show in show in Virginia. This was back when I was just opening up for Wale on like a few dates. So, I was in Virginia, and I had two shows, one in Norfolk, and one in Richmond. I get a get a call from Mark Pitts and he’s like, “Yo nigga, Jay just hit hit me. He said he got something big for you.” I was like, “Oh shit, what you mean?” He said, “He got this Kanye track… something about a star is born…some shit about a star.” I thought, from his explanation, because you can tell he wasn’t too clear on it, I thought Jay just had a joint for me. I thought it would be mine, and I was on some shit like, Ahhh, I don’t like being told “get on this” or whatever. But I’m like, Damn!

Complex: Even by Jay-Z?

J. Cole: Even by Jay-Z, yeah. That’s when the reality set in: Well, yeah it is Jay saying it, and it’s Kanye, so what the fuck you gon’ do? You gotta do it.

Complex: Hell yeah, man. People would die for that opportunity.

J. Cole: Exactly! So I’m like, Okay, this is big right here. I’m just thinking I’m going on a Kanye song, or something. A couple days later, it got a little more clear: it was his song. I was like, Oh shit, that changes everything! That’s even bigger than what I originally thought! I think about a week and a half, two weeks later, I got the call, “Yo, can you come to the studio tomorrow?” So I went there, waited like 40 minutes for Jay. I got there at three on the dot. I think i was 5 minutes early, yo! I was there at like 2:53! Got there, and he came in…

Complex: Who was in the studio when you got there?

J. Cole: When I got there, nobody was there but Young Guru. I think he had slept there because he was working on some shit all night. So Guru was the only one there. About 45 minutes later, I see Jay’s security guys come from the studio room. I was like, Damn, how the hell they get in there, ’cause they wasn’t just sitting there. So, they were like, “Yo, J. Cole?” I’m like, “Yeah.” He’s like, “Jay’s ready to see you.” [laughs] I walk into the room, this shit is mad weird. I’m walking on eggshells basically, nervous and excited at the same time. I walk in the studio and Guru is in there, then I look at Jay, I say what’s up, pleasure, nice to see you again. Then I look up and Beyoncé is sitting right there. I’m like, Oh, shit! Damn! “Hello, how you doing? It’s a pleasure, nice to meet you!” Then we sat down, and we got right into it, basically.

Complex: Did he explain what he wanted you to do? Did he give you any guidance with your verse?

J. Cole: Nah. Before we even got to the song, it was like 45 minutes of just playing songs. He started off by saying, “I’m gonna play you two or three songs off the album.” He ended up playing like 10 or 11.

Complex: How was that?

J. Cole: You can tell he loves his shit. He got a listening, he wants to play it for you and get your reaction. He cares, because if not, he would’ve stopped at like two or three. But, he played 10-11 songs. Most of them were Timbaland joints. I was like, Damn, where’s Kanye?

For the rest of the interview click here