J. Cole Performs 'Crooked Smile' for iHeartRadio Live
From “Who Dat” to “Power Trip,” J. Cole delivered his old and new hits during an intimate show for iHeartRadio Live in New York City on Tuesday. During the one-hour event, which was streamed live, he also performed his TLC-assisted single “Crooked Smile” for the first time live.
The North Carolina native got lost in the empowering lyrics as he jammed with his band, admitting that he hadn’t rehearsed the song before.
“It’s just an amazing song for me and it really sums up [Born Sinner],” he said. “That is the theme song for the second half of the album when things get a litte brighter and happier, when you come out of that dark place, you come out of that depression, or you escape from that hell and you in heaven.”
His sophomore album Born Sinner drops the same day as Kanye West’s Yeezus on June 18. “Buy one Kanye West album and two J. Cole’s,” he told the crowd.
Watch Cole’s performance of “Crooked Smile” below.