Key Takeaways:
- J. Cole seemingly confirmed that ‘The Fall-Off’ became a double album after he was “incredibly re-inspired” by events in 2024.
- The rapper’s creative shift came amid a chaotic year in Hip Hop, including the Kendrick and Drake feud.
- Cole also referenced the beef in his “Bronx Zoo Freestyle,” hinting at how it impacted his standing in rap.
Last month, rumors circulated that J. Cole reworked The Fall-Off in response to Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s feud, and it appears there may have been some truth to that. On Thursday (Jan. 29), while unveiling the second cover for his long-awaited seventh studio album, the North Carolina rapper shared that he was “incredibly re-inspired” by what unfolded in 2024.
“Two years ago, after the events that still feed the algorithm till this day, I became incredibly re-inspired. And the album slowly blossomed into a double disc as the concept expanded," Cole wrote in a post shared on X. While he didn’t explicitly name Drake or Lamar, “two years ago” was obviously when the two were embroiled in what many consider the biggest rap beef of the decade.
As some fans may recall, the Dreamville frontman also referenced the feud, specifically his apology to Lamar, on Wednesday’s (Jan. 28) “Bronx Zoo Freestyle.” On the Birthday Blizzard '26 cut, he dished out, “I used to be top seed / Apology dropped me way out of the top three / No problem, I'm probably my best when they doubt me.”
With The Fall-Off now confirmed as a double-disc album, fans will likely have plenty more to sit with when it arrives next Friday (Feb. 6). Until then, see Cole’s explanation of the two covers below.
“The Fall-Off cover that is currently circulating is a picture I took on a disposable camera when I was 15 years old. My very first set up,” Cole said of the original image revealed alongside the LP’s release date. “My first beats were made in that spot, surrounded by my mother's CD collection that I would comb through looking for samples.”
As for the second cover, Cole explained that he “felt there should be an additional cover representing” the material born from his renewed inspiration. “Something just as strong as the first, with my face on it, so that when I look back in 20 years, I can see an image of who I was at the time I released the project I worked on for so long,” he shared.