J. Cole’s manager Ibrahim “Ib” Hamad recently shared a story about some tension between J. Cole and JAY-Z during a 2011 dinner hosted by the rap mogul and NBA star LeBron James.
According to Hamad, the conversation took a sharp turn when JAY-Z suggested that Drake help J. Cole make a hit single.
The atmosphere shifted when JAY-Z entered the dining room, which included Cole, Drake, Future, and Hamad. After greeting the group, he directed a comment at Drake, asking him to help Cole land a hit.
The remark stunned those present, including Future, who looked visibly uncomfortable. The comment sparked a deeper sense of competition between Cole and Drake, which had already been brewing within the rap world, even though commercially, the two were at different stages in their careers.
J. Cole himself expressed how the comment made him feel. At the time, there was a cultural rivalry between him and Drake, with fans often choosing sides in the ongoing debate of who was the superior artist.
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Adding to the awkwardness, Cole recently released a song with Drake—In the Morning—from his Friday Night Lights mixtape, making his comments feel even more pointed.
Hamad recalled how Cole appeared visibly upset following JAY-Z’s remark. “I was embarrassed for both Cole and Drake,” Hamad said.
Cole, still processing the moment, later confronted JAY-Z while under the influence of Hennessy. He questioned the rap icon whether he had ever been told he needed a single while working on his classic album Reasonable Doubt.
