J. Cole talks pushing album up with Billboard

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Hip hop has definitely gone through its series of changes. It has become easier than ever to release new music and connect. The game has changed so much since the old days that albums are now getting pushed up instead of getting pushed back. The latest case of this is with J. Cole and his Born Sinner.

Teasing the album late in 2012, J. Cole announced Born Sinner to be released in January, something rappers rarely do. But, J. Cole continued hitting fans with his Truly Yours EPs before finally preparing the actual album. When J. Cole hit the game, he came with the hit single, “Power Trip,” featuring Miguel.

J. Cole initially planned to release Born Sinner on June 25. Instead, J. Cole now has plans of releasing it on June 18, the same day Kanye West drops Yeezus. Mac Miller is also slated to drop his album on Watching Movies with the Sound Off. Billboard caught up with J. Cole and he explained this decision.

Read an excerpt of J. Cole’s interview with Billboard below:

“Instantly the lightbulb [turned on]… it got real. I made one phone call to somebody that would know, just to make sure first. As soon as I got it confirmed, I was like, ‘Yo…’ The idea hit me instantly: ‘You got to go to that date’. I’m not going to sit [here]… I worked too hard to come a week later after Kanye West drops an amazing album. It’d be like, ‘Oh and J.Cole dropped too, a week later.’ Nah. I’m going to go see him on that date. He’s the greatest. So it’s like, I’m a competitor by nature so it was instant, it wasn’t even a thought.”

“It’s a definite statement about how I feel about my album, which is confident. At the same time, let’s not forget this is Kanye West. He bets 100, 1,000, whatever the perfect is. His track record is flawless. I’m only expecting an incredible album from him. But I know what I have.”