J. Cole explains why he doesn’t charge anything for features.
J. Cole has been the top feature artist in the past few years, giving us countless great verses. He recently earned praise for “The Secret Recipe” with Lil Yachty, and “First Person Shooter” with J. Cole, which debuted at #1 on Billboard Hot 100.
The Dreamville boss now made an appearance on Lil Yachty’s A Safe Place podcast, where he revealed that he doesn’t charge for feature verses.
“Yo, bro, it’s just a bar, bro,” said Cole. “Like, a lot of my bars be really on point but that’s just a flex. I’m not gonna charge a ni–a $2,000 a word. I don’t even charge a ni–a for the verse. I’m doing this sh-t because I’m inspired to do it… I’m not charging ni–as because, you know, I want to be on the song. I wouldn’t do that.”
J. Cole doesn’t actually charge for features
“I’m not gonna charge a n***a $2000 for a word, I don’t even charge n***a’s for a verse.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/UyuHFjWyoh
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) November 2, 2023
In the same conversation, Cole also stated that he would still be grateful if his recent collab with Drizzy went number 2 on charts. “If it would’ve went No. 2 it wouldn’t have mattered,” he explained. “I wouldn’t have felt no way. If the other song would’ve went number 1, it’s like, bruh, I’m cool. I’d almost feel better not having my first number 1 being off a Drake alley-oop.”
“I love Drake and I love that I’m a part of that moment with him, with Michael Jackson,” Cole continued. “But it’s like, bruh, I’m grateful I’m a part of it, but if that other song would’ve went number 1, ni–a, I’m still grateful I’m a part of it.”
