
J.Cole – A great emcee – I don’t know man. Consistency. You’ve got to touch people really. Your words have to really strike the chords. And all the best did that – whether it was 2Pac or Big or Jay…
ILL – Or Nas
J.Cole – or Nas…Man the things you say have to make people really go “wow” and then it’s about punch lines – who has the best lines – what are you really saying? How are you relating to people in their lives and helping them get through shit? And helping their day go by easier and helping a moment go by easier, helping their relationship go by easier or their breakup go by easier or their mother passing away go by easier. It’s like you are really affecting somebody’s life and at the end of the day that’s why people love you. Not because you have the best punch lines – it’s really about – are you affecting my life? To me, that’s what it is. There are great rappers who had great punch lines, but I can’t listen to that all day.
ILL – Your biggest fear with the album? Is it not selling, or not delivering? Or are the two the same?
J.Cole – Nah, they’re not the same. I don’t have a fear of not delivering, I know I’m going to deliver, and I don’t have a fear of sales because – I wouldn’t call it a fear of sales because I don’t place that much emphasis on the sales, but I definitely have an excitement over the sales. I want to sell a godrillion. But I’m not scared I’m going sell 10,000 records. I’m not afraid of that.