J. Cole, photo by Ben Kaye
J. Cole has released a surprise new single called “Snow on tha Bluff”. Stream it below.
The track takes its name from the 2011 Damon Russell film Snow on tha Bluff, a drama about real-life drug dealer Curtis Snow. Russell shot the movie as if it were a documentary, leading some — including the Atlanta Police Department — convinced it was real. On his track, J. Cole turns that concept of perceived reality in on himself, wondering if he’s being active enough in the current Black Lives Matter movement.
“He was like ‘Cole, ‘preciate what you been doin my nigga, that’s real,’” he raps in the rapid-fire cut. “But damn, why I feel faker than Snow on Tha Bluff?/ Well maybe ’cause deep down I know I ain’t doing enough.”
Throughout the ruminative number, J. Cole considers the often aggressive discourse surrounding the call for racial equality and justice, as well as his place in the fight: “Just ’cause you woke and I’m not, that shit ain’t no reason to talk like you better than me/ How you gon’ lead, when you attacking the very same niggas that really do need the shit that you saying?/ Instead of conveying you holier, come help get us up to speed.”
Editors’ Picks
“Snow on tha Bluff” is an incredibly thoughtful track for a Tuesday night, so listen to it ahead.
After initially postponing the event until August, J. Cole recently called off his Dreamville Festival due to coronavirus. No word yet if The Fall Off, the long-hinted-at follow-up album to 2018’s KOD, is still on track for a 2020 release.
