While North Carolina rapper J. Cole's album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, hasn't officially hit the streets yet, he has the net in a frenzy over his new track, "Fire Squad," and more specifically, fans are ranting and raving over the track's third verse where the "Born Sinner" spitter names a few white artists who have been accused of appropriating black culture over the last few years.
Similar to Kendrick Lamar's "Control" verse, Cole chooses to drop names as opposed to simply hinting at who he's referencing, beginning with Elvis Presley, who is often considered one of the first white artists to gain popularity and acceptance by "stealing" his musical/singing style from African-American acts of the day. Fast-forward to today, where artists like Eminem, Macklemore and Iggy Azalea have been accused of the same thing. He even names Justin Timberlake on the R&B side of things.
"History repeats itself and that's just how it goes / Same way that these rappers always bite each other's flows / Same thing that my ni**a Elvis did with rock 'n' roll / Justin Timberlake, Eminem, and then Macklemore," raps Cole.
He continues, "While silly ni**as argue over who gon' snatch the crown / Look around my ni**a, white people have snatched the sound / This year I'll probably go to the awards dappered down / Watch Iggy win a Grammy as I try to crack a smile."
Fans have been both supportive of the statement, as well as critical. Check out the song here and the best reactions in the gallery above. Do you agree with Cole? Sound off below.
