J. Cole Told Dr. Dre About Kendrick Lamar Way Back & Wanted To Sign Him

edwin@geniux.co.za Edwin Bapela
On Christmas Day (December 25 2021), The Canadian interviewer John Ruskins (Nardwuar) released a wholesome jam packed, one hour-long episode with J. Cole.

The interview opens with a brief 2019 exchange between Cole and Nardwuar. Outside of Day N Vegas, Cole walks over to The Human Serviette as he's affectionately known and mentions that he will give an interview in the next year or so. It’s a real moment and gesture for real, especially at a time when Cole’s 2018 conversation with Angie Martinez was his golden egg for the K.O.D. album campaign.


This month, in Santa Monica, California, J Cole kept his promise to Nardwuar. He was accompanied by Dreamville’s very own Omen and EARTHGANG alongside him in the studio for some part of the interview.

Then, at 43:30, Nardwuar shifts the focus, “J. Cole, did you tell Dr. Dre about Kendrick [Lamar]?” Cole’s eyes suggest his shock. After a long hesitation, Nardwuar repeats himself. J Cole responds, “Who told you that? [Laughs] Who gave you that piece of information? [Chuckles].” The Human Serviette relies on his trademark answer: “Well, you’re J. Cole; we have to know.” After a third time asking and Cole pointing to his manager Ibrahim Hamad, the Dreamville boss confirms, “The answer is yes, I did. I’m not gonna say I was the first [person] to tell [Dr. Dre]. When I brought him up to Dre—I went in there working on Detox or whatever [he was doing at the time]. You know how Dre do: if you’re a young rapper and he rocks with you, he wants to bring you through and have you test the waters. So I [went] and was like, ‘Yo, you gotta sign this kid from Compton, boom boom, Kendrick, boom boom.'” Cole adds that A&R Manny Smith reminded Dre at the time that he had been suggesting Kendrick Lamar’s music, too. Years later, Hits Daily Double credited Smith (who was later promoted to  a position of Senior Vice President of A&R) with linking Kendrick Lamar to Dr Dre's Aftermath entertainment through a joint venture with Top Dawg Entertainment.

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