J. Cole has credited Jay-Z with holding back the release of his song “Wet Dreamz” for five years, saying the Roc Nation founder’s caution allowed him to mature as an artist before achieving commercial success, per complex.com .
Speaking on the No Bars Off podcast during a break from his Fall-Off World Tour, J. Cole recalled playing “Wet Dreamz” for Jay-Z at their first meeting, only for the track to remain unreleased until 2015.
He said he had assumed Jay-Z recognised the song’s potential immediately, but was grateful the mogul resisted rushing it to radio, judging instead that he needed further artistic development.
“Wet Dreamz” was eventually released as a single in 2015, featuring on J. Cole’s third studio album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive. The track has since been certified nine-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Cole, one of Roc Nation’s earliest signees, said the delay had shaped his broader career trajectory. He reflected that an earlier breakthrough at 24 or 25, despite having a strong catalogue of songs at the time, could have derailed his personal life, potentially costing him his marriage and children, and leaving him without the lived experience that later informed his music.
J. Cole signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label following a run of mixtapes released between the late 2000s and 2010, before issuing his debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, in 2011. He is currently touring in support of his most recent material as part of the Fall-Off World Tour.
•Featured image: Andrew Chin/Getty Images/Matt Winkelmeyer/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/VogueAndrew Chin/Getty Images/Matt Winkelmeyer/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue