J. Cole Defends Debut LP Roc-ky Setbacks, "You're Going To Have A Lot Of Opinions"

Roc Nation's J. Cole recently explained the many delays that impeded the release of his debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, and why he did not force out the project prematurely.

Speaking with radio host Yaya Martinez, Cole said the ultimate expectations from Roc Nation forced him to continue perfecting the LP.

"I always been ready to go. At all points. Even if I didn't have a release date right now, if the album wasn't coming out, I'd be ready. At all points during this process, I was ready," Cole explained. "It's just a matter of expectations. When you have the expectations of a whole label and how they look at you and perceive you and what they want your success level to be, then you're going to have a lot of opinions on singles or whatever." (Power 98.3)

Last month, Cole said he heard his boss/rap mogul Jay-Z labeled the debut a classic.

Jay-Z has spoken. The hip-hop tycoon has given his stamp of approval to J. Cole's debut album, calling it a "classic." Jay's protégé had the daunting task of playing the album for his Roc Nation boss. "When I played him the album, I could gauge his response not on what he said, but what his vibe was," Cole exclusively tells Rap-Up.com. "I linked up with [Roc Nation executive] Rich Kleiman and he said he was with Jay-Z later that night. Out of nowhere, Jay said, 'So Cole got a classic. That motherf*cker.'" (Rap-Up)

Prior to a mid-summer projected release washing away, Cole said a Kanye West sample issue delayed his LP.

"I sampled a Kanye West song, but the problem is, [there's] like five writers that he gave credit to," Cole said in a Ustreambroadcast. "When you're clearing a sample, every writer has to be contacted. So you have to contact each and every one of them and get it cleared, so it's tougher than the average one. As soon as it clears, we're puttin' it out. It's perfect for the summer. It's beautiful -- I can't wait 'til y'all hear it and then hear the sample and the original and how I did it. I don't feel like nobody would've thought to flip it like that or even would've heard that part." (Ustream)

Around June, the North Carolina rhyme spitter said his debut would drop no later than September.

"I'm trying to find ways to word it without sounding overly egotistical, and I want to remain humble, but also let people know it's actually (really) incredible," Cole said about the new LP. "I'm sitting on gold, man. I don't wanna speak it up too much but I'm super confident in it. I'm super proud." The album is due "absolutely no later than September," says Cole, who's been reticent to release an album title or date until both are set in stone. (Detroit News)