J. Cole has given credit to both the art of meditation and limiting his social media usage for his enhanced mental health status as of late.
The Grammy-Award winning rapper sat down with Kevin Hart for his Hart To Heart show on Peacock where he revealed his newfound practices that keep him in a positive mindset.
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“I had set rules for myself,” he began (via VIBE). “One was like, ‘Bro, you can’t go on social media no more’…Nobody’s there to be like, don’t Google yourself. Don’t search your name.”
He continued: “I had set some rules for myself, some baseline rules like, ‘Yo, don’t go on Twitter. Don’t read your replies.’ That’s rule number one. Number two, when you’re creating, you got to create from a pure place only. That was a rule I set for myself. Everything has to only be truly what you feel in your heart.”
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Within the same interview, the Dreamville hitmaker also spoke about the current crop of female rappers, who he said are responsible for some of today’s best and most exciting Hip Hop moments.
“I think it’s fire,” Cole said. “It’s a whole different ball game, like a whole different crop of young superstars and styles. I’ve been feeling this for like maybe a year or two — I hate to say it ’cause it almost sounds like pandering — but I really do think like, man, it’s a lot of fire female rappers.
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“I feel like they’re doing some of the most exciting [stuff], commercially — they’re giving us a lot of fire moments and I feel like that’s something that wasn’t around when we was growing up.”
He continued: “You always had a Lil Kim, a Foxy [Brown], but there could never be more than one almost, it felt like. Now it’s like, bro, we’re getting moments and moments and moments. I think it’s hard.”
The full interview between J. Cole and Kevin Hart will stream in full exclusively on Peacock on Thursday (July 27).
Female rappers have notably been on a tear these past few years, with newcomers like Ice Spice, GloRilla, Latto, Coi Leray, Sexyy Red and Scar Lip — as well as more established stars like Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and City Girls — making big moves for women in Hip Hop.
Meanwhile, J. Cole recently gave some advice and prayed for the success of NYC rapper Paris Bryant. Bryant considers J. Cole to be one of his musical heroes.
“Yoooooo, just heard your song,” J. Cole wrote to Bryant in an Instagram direct message. “I love it. I have a note that I feel like might be helpful. Also saw all your messages from before. Crazy how life work !!!
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“Much love young brother and I pray for all the best for you. Send me a number and I’ll give you a call to share the note I had.”
Bryant replied: “YOU RESPONDED… no way I appreciate that bro that’s soooo real my heart stopped I was just texting you again to ask if you wanted to hear my applying pressure freestyle but that’s crazy bruh … that’s soo real like man.”
