JID kicked the year off on a strong note with the release of “30 (Freestyle),” and now he’s explaining how J. Cole ‘s influence played a part in its creation.

Talking to Angela Yee on her Way Up radio show on Thursday (January 11), the Dreamville rapper broke down why he chose to freestyle on the song and how his label boss was part of the reason.

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“This was more of a practice repetition. I learned this from Cole,” he began. “It’s like one of the things he told me [about] always tryna perfect your craft. So I learned this years ago. I was just trying to knock it out like a song like just don’t stop, don’t think, just line for line. If you got the next line just go into it and then pick from there.”

You can check out their conversation below.

Produced by Griselda affiliate Conductor Williams as well as Christo and Tane Runo, the track finds JID flexing his lyrical muscle over a bustling, horn-laced beat.

“N-ggas know I ain’t the one to sleep on/ I’m under pressure, gotta sleep with the heat/ An extra clip beside the dresser like I’m ‘Pac/ Paranoid n-ggas puffin’ pot/ Puffin’ out your chest, boy/ Stop, we ain’t stupid, we ain’t stuntin’ you or nothin’ you doin,’” he raps.

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In an Instagram post promoting the release, JID hinted at dropping more new music throughout the year.

“’30freestyle’ jus put some raps on YouTube to start the year off right!!” he wrote. “Thank you @tischristo @conductorwilliams @taneruno for the inspiration.. we gone drop all year and see what happened 1/1/24 hello.”

JID 'Humbled' My Major TV Moment: '11-Year-Old [Me] Never Even Dreamed Of This!'
JID 'Humbled' My Major TV Moment: '11-Year-Old [Me] Never Even Dreamed Of This!'

JID announced last year that his upcoming solo album — the follow-up to 2022’s Forever Storywill be titled The Forever & A Day.

He said at the time that the project, which will have 10 to 12 songs, would be coming out in the fall, but a new release date has yet to be given.

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This is in addition to his collaborative album with Metro Boomin, which is set to arrive sometime this year.