The day after the Grammys is nearly always filled with hot takes, thoughtful analysis, and other varied reactions, but this year, J. Cole has added some encouragement, compassion, and advice to the mix. The North Carolina rapper defended Cardi B, who made history with her win for Best Rap Album for her debut, Invasion Of Privacy, praised Travis Scott, and offered some hard-earned advice for all his peers, whether they won or not.
i don’t never wanna be propped up by tearing somebody else down. Seeing Cardi b win a Grammy make me feel like I won. Same with jay rock and Anderson. I feel for Travis cuz he really deserved that acknowledgement as well, but his moment is way bigger than the awards could say
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) February 11, 2019
“I don’t never wanna be propped up by tearing somebody else down,” he tweeted on Monday afternoon after some reflection, and presumably some sour grapes grousing from fans still upset that he was snubbed for KOD. “Seeing Cardi b win a Grammy make me feel like I won. Same with jay rock and Anderson.” Cole also took a moment out to give a nod to Travis Scott, whose Astroword contributions were shut out at the ceremony despite their resounding impact on pop culture. “I feel for Travis cuz he really deserved that acknowledgment as well,” he wrote, “But his moment is way bigger than the awards could say.”
I went through a lot of heart break the first half of my career, maybe even longer, cuz deep down I needed that validation that I thought the awards could bring. But it’s a quote I’m about to google that’s the realist shit and sums up how I feel today. 4 anybody that need 2 hear
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) February 11, 2019
Lest anyone accuse Cole of simply offering generic truisms and cold comfort, he reinforced that this outlook was earned the hard way, through experience, writing, “I went through a lot of heartbreak the first half of my career, maybe even longer, cuz deep down I needed that validation that I thought the awards could bring.” He finished by Googling a quote that he called “the realist sh*t” [sic] saying that it “sums up how I feel today. 4 anybody that need 2 hear.”
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) February 11, 2019
The quote, which you can see above, reads: “My heart is at ease knowing that what was meant for me will never miss me, and that what misses me was never meant for me.” It’s credited to an Islamic prayer and seemingly reflects a philosophical acceptance of fate.
Seeing Thug get a Grammy incredible. Future too. been deserved. March madness was bigger than the Grammy’s. And congrats Ella mai 👑. 6lack really deserved too, but don’t sweat it my brother. No award show could ever get it all the way right. Especially one that ain’t run by us
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) February 11, 2019
Cole spent one more tweet on praising some of the other nominees including 6lack, with whom Cole himself was nominated for their collaboration “Pretty Little Fears.” All in all, his sentiments seem to echo the same thing Drake said on the podium during the awards (before the show cut him off for a timely commercial interruption). The Grammys need hip-hop more than hip-hop needs the Grammys. No artist should feel snubbed or shut out when they’re filling up arenas and tearing down festivals worldwide. They’ve already made it; the rest is just icing on the cake.
