After releasing his fourth album 4 Your Eyez Only in December, J. Cole returns with his poignant record “High for Hours.”
On his new track, Cole ruminates about his encounter with President Barack Obama during a visit to the White House. “I had a convo with the President, I paid to go and see him/ Thinkin’ about the things I said I’d say when I would see him/ Feelin’ nervous, sittin’ in a room full of white folks/ Thinkin’ about the black man plight, think I might choke,” raps Cole. “Nope, raised my hand and asked a man a question/ Does he see the struggle of his brothers in oppression?/ And if so, if you got all the power and the clout/ As the President, what’s keepin’ you from helpin’ n—as out?”
Last April, J. Cole, Pusha T, and Chance The Rapper were among the star-studded group of hip hop artists who visited the White House to speak with Obama. The meeting was held to discuss ways to bolster the “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative, which is geared to help the younger generation stay on the right path.
Obama also praised the Fayetteville rapper during his appearance at last year’s SXSW. “I love J. Cole,” he said. “You know, this is the benefit of having teenage daughters. I actually keep up. I got a chance to see J. Cole’s mom and grandma.”
Besides delving deep into his meeting with Obama, Cole tackles a slew of topics ranging from religion, Osama Bin Laden’s death and police brutality in his hometown of Fayetteville. He adds, “For real? I thought this was ‘Thou shalt not kill’/ But police still lettin’ off on n—as in the Ville/ Claimin’ that he reached for a gun/ They really think we dumb and got a death wish/ Now somebody’s son is layin’ breathless.”
Take a listen to his thought-provoking record below.
