For years, J. Cole has been held as a thought provoking conscious rapper. With everything that’s going on in the world with Black people, new Cole music instantly excited many fans. However, once it was out, many fans had criticism with the lyrics and its message.

“Snow on Tha Bluff” is Cole’s new song, and the title comes from a movie on “Atlanta robbery boy and crack dealer, Curtis Snow, who stole a camera from some college kids in a dope deal and made a documentary about his life.” Cole named the song after the movie, and his reasoning throughout the song was that while many put him on the pedestal, he felt he hasn’t done enough.

However, that isn’t what made people look at the rapper sideways. It was his lyrics, referencing a Black woman (there’s no confirmation, but many assume he’s speaking on rapper NoName), and his critique and approach of her viewpoints.

“Now I ain’t no dummy to think I’m above criticism, So when I see something that’s valid, I listen/ But, shit, it’s something about the queen tone that’s bothering me, She strike me as somebody blessed enough to grow up in conscious environment/ With parents that know ’bout the struggle for liberation and in turn they provided with, A perspective and awareness of the system and unfairness that afflicts ’em/ And the clearest understandin’ of what we gotta do to get free, And the frustration the fills her words seems to come from the fact that most people don’t see/ Just ’cause you woke and I’m not, that shit ain’t no reason to talk like you better than me, How you gon’ lead, when you attacking the very same niggas that really do need the shit that you saying?/ Instead of conveying you holier, come help get us up to speed

Lyrics via. Genius