Even earlier than “Let Nas Down” was launched on J. Cole’s second album, Born Sinner, there was a particular particular person particularly who acquired to listen to the observe virtually proper after it was recorded — the one and solely Nas himself.
As Cole and his pal and supervisor, Ibraham “Ib” Hamad, waited to board, Ib was listening to “Let Nas Down,” which Cole had simply recorded.
“He’s taking part in the tune — like freshly simply did this joint — we’re taking part in the tune, and this ni**a Ib is like, ‘No approach,’” Cole mentioned. “Like, he offers me the headphones again — I feel he had completed the tune — he’s like, ‘No approach.’ I mentioned, ‘What?’ He was like, ‘Yo, this ni**a Nas is correct there, boarding the flight.’”
Cole then noticed Nas for himself because the Queensbridge rapper was making his approach on the airplane.
“Proper in that second, I used to be like, ‘That is some divine s**t,’” Cole mentioned. “That is ridiculous, bro. I don’t consider in coincidences. I used to be like, ‘This can be a signal from God like, hold in your path, keep it up.’ Thoughts you, I’ve by no means met Nas earlier than… I get on the airplane and I do know I’m like, ‘I’ve to play him this tune. I’m imagined to play him this tune.’”
Along with his seat being in entrance of Nas, Cole took the chance as soon as they have been aboard the airplane and confirmed Nas the tune.
“I say ‘what’s up’ to him and I’m like, ‘Bro, I do know that is gonna sound f**king insane,’” Cole mentioned. “‘I simply made this tune f**king two days in the past. I can’t even clarify to you ways loopy it’s that I’m seeing you proper now, randomly on this flight. However I’ve to play you this tune.’”
Though Nas agreed to listen to it, Cole admitted that he didn’t bear in mind what the “World Is Yours” rapper mentioned upon listening to the then-unreleased tune.
“I don’t know what he mentioned and now, wanting again, I don’t know how he felt or how I anticipated him to really feel,” Cole recalled. “All I knew was, ‘You’re proper right here. That is God.’ I’m certain he was on some s**t like, ‘Yo, that’s dope.’ I don’t bear in mind us having a dialog in regards to the tune. Nevertheless it’s simply nuts that I even performed it for him, that uncooked after it was completed.”
In 2013, “Let Nas Down” was launched on Born Sinner. That very same 12 months, Cole and Nas went on to launch a remix of the observe titled “Made Nas Proud.”
Then, in 2014, Cole went on to reward his hero throughout the Vibe Impression Awards.
“I look to rappers for perception, and [Nas] and 2Pac have been giving me probably the most perception on what it’s wish to be grown and Black or younger and Black on this world, and what to be careful for,” he mentioned, earlier than giving Nas thanks for “all of the creativity, inspiration and knowledge you ever gave us all through your music.”
