J. Cole Criticized for New Song “Snow on Tha Bluff”

The Dreamville artist faced criticisms for his new single.

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In less than 24 hours of the release of “Snow on Tha Bluff,” J. Cole faced criticisms for his lyrics in heightened times of Black Lives Matter protests, police brutality, wealth inequality, and systemic racism.

“Snow on Tha Bluff,” produced by himself alongside Kelvin Wooten, was this Dreamville artist’s first release of 2020. Many fans speculate that the song’s title references a 2011 film of the same name, which follows a drug dealer and robber Curtis Snow in Atlanta.

His new single includes lyrics like: “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 botherin’ 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 provide her 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.”

Almost immediately after the release, some fans were not so pleased with his message. Listeners believed that the artist was policing Noname, a rapper from Chicago and the founder of Noname Book Club. The lyrics target her tone, suggesting that she should try to educate people instead of putting them down for not understanding the race relations in the U.S. The artist was also criticized for his lack of awareness despite his privileges as a rapper.

In a now-deleted tweet from May 29, Noname tweeted about celebrities not speaking out on their platforms. She said: “Poor black folks all over the country are putting their bodies on the line in protest for our collective safety and y’all favorite top selling rappers not even willing to put a tweet up…n*ggas whole discographies be about black plight and they no where to be found.”

Since the release, other musicians like Kari Faux, Chance The Rapper, and Earl Sweatshirt spoke out against the new song.

J.Cole then responded to criticisms in a Twitter thread and shared his thoughts on the song. However, some listeners stated he needs to “read the room.”

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