After an impressive run of guest verses in 2022, J. Cole continued his reign as one of hip hop’s feature kings throughout 2023. Despite not releasing an album, he had a prolific year, appearing on tracks with a range of artists. This year in particular, he branched out to work with a wide variety of names, many of which for the very first time. Cole has shown that he can outshine almost anybody on a song. His latest run of guest verses this year built even more anticipation for his upcoming seventh studio album, The Fall Off, which he alluded to in his bars throughout the year. Today, we are ranking each of J. Cole’s guest features in 2023 from worst to best. Take a look at the list below.
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10. Gucci Mane – “There I Go”
J. Cole has teamed up with some unlikely names before, but his feature on Gucci Mane’s “There I Go” was certainly unexpected. Over an instrumental produced by Mike Will Made-It, he sets the tone with a short verse, riding the beat with ease. The upbeat and non-serious nature of the track is not as lyrically competitive compared to J. Cole’s other guest verses. A fun highlight from Gucci Mane’s Breath of Fresh Air, “There I Go” ultimately ranks last in the scheme of J. Cole’s features from 2023.
9. Bas – “Passport Bros”
“Passport Bros” is the latest track from frequent J. Cole collaborator and Dreamville signee, Bas. The two have an exciting history of collaborations, including “My N***a Just Made Bail” and “Night Job.” Bas’s latest J. Cole-featuring track, “Passport Bros” sees the two rapping over an amapiano-laced instrumental. Bas melodically raps two short verses and the song’s chorus while Cole spits a longer verse. He flexes his vacation destinations, including Barcelona, London, and Miami. While declaring himself and Bas as the “passport bros,” Cole clarifies that they “ain’t shelling out cash for hoes.” J. Cole’s most light-hearted feature of the year makes for a pleasant team-up between him and Bas. In addition to “Passport Bros,” the Dreamville signee’s upcoming album includes two other J. Cole features. We Only Talk About Real Shit When We’re Fucked Up drops this Friday, so we will see how Cole’s other verses stack up.
8. Burna Boy – “Thanks”
Appearing at the end of I Told Them…, Burna Boy and J. Cole express frustrations with criticisms that they receive as a result of fame. Burna asks, “Is this the motherfuckin’ thanks I get for makin’ my people proud every chance I get?” and reminds critics that he “gave you Afrofusion.” Cole expresses similar sentiments in his verse, rapping that he “fathered a couple styles” and that he is “forever cemented” in hip hop unlike many of his contemporaries. Lyrically, he both celebrates his success while separating himself from other rappers, likening himself and Burna Boy to “Shaq and Kobe.” Sitting at the top of their respective genres, Burna Boy and J. Cole share a mutual respect for one another on “Thanks.”
7. Summer Walker – “To Summer, From Cole” (Audio Hug)”
J. Cole opened Summer Walker’s Clear 2: Soft Life EP, writing a candid letter directly to the R&B songstress. He expresses his support and gratitude to Summer Walker, thanking her for wanting a verse from him and congratulating her on the birth of her twins. In his verse, Cole also admires her for how she balances motherhood, artistry, and fame. The laid-back delivery of the verse does not require intricate rhyme patterns or entendres but instead works as an act of kindness to an artist he respects. Extending his love to Walker’s peers like SZA and Ari Lennox, J. Cole feels that they “are holdin’ the crowns” for R&B and encourages them to reach out to him if necessary. Cole’s verse is a sweet act of reassurance, conveying that he is there for Summer Walker when she “needs some love.”
6. Nicki Minaj – “Let Me Calm Down”
A highlight from Nicki Minaj’s latest album, Pink Friday 2, “Let Me Calm Down” is the very first time that she and J. Cole have worked together. They both rap about their respective struggles within relationships. J. Cole specifically channels these experiences into life lessons. He raps, “So if you love her, then you gotta learn to play your part,” speaking to the importance of being a loyal partner. Cole also alludes to his “Jada and that Will love” lyric from “No Role Modelz” to depict how couples can overcome their turbulent moments. While not punchline-oriented, “Let Me Calm Down” is one of J. Cole’s more personal feature verses of 2023.
Read More: Nicki Minaj “Pink Friday 2” Review
5. Lil Durk – “All My Life”
This year, J. Cole joined Lil Durk on “All My Life,” an uplifting song with a children’s choir handling the hook. During his verse, which is noticeably longer than Durk’s, J. Cole effortlessly transitions between subjects. He raps about overcoming obstacles and making it out of the city with his “head on straight.” Cole also puts things in perspective, humbling people with the reminder that “this shit could be gone in an instant.” Additionally, he discusses the tragic deaths of rappers and considers thoughts of retirement as a result. In this excellent verse, he even makes time to flex his rap skills, rapping punchlines like “The shit I spit out is a cheat code like I’m facing a RICO / and how a n***a put a hit out.” A well-rounded guest feature, J. Cole showcases his lyrical ability while uplifting the next generation.
4. J-Hope – “On The Street”
J. Cole and J-Hope of BTS were an unexpected match when they teamed up for “On The Street.” A motivational hip hop track, both he and Cole rap about overcoming challenges and personal struggles. J. Cole specifically steals the show with his verse, rapping about his journey to success, his belief in a higher power, and his commitment to the game.
Much like his verse on “All My Life,” he ponders retirement, likening his relationship with rapping to a father’s role at his daughter’s wedding. “I’m deep in with this rappin’, it’s all a n***a know / I never did nothin’ better, it’s hard to let it go,” he raps. “But like a father watching his daughter/ Walk down the altar with tears in his eyes/ You gotta let her grow.” For now, J. Cole is not letting go of rapping any time soon. “I contemplate if I should wait to hand over the crown / And stick around for a bit longer, I got a strange type of hunger,” he declares. One of his many impressive verses this year, “On The Street” sees J. Cole speaking from a reflective frame of mind.
3. Drake – “First Person Shooter”
“First Person Shooter” was an instant favorite from Drake’s For All the Dogs. The fiery track is Drake and Cole’s first collaboration since “Jodeci Freestyle” and did not disappoint in the slightest. The two declare that they are as “big as the Super Bowl” and J. Cole raises the lyrical bar high. He weaves between flows, flexing his rapping skills while shouting out NBA YoungBoy and Kendrick Lamar. J. Cole declares himself as “the GOAT with the golden pen, the top toucher.” He also likens his relationship with Drake to the famous Spider-Man meme as they reach stadium status for their upcoming tour. “I’m namin’ the album The Fall Off, it’s pretty ironic ’cause it ain’t no fall off for me,” he raps, hinting at his next album while continuing his impeccable run of guest features in 2023.
2. Drake – “Evil Ways”
J. Cole also features on “Evil Ways,” one of his best verses of 2023 and an instant standout from Drake’s latest batch of bars. A mellow track compared to “First Person Shooter,” the two trade lyrics in spirited competition. While not a singular guest verse like his other 2023 features, J. Cole floats over the soulful instrumental, rapping some of his toughest bars of the year. He spits some of his best punchlines, including lines like, “My paper folded like when teachers don’t want classmates to see your grade.”
Cole also brilliantly alludes to his and Drake’s upcoming tour with this clever bar: “Coke got they nose bleedin’ like the seats where you can’t see the stage / High up in arenas where they see their faves / AKA me and Drizzy Drake, we the wave.” J. Cole and Drake make a great team as they bring the best out of each other. However, it is Cole who specifically leads the charge on this track.
Read More: Drake “Scary Hours 3” Review
1. Lil Yachty – “The Secret Recipe”
J. Cole and Lil Yachty were an out-of-the-box duo this year on “The Secret Recipe,” a standalone track dedicated to showcasing their lyrical skills. Yachty puts his best foot forward in his verse, favoring a more traditional rap style compared to his usual auto-tuned melodies. His verse sets up J. Cole to spit a masterclass of a verse and easily his best feature of 2023. Beyond his skillful punchlines and entendres, what is most impressive about Cole’s performance is that he maintains a multi-syllabic rhyme scheme throughout the 2-minute verse.
Hungry for bars, he boasts his impressive feature run that boosts streams of other artists while simultaneously outshining them. J. Cole likens his impact to Drake’s, rapping “I’m on your song, your streams goin’ up, not quite the Drake effect / But don’t complain, bitch, take what you get and cut the label check / My table set, I dine on your favorite, one verse’ll take his breath.” He also calls out performative social media activists, rappers who lie, and those who make empty threats. J. Cole’s in rare form on “The Secret Recipe.” He silences the competition while also uplifting younger artists like Lil Yachty. Cole closes his best jaw-dropping feature of 2023: “Signed, the greatest yet.”
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