BET’s 2011 Year End Wrap Up features commentary by Angela Yee, Janee Bolden, Amanda Seales, B. Dot, DJ Vlad, Shaheem Reid, Datwon Thomas, Xilla, Alvin Blanco, Bevy Smith, Damien Lemon, Hillary Crosley, John Kennedy, and DJ Holiday.

The group discusses J. Cole and Big Sean’s debut albums, Chris Brown’s comeback, Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch The Throne, Lil Wayne’s Carter 4, Kreayshawn Vs. Rick Ross and more.

Wale feat. J. Cole – “Bad Girls Club”

The Roots feat. Big K.R.I.T. “Make My”

Big K.R.I.T. feat. 8Ball, MJG & 2 Chainz “Money On The Floor”

Mistah Fab “Bring The Classics Back” | Interview with The Breakfast Club

L.E.P. Bogus Boys “25th Hour”

J. Cole “Lost Ones”

Mac Miller “Party On 5th Ave”

The Black Keys “Lonely Boy”

Ne-Yo “The Way You Move” (feat. Trey Songz & T-Pain)

Drake “Headlines”

Melanie Fiona “4AM”

Elle Varner “Only Wanna Give It To You” (feat. J. Cole)

Method Man “World Gone Sour (The Lost Kids)”

(Originally posted in July 2009)

I had the pleasure of interviewing Roc Nation’s first signee, J. Cole. Not only was he extremely humble, he also had some great stories about his first semi-meeting with the boss man Jay-Z. I’m sure it’s funny looking back now, but at the time it had to be devastating.

“I was working at a job, I was telemarketing for a really small newspaper in Queens… you know that Kanye line where he was like ‘if I could just get one beat on Hova we could get up off this cheap ass sofa,’ that was my life. I had a shirt that said ‘Produce for Jay-Z or die trying.’”

Inspiration struck the young producer/rapper and J. Cole went home one day to make a beat cd for the American Gangster soundtrack, figuring that Hova was still working on some music for it. He came up with the perfect beat, with a hook and everything, called “Top of the World.” Confident that Jay would fall in love with it and his dreams would come true, J. Cole proceeded to sit outside Baseline Studio wearing his special t-shirt with a bottle, and a beat cd. To add to the drama, it started raining.

“Jay gets out of the car, walks up to the building and I’m like trying to build up the nerve to go up to him with the cd after I waited all that time in the rain… I don’t even think he said what is this, he mighta looked at it and he was like ‘I don’t want this.’”

Below, J. Cole tells the story in his own words:

It wasn’t, however, that beat that got Jay’s attention. J. Cole continues his story and then lets us hear the actual ‘Top of the World’ beat off his laptop while he rhymes over it.

“We really had fantasies that he would go upstairs, listen, and then come right back or send somebody down like ‘Go get that kid!’”

So what did end up getting J. Cole signed to Roc Nation? “Jay ended up, there was a lot of industry people that were hearing my stuff and falling in love but it was person by person, I had to turn these guys into believers… somebody got it to somebody who got it to Jay and when he ended up playing this song I got called ‘Lights Please’ that’s the only song he really heard, he was like ‘Yo set up the meeting bring him in.’”

Estelle “Break My Heart (Remix)” (feat. Swizz Beatz, Jadakiss, & Busta Rhymes)

Download

The remix to Ms. Darlings hit single featuring Jada, Busta, and Swizz.

Mavado “Emergency” (feat. Ace Hood)

Download

After announcing his signing with DJ Khaled’s We The Best, Jamaica’s finest dropped his new single featuring Ace Hood.

J. Cole “Can’t Get Enough” (feat. Trey Songz)

Buy

Cole officially released his new single featuring Trey Songz. Cole World: The Sideline Story available September 27th.

Ludacris “Rich & Flexin” (feat. Waka Flocka)

Download

Green Lantern dropped a new track from Luda featuring FLOCKA! Ludaversal coming soon.

Jadakiss “Grind”

Download

New joint from Kiss, possibly something off Top 5 Dead or Alive.

DJ Envy Exclusive:

Riz “Soundproof” (feat. Fabolous)

Download

Mac Miller – “Frick Park Market”

Troy Ave – “Dirty Martini” (feat. Prodigy)

Glasses Malone – “Eastsidin”

Power Live

Performances by…
Fabolous
Kelly Rowland
Big Sean
Meek Mill
J. Cole
Estelle
Wale
Ace Hood

Hosted by The Breakfast Club

Sunday, August 21st – 8:00pm
Governors Island, NYC

Click here to buy tickets

Kendrick Lamar is not your average rapper. He doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t drink, and he has a girlfriend. The shy guy with the real name, no gimmicks stopped by The Breakfast Club to get his “CoSign.” Kendrick first signed to Top Dawg Entertainment, along with Jay Rock when they were teenagers. He talks about growing up in Compton, CA and wanting to play ball in high school, but was discouraged because he wasn’t tall enough. He discusses meeting Dr. Dre for the first time after Dre heard his song “Ignorance Is Bliss” on YouTube. He talks about staying out of other peoples beefs and being cool with everyone. He says he’s still independent and is trying to decide on the best situation. He discusses meeting J. Cole, who produced “HiiPower,” working in the studio with The RZA, and finishing up his new album Section 80.

J. COLE  - “DISGUSTING”

Download

Cole released presumably his first single from his long-awaited debut album, Cole World. Produced by the man himself.

MOBB DEEP – “MUST GO HARD”

Download

Kay Slay unearthed this Mobb joint on his latest mixtape, Strength Of A Gesture.

TYLER, THE CREATOR – “SHE” (FEAT. FRANK OCEAN)

Download

New Tyler track that leaked featuring Frank Ocean. From The Creator’s debut album, Goblin, available May 9th.

FREDDIE GIBBS – “RUN DMC” (FEAT. YOUNG JEEZY)

Download

Gibbs gave The Breakfast Club the exclusive for his first joint with his new label boss Jeezy.

CONSEQUENCE “WAITED TOO LONG” (FEAT. MUSIQ SOULCHILD)

Download

Another leaked song from Con’s oft-delayed album, Cons TV. Produced by Kanye West.