Here’s The Real Reason Why J. Cole Got Emotional During “Love Yourz” Performance

BY Aron A.
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July 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA;  Recording artist J. Cole (Jermaine Lamarr Cole) performs live during Lollapalooza Music
July 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Recording artist J. Cole (Jermaine Lamarr Cole) performs live during Lollapalooza Music Festival at Grant Park. Mandatory Credit: Daniel DeSlover/ZUMA Wire via USA TODAY NETWORK/USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The story behind why J. Cole teared up on stage during "Love Yourz" in Cincinnati might make you tear up, as well.

The criticism of J Cole as of late has largely centered on nitpicking decisions he made two years ago during a rap beef he admittedly wanted nothing to do with. However, The Fall Off and everything that occurred after its release have indicated that he’s basically come to peace with the online narratives. That includes criticism from media personalities like Mal, who accused him of being performative when he teared up on stage to “Love Yourz.”

Well, it turns out that J Cole wasn’t just trying to win back public favor by his emotional performance–there was something that actually triggered those tears. Per Gotham Hip Hop, it surrounds the story of Collin Griffin, a cancer patient he met through a Make-A-Wish in 2017 who passed away a year later.

J. Cole's Tearful "Love Yourz" Performance

“Collin’s Make-A-Wish was to meet Cole, and when he passed away the next year, Cole was even mentioned in his obituary. Collin met Cole backstage at a show in DC, and Dreamville took care of him with merch and the like. Cole even took the shoes off his feet and signed them for Collin, asking him to work hard to beat cancer,” the tweet reads. 

“Collin told Cole that his music has been inspirational for him and helped him get through this difficult time, to which Cole responded ‘No, you inspire me,’” it continued. “Collin broke down in tears. Fast forward to Cole’s Cleveland show over the weekend, Collin’s family attended and held up pictures of him, which Cole called out right before performing ‘Love Yourz.’”

The Fall-Off World Tour continues in Kansas City tonight (August 19th) at the T-Mobile Center, then heads to Denver on August 21st. Check out the post above and sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below. 

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.