YBN Cordae Responds To J. Cole's "1985" With "Old N****s"

YBN Cordae has a message for hip-hop's older generation.

BYMitch Findlay
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The YBN collective seems to expand with every passing day. While Nahmir and Almighty Jay continue to flourish, it would appear that Cordae has been waiting in the wings. Today, the Young Boss has penned a response to J. Cole's soon-to-be-iconic "1985," which as you might know, served as a lesson for rappers of Lil Pump & Smokepurpp's ilk.

While Pump seems to have buried the hatchet with Cole, even going so far as to take some of his advice, Jermaine's words continue to have an impact on rappers aspirant. In truth, the generation gap remains in existence, and voices from either camp have been more than outspoken.

Enter Cordae, who recently dropped off a remix of sorts to "1985." While the title "Old N***s" may seem provocative, the track itself is more introspective than you might initially believe. Addressing the dichotomy head-on, Cordae holds it down with a noted sense of wisdom, unseen in his YBN compatriots. Making sure to acknowledge all sides of the coin, Cordae looks to historical context and essentially implores his elders to keep an open mind. It's not entirely without bite, but Cordae manages to carry himself with a welcome sense of poise considering the divisive subject matter.

Quotable Lyrics

And it's soon to come, soon to come
Hip hop need balance like the moon and sun
It feel good when I wear Christian Louboutins
So I gotta drop music to accrue some funds
And I get it, that's the mindset that's killin' the rhyme-fest
But feedin' our families, lowering the crime yet
You want us to be separate and make a contest
Rappin' to stay up out the streets, shouldn't mind that


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About The Author
<b>Feature Editor</b> <!--BR--> Mitch Findlay is a writer and hip-hop journalist based in Montreal. Resident old head by default. Enjoys writing Original Content about music, albums, lyrics, and rap history. His favorite memories include interviewing J.I.D and EarthGang at the "Revenge Of The Dreamers 3" studio sessions in Atlanta and receiving a phone call from Dr. Dre. In his spare time he makes horror movies.