Just last week, LeBron James was roasted on social media for carrying around a vinyl record of J. Cole's The Fall-Off. At the time, fans called this performative, noting that it looked extremely bizarre for LeBron to be doing this out of context.
When it comes to LeBron's love of hip-hop, fans have always been hypercritical. They have accused him of not knowing the lyrics to popular songs. Furthermore, they have clowned on him for accidentally discovering the concept of a deluxe album. At times, it really does feel like the internet piling on for absolutely no reason. Especially when the people talking the loudest don't know the facts.
J. Cole was banging this drum loudly on 7PM in Brooklyn, where he revealed the truth about the viral photo of LeBron. As it turns out, there is a very heartwarming story behind the photo, and it makes LeBron look like a truly great guy.
Good Guy LeBron James
Essentially, LeBron was on his way to play the Miami Heat. J. Cole was going to be in attendance with his kids, who were eager to meet LeBron. Prior to the game, Cole messaged LeBron to see if it would be okay to have his kids meet him and potentially get some autographs. Of course, LeBron obliged, which was a huge deal for Cole and his kids, who see James as a God of sorts.
However, in return, LeBron simply wanted his The Fall-Off vinyl signed. Cole noted that LeBron was doing him a huge favor and that it was a special moment for his kids. When he saw people calling LeBron performative, he felt bad, as that couldn't be further from the truth.
Unfortunately, this is just how the internet operates these days. No one thinks about what the context could be. They just see LeBron walking around with an album or a book, and they assume the worst about it. It's a microcosm of the society we live in these days.
