Today marks an important milestone for J. Cole, who released his third official mixtape Friday Night Lights exactly one decade ago. And while the fans are still waiting for the classic project to transition onto DSPs, J. Cole took a moment to share a few words reflecting on the mixtape's importance. In the process, he came through to pay homage to some of the collaborators who helped bring it to life, singling out the likes of Drake, Kanye West, Wale, and many more.
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"10 years today," begins Cole, alongside the tape's iconic cover art. "Grateful ain’t even the word. This one defined me as a artist. Thank you forever for the love. My dream is to one day have this on DSP’s where it belongs. Until then...Thank you @kingofqueenz25 @champagnepapi @omen @wale @juromez @elitethatsme @syience1 L&X @feltonamus @alexhaldi @groovesince1989 @iam_mali @erykahbadu @janellemonae @kanyewest."
A lengthy list, with many of the honored recipients having contributed to Friday Night Lights in some capacity. It's certainly interesting to see Cole extend gratitude to Kanye West, with whom he has had a complicated dynamic of late. Last we checked, Yeezy was actively seeking an apology from the Dreamville rapper. While this doesn't exactly fit the bill, it does feel like an olive branch of sorts, one that suggests Cole is willing to rekindle his alliance with his former collaborator -- at least to some capacity.
Check out the heartfelt message below, one that prompted Russ to chime in with demands that Friday Night Lights and The Warm Up be added to streaming platforms post haste, and sound off. Do you agree with Cole's assessment that this 2010 mixtape was his defining body of work?
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