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J. Cole is dope. I had heard about the North Carolina emcee, but finally checked his music yesterday at the recomendation of Zach G. Here’s what Cole told Complex about meeting Jay-Z for the first time. In case you didn’t know, J. Cole was the first rapper signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation imprint.

J. Cole: I was nervous as shit. My hands were sweaty, I’m drying my hands off on my pants. I had just enough time, sitting in the waiting room to get my nerves together. He walked in, cool as a fucking fan, said what’s up, sat down, got right to business. I went in there and played him a song I got called “Lights Please.” Jay-Z’s reactions are incredible when he’s feeling some shit, ‘cause a) He’s Jay-Z, so you’re already gassed, and b) He’s looking dead in your eyes, bobbing his head, intensely in the music. The best part about it is, when he’s feeling something, when there’s a line that he likes, he gives you that, “Wooooooo!” and he’ll let you know that he’s feeling it. It’s a three hour meeting and we only played 5 songs, so the rest of the time, we’re talking and building, you know, talking about Obama and shit. Then three weeks later I got the confirmation text that said he wanted to do the deal. And we just went from there.

Complex: What was the first thing you thought when you met Jay?

J. Cole: … You really wanna known my first thought?

Complex: Yeah

J. Cole: I was like, Damn, I’m taller than Jay-Z. Laughs. I got like an inch on him.

Hiptics.com is updated every single day with your kind of hip hop:

1. J. Cole – “Lights Please” [DOWNLOAD]
2. Video: J. Cole Pays Homage To New York Hip Hop
3. J. Cole – “Welcome” [Download]