J. Cole unveiled a couple of unreleased tracks featuring Kendrick Lamar during the fourth episode of his engaging podcast series Inevitable. This exciting revelation has sparked interest among fans and music enthusiasts alike, as it showcases the incredible collaboration potential between two of hip-hop’s most influential artists.

The unreleased tracks, titled “Shock the World” and “Temptation,” date back to 2010, a pivotal period when both artists were contemplating a joint album project. J. Cole elaborated on the early stages of their collaborations, recounting how their paths first crossed during a XXL Freshman cover shoot, which also featured North Carolina’s own J. Cole and TDE’s Jay Rock. This initial meeting laid the foundation for their future connection, leading to J. Cole sending Kendrick some beats that would later shape their artistic journeys. “When I dropped ‘Blow Up,’ I remember him hitting me like, ‘N—a, I need one of those!’ He was talking about how crazy the beat was,” he recalled. “When I was out in L.A., he came by No I.D.‘s studio and I linked with him… I played him the beat for ‘HiiiPoWeR,’ I played him ‘Temptation’ with my verse on it, I played him a couple of other joints that had one verse on it.”

J. Cole further reminisced about the moment he shared those tracks with Kendrick, saying, “When I played them for him, I was like, ‘Bro, you can have these if you want.’ I remember he said — and it always stuck with me ’cause I had never heard nobody say this to me before — he was looking at me like, ‘N—a, are you sure you want to give me these?!’ “I’m like, ‘Yeah, go ahead, take them.’ He was like, ‘Bro, you sleeping on yourself.’ This powerful statement resonated deeply with me because it was a reflection of my reality at that time. I was so fixated on creating a perfect hit for my album that I overlooked the raw talent and artistry I already possessed.”

Kendrick Lamar had previously shared these unreleased songs with fans during an intimate meet and greet, creating an air of nostalgia among attendees. This moment served to strengthen the bond between the artist and his audience, highlighting the personal connections that music can foster.