Jay-Z Brands J. Cole's Debut Album "A Classic"

Hov still hasn't contributed a verse to his protege's project, but he was impressed by what he's already heard from the project.

J. Cole is still waiting on a verse from Jay-Z for his upcoming debut Cole World: The Sideline Story (September 27th), but Hov thinks it’s already a classic without it. In an interview with Rap-Up.com, Cole recalled hearing Jay’s impression of the album secondhand from Roc Nation executive Rich Kleiman.

“When I played him the album, I could gauge his response not on what he said, but what his vibe was,” he said. “I linked up with Rich Kleiman and he said he was with Jay-Z later that night. Out of nowhere, Jay said, ‘So Cole got a classic. That motherfucker.’”

As for getting that elusive verse from Hov, Cole says that it may or may not make the final cut - but that it won’t make or break the album.

“We’ll see. It’s very possible that he might not be on it. I feel like it’s dope as hell though,” he explains. “The whole world knows that J. Cole is waiting on a Jay-Z verse, but if it don’t happen, it don’t happen. But how ill is it that the album is called The Sideline Story, which is a metaphor for me trying to get off the bench, and I’m waiting for the nod from the coach?”