J. Cole: "I Never Felt White. I Don't Know What That Feels Like"

Roc Nation's J. Cole opens up about having bi-racial parents and how despite being half White, he has fully felt a part of Caucasian decent in the new XXL Magazine.

Based on an excerpt from his October feature, Cole speaks on his genetic makeup.

"I can identify with White people, because I know my mother, her side of the family, who I love. I've had White friends. I know people from high school that I might not have hung out with outside of high school, but I think I got to know them pretty well, so I know they sense of humor. But at the end of the day, I never felt White. I don't know what that feels like. I can identify. But never have I felt like I'm one of them. Not that I wanted to, or tried to, but it just was what it was. I identify more with what I look like, because that's how I got treated. Not necessarily in a negative way. But when you get pulled over by the police, I can't pull out my half-White card. Or if I just meet you on the street, you're not gonna be like, This guy seems half-White." (XXL Mag)

J. Cole's "In The Morning" collaborator Drake is also the son of bi-racial parents.

Drake was born to an African-American father and a Jewish mother, who divorced when he was five. Raised by his mother in Forest Hill, a heavily Jewish neighborhood of Toronto, he attended a Jewish day school, and was even Bar Mitzvah'd (the song of the night was Backstreet Boys's "I Want It That Way"). All of which is to say that, whatever else happens, Drake is already the first-ever black Jewish rap star. (Heeb Magazine)

Last year, Shady Records' Yelawolf talked about facing racial barriers as a white rapper.

"I still face it at every show, dog. There's always somebody. It never fails, never. Until I'm selling out my own shows and I'm going to be demo-ing for somebody. And somebody is not going to like me because I'm a white boy on stage rapping and I look different. That's something I will experience until everybody that came through the door came to see just me. I'm used to it though, when you're traveling with groups, you just have to be prepared to deal with it. Do your best to snap and walk off the stage holding your nuts. Always! That's how you got to be. I grew up in Alabama so I've heard and seen it all. Knowing your talent is probably one of the keys to be successful." (VIBE)

Outside of racial talk, Cole recently got surprised by seeing a premature released copy of his Roc Nation debut during a concert.

After all the blood, sweat, and tears he put into making his album, imagine J. Cole's surprise when a fan handed him a copy of the physical CD before he had even seen it. The Roc Nation rapper was performing in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Wednesday night when someone in the audience held up a copy of his debut Cole World: The Sideline Story, nearly a week before its release. Apparently some Target stores had prematurely put the album on shelves. (Rap-Up)

"I Never Felt White. I Don't Know What That Feels Like" | SOHH.COM

Interview was awkward as hell

what ever side you look like most is who you're[..]ociated with

Word. A lot of these dudes on Boxden are ashamed to be white. There's a bunch of B-Rad's on here.

.......

i didnt know he was half white

wtf..... this is some of the most random !! i've ever read in an article...

you gotta be able to read between the lines, it's obviously a comparison of the culture that drake grew up in versus the culture he participates in now, how he grew up and his background compared to the current image he projects. The article seems to be about race ( black,white, mixed) in hip hop so it's very relevant since rap fans always seem to be concerned about an artist's background when evaluating their music. It could be seen as a shot or diss to drake as well seeing that he grew up a rich jewish boy who listened to the backstreet boys. J.Cole's quotes before it ties in perfectly with that part, he talks about how he never felt "white" growing up but can drake say the same ? It's all about perception and preference.

[pic] !!ing frauds, what I hate is a white/latino kid trying pretending to be black, using the word nicca e.g Joe Black bx poster, that drake stan who got exposed, he still won't admit his white [pic]

btw yes I'm black

There are black hispanics /latinos

A lot of Hispanic have t0o much pride to admit that, LOL. I know this Dominican girl who refuses to acknowledge the fact that she's black. I try to tell her all of the time.. " a bunch of Dominicans and Cubans are nothing but black people that speak Spanish. " She's always saying, " No, noooo.. we're not Black.. We're Dominican. " [pic]

me neither...

I know this but it doesn't change the fact genetically she's black, Tiger woods doesn't really like to embrace his blackness fully, but if he did black ppl would allow him to, just like they allow any other bi-racial black to ( Obama, Halle Berry , etc ). If they dont want to embrace it that's their decision but you really can't revoke their pass because it's in their blood.

oh wow I didn't know his dad was the white one. is that his dad ??

to be honest i cant even confirm multiple sites tell me thats his dad and on wikepedia it says his moms the white one so idek [pic]

so saying the word nicca means you're trying to be black [pic]

im proud to be dominican, and ima keep saying nicca.

stop being so ignorant

EDIT: Nevermind J cole said it himself. Black father, White Mother

@:25

His dad is black. That's probably his uncle. His mom is white.