January 28th

## Song by J. Cole

"**January 28th**" is a song by American rapper J. Cole, released as the second track from his third studio album, *2014 Forest Hills Drive* (2014).

## Personnel

* Andre "Dré Charles" Thomas – writer, producer
* Brian Gardner – mastering engineer
* David Linaburg – guitar
* Jack Mason – assistant recording engineer
* Jeremy Cimino – assistant recording engineer
* Jermaine Cole – vocals, writer, producer
* Juro "Mez" Davis – mix engineer, recording engineer
* Kaye Fox – additional vocals
* Kunihiko Murai – writer
* Mark Pitts – producer
* Nate Jones – bass
* Ronald Gilmore – keyboards
* Team Titans – producer
* Timothy "Nick Paradise" Thomas – writer, producer
* Yumi Arai – writer

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro]

*Rap tune*

*Can I make a million dollars off a rap tune?*

*Can I make a million dollars off a rap tune?*

*I'm tryna make a million dollars off a rap tune*

Yeah, look

[Verse 1]

The real is back, the ville is back

Flow bananas, here, peel this back

And what you'll find is, your highness

Can paint a picture that is vivid enough to cure blindness

Carolina's finest, you knew that already

In terms of the greatest, I proved that already

And if you would like, I do it twice

I just sharpen my blade, for a minute became lost in my ways

This for my n\*\*\*as that was tossed in the graves

Every so often I fade deep in my thoughts

And then get lost in the days

We used to play before your coffin was made

Just got the call n\*\*\*a got caught with a stray

Hope he's okay

Just got paid what Cochran got paid to free OJ

Just to share my life on the stage in front of strangers

Who know a n\*\*\*a far too well, and that's the danger

Know me better than I know myself

I rip a page out my notebook in anger

And let these thoughts linger, singing

[Chorus]

Don't give 'em too much you (Don't give 'em too much you)

Don't let 'em take control (Don't let 'em take control)

It's one thing you do (It's one thing you do)

Don't let 'em taint your soul (Don't let 'em taint your soul)

If you believe in God (If you believe in God)

One thing's for sure (One thing's for sure)

If you ain't aim too high (If you ain't aim too high)

Then you aim too low (Then you aim too low)

[Verse 2]

What's the price for a black man life?

I check the toe tag, not one zero in sight

I turn the TV on, not one hero in sight

Unless he dribble or he fiddle with mics

Look out the window 'cause tonight the city lit up with lights

Cameras and action

May no man alive come through and damage my faction

I brought you n\*\*\*as with me 'cause I love you like my brothers

And your mothers' like my mother

Think we need a plan of action

The bigger we get the more likely egos collide, it's just physics

Please let's put our egos aside, you my n\*\*\*as

And should our worst tendencies turn us into enemies

I hope that we remember these

Nights full of Hennessy

When Hov around we switch up to that D'usse

Gotta show respect, one day we tryna stay where you stay

'Cause we from where you from

Not talkin' bout the slums

I'm talkin' 'bout that mind state that keep a black n\*\*\*a dumb

Keep a black n\*\*\*a dyin' by a black n\*\*\*a gun

And keep on listening to the frontin' ass rap n\*\*\*as son

Yeah I said 'son'

This is New York's finest

For 11 winters straight I took on New York's climate

Like show me New York's ladder

I climb it and set the bar so high that you gotta get Obama to force the air force to find it

Never mind it, you'll never reach that

Cole is the hypnotist, control the game whenever he snap

That's every track, n\*\*\*a

[Chorus]

Don't give 'em too much you (Don't give 'em too much you)

Don't let 'em take control (Don't let 'em take control)

It's one thing you do (It's one thing you do)

Don't let 'em taint your soul (Don't let 'em taint your soul)

If you believe in God (If you believe in God)

One thing's for sure (One thing's for sure)

If you ain't aim too high (If you ain't aim too high)

Then you aim too low (Then you aim too low)

[Verse 3]

I ain't serve no pies, I ain't slang no dope

I don't bring no lies, n\*\*\*as sang my quotes

I don't play no games, boy I ain't no joke

Like the great Rakim, when I make my notes

You n\*\*\*as might be L or you might be Kane

Or you might be Slick Rick with 19 chains

Or you might be Drizzy Drake or Kendrick Lamar

But check your birth date n\*\*\*a, you ain't the god

Nah you ain't the god

N\*\*\*a, Cole the god (Cole the god, Cole the god)

January 28th

[Outro]

*Make a million dollars off a rap tune*

Can I make a million dollars off a rap tune?
(\*sound of baby laughing\*)

*I'm tryna make a million dollars off a rap tune*

*I wanna make a million dollars off a rap tune*

*I'm gonna make a million dollars off a rap tune*