J. Cole and Lil Baby connect for their first duet on “The Off-Season” highlight “Pride Is The Devil.”
J. Cole’s The Off-Season has finally arrived, and though it initially appeared that he was planning on the no features route again, the Dreamville came through with a few uncredited surprises. One such surprise arrived on “p r i d e . i.s . t h e . d.e.v.i.l,” a guitar-fueled T-Minus banger that features an unexpected appearance from Lil Baby, who slides in following a candidate for transition of the year.
Long before any sign of Baby is revealed, Cole makes it abundantly clear that he’s in the middle of a creative high. “Bright lights pass me in the city, it’s emеrgency,” he raps, his melodic flow locked in with deadly precision. “I’m thankful ’cause I made it past my thirties, no one murdered me / Still remember vividly the ni*ga that pulled a gun on me / I’m petrified, but moving like I got no sense of urgency.”
As the second verse begins, Cole pulls a rope-a-dope and sets the stage for Baby, who picks up where he left off without missing a beat; considering that this is the first time they’ve connected on wax, the chemistry is certainly impressive. “I’m staying hella focused and I can’t forget the bigger picture,” he spits, alluding to his powerful hit single. “I can’t even hold you, I didn’t have shit, I won’t forget it / Will I be destroyed? Come to me with everything, it’s starting to get annoying / I’m addicted to promethazine, it’s crazy, yeah, I know it.”
—HNHH
