Might Delete Later Explained

Might Delete Later
Type:mixtape
Artist:J. Cole
Cover:Might Delete Later.png
Alt:The name of the album in black block text on a bright, glowing, partially distorted orange screen.
Genre:Hip hop
Length:43:10
Label:
Producer:
Prev Year:2022

Might Delete Later is the fourth mixtape by American rapper J. Cole. It was surprise released through Dreamville (under the business name Cole World, Inc.) and Interscope Records on April 5, 2024. The mixtape features guest appearances from Young Dro, Gucci Mane, Ari Lennox, Cam'ron, Central Cee, Bas, Daylyt, and Ab-Soul. Production was handled by Cole himself, T-Minus, Charlie Heat, FnZ, ATL Jacob, the Alchemist, Mike Will Made It, and Pluss, among others. The mixtape was supported by one single, "H.Y.B.", a collaboration with both Bas and Central Cee, which was sent to US rhythmic radio on April 30, 2024.[1] Serving as Cole's first project not to be released under the Roc Nation imprint, its release had been hinted at in the weeks leading up to it through vlogs published by Cole.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Background

While promoting his upcoming studio album, The Fall Off, on February 21, 2024, J. Cole took to social media to share a vlog titled, "Might Delete Later, Vol. 1", previewing "Crocodile Tearz" in the process.[7] Just under a month later, on March 18, J. Cole shared volume 2 of the vlog in which he previewed "3001".[5]

On March 22, 2024, Future and Metro Boomin released their collaborative studio album, We Don't Trust You. The album's sixth track, "Like That" featured a guest appearance from Kendrick Lamar with whom J. Cole has been in a rivalry for years, and whose verse has been perceived as a diss track towards Cole and Drake.[8] [9]

Controversy

Following the release of the mixtape, Cole faced backlash from fans and reporters after allegedly making what are perceived to be transphobic comments on the project's eighth track, "Pi";[10] [11] some fans perceived the comments as a diss towards Kendrick Lamar's "Auntie Diaries", where Lamar addressed transphobia and his relationship with his transgender relatives.[12]

Critical reception

Writing for Clash in a positive review, Robin Murray described how the album excluding the final track "are an exhilarating dip into some of J. Cole’s core tropes". He wrote that the production on the mixtape is "slightly out-of-step with the tape as a whole", however, he notes that the production feels more "ingrained" in comparison to Future and Metro Boomin's We Don't Trust You. Writing for Sputnikmusic in a negative review, Dakota West Foss wrote that Cole's "bars and punchlines" are those "that scan like [a] parody". He wrote that the mixtape "is a miscalculation at every level" and compared the project to Chance the Rapper's underwhelming The Big Day. Foss' final consensus of the mixtape was that Cole "should delete [it] now."

Commercial performance

In the United States, Might Delete Later debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 115,000 album-equivalent units, which included 137.95 million on-demand streams and 9,000 pure album sales.[13] This earned J. Cole his eighth top ten on the chart, and his first to not debut at number one since Born Sinner in 2013, which would later end up reaching the top of the chart.

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[14] 2
Australian Hip Hop/R&B Albums (ARIA)[15] 1
Icelandic Albums (Plötutíðindi)[16] 6
Italian Albums (FIMI)[17] 95
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[18] 5
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[19] 1
Nigerian Albums (TurnTable)[20] 12
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[21] 11

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A Recap of Radio Add Recaps. Hits. April 30, 2024. June 20, 2024.
  2. Web site: Dionne . Zach . J. Cole Surprises Fans With Might Delete Later f/ Cam'ron, Gucci Mane, and More . 2024-04-05 . . en-us . April 5, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240405051837/https://www.complex.com/music/a/zach-dionne/j-cole-might-delete-later . live .
  3. Web site: Small . TeeJay . 2024-03-27 . J Cole Continues to Tease The Fall Off: Might Delete Vol. 2 Takeaways . 2024-04-05 . . en . April 5, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240405051853/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/780341-j-cole-might-delete-vol-2-the-fall-off . live .
  4. Web site: Sophie . Caraan . 2024-03-18 . J. Cole Previews Another New Song in Might Delete Later, Vol. 2 Vlog . 2024-04-05 . . March 30, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240330143253/https://hypebeast.com/2024/3/j-cole-previews-new-song-might-delete-later-vol-2-vlog . live .
  5. Saponara . Michael . March 18, 2024 . J. Cole Previews Unreleased Song in Might Delete Later, Vol. 2 Tour Vlog: Watch . April 5, 2024 . . March 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240323141112/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/j-cole-previews-song-might-delete-later-vol-2-vlog-1235635848/ . live .
  6. Web site: Gonzales. Alex. 2024-04-05. J. Cole Dropped Might Delete Later, A Surprise Mixtape. 2024-04-05. Uproxx. en-US. April 5, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240405051858/https://uproxx.com/music/j-cole-might-delete-later-suprise-mixtape/. live.
  7. Web site: Alexandria. Lavender. February 21, 2024. J. Cole Shares Snippet Of New Song "Might Delete Later". April 5, 2024. HotNewHipHop. en-US. April 5, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240405043807/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/766403-j-cole-snippet-new-song-might-delete-later-hip-hop-news. live.
  8. Web site: Perry. Kevin E.G.. March 22, 2024. Kendrick Lamar disses Drake and J Cole on new song: 'It's just big me'. April 5, 2024. The Independent. en-GB. March 29, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240329212232/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/kendrick-lamar-like-that-drake-j-cole-b2517226.html. live.
  9. Kendrick Lamar Takes Hard Shots at Drake and J. Cole on Future and Metro Boomin's "Like That". Lamarre. Carl. Billboard. March 22, 2024. April 5, 2024. April 5, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240405001003/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/kendrick-lamar-like-that-diss-drake-j-cole-1235639356/. live.
  10. Krueger. Jonah. J. Cole Comes Out as a Transphobic Loser on New Song "Pi". April 5, 2024. April 5, 2024. Consequence. en.
  11. Web site: Cole. Alexander. J Cole Called Out For Transphobic Bars On "Might Delete Later" Track "Pi". April 5, 2024. April 5, 2024. HotNewHipHop. en.
  12. Coleman II. C. Vernon. J. Cole Faces Backlash for Transphobic Lyric on New Project. April 5, 2024. April 5, 2024. XXL. en.
  13. Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' Scores Second Week Atop Billboard 200. Billboard. Caulfield. Keith. April 14, 2024. May 8, 2024.
  14. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. April 15, 2024. April 12, 2024.
  15. Web site: ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. April 15, 2024. April 12, 2024.
  16. Web site: Tónlistinn – Plötur – Vika 15 – 2024 . . is. The Music – Albums – Week 15 – 2024. April 13, 2024. April 13, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240413163025/https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/. live.
  17. Web site: Album – Classifica settimanale WK 15 (dal 05.04.2024 al 11.04.2024). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. it. April 13, 2024.
  18. Web site: 2024 15-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). lt. AGATA. April 12, 2024. April 12, 2024.
  19. Web site: NZ Top 40 Albums Chart. Recorded Music NZ. April 15, 2024. April 12, 2024.
  20. Official Top 100 Albums: April 5th, 2024 - April 11th, 2024. TurnTable. April 19, 2024. April 19, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240419140217/https://www.turntablecharts.com/charts/2. dead.
  21. Web site: Veckolista Album, vecka 15. Sverigetopplistan. April 12, 2024.

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