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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 J. Cole Teaches Songwriting On Any Topic Quote 1
0:54 Songwriting Secret #1: Mix-And-Match Pre-Choruses
2:49 Songwriting Secret #2: Threaded Repetition of Lyrics
2:51 J. Cole Teaches Songwriting On Any Topic Quote 2
4:33 Beatopia AI Lyrics Tool
6:12 Songwriting Secret #3: Play-By-Play Storytelling
6:14 J. Cole Teaches Songwriting On Any Topic Quote 2
8:13 Bonus Songwriting Secret: Unresolved Thought Loops
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“That was the way The Warm Up came from- every day I woke up, wrote verses made beats The Off Season was like the same concept.
One more time before I leave- before I feel like I’m like, like fulfilled in this game, let me try to reach new heights from a skill level standpoint.
Remember I told you about the seven minute drill? Like, I put myself through drills. I really try to work on my craft to like just reach new heights and push myself” - J. Cole On His Songwriting Process
In this clip, we see J. Cole systematically describe his personal drive to continuously improve his ability to perform songwriting on any topic through consistently pushing himself to higher heights through drills and introspection.
In a minute, we’ll see Cole further describe how he step-by-step crafts songwriting on any topic seemingly at switch of a dime once his mind is right, but let’s first hone in one of his secret songwriting methods that demonstrate his commitment to always improving his writing abilities, his use of:
Songwriting Secret #1: Mix-And-Match Pre-Choruses
Thanks to Cole’s inspirational songwriting wisdom in that last clip, we can now discover our first secret: the art of mix-and-matching pre-choruses.
A pre-chorus, an intermediate passage that builds tension towards the chorus, crafts a more emotionally impactful journey in the listener’s ears by building up tension to the chorus after a lyrically complex verse, like that of Cole’s work.
Adding a pre-chorus to your songwriting, like Cole’s best songs, has the power to transform a simple song into an unforgettable anthem.
Exploring, J. Cole’s use of this technique, check out the exemplary “No Role Modelz” from his revered album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive.
In this track, he skillfully constructs a captivating emotional terrain using mix-and-match pre-choruses. The line, “one time for my L.A. sisters” after the memorable “rest in Peace Uncle Phil” intro, serves as the introductory pre-chorus, intensifying the tension that carries us into the chorus of “don’t save her…”
However, he additionally uses that same “one time for my L.A. sisters” again throughout the track, rather than just an intro, which takes a simple, clever line and makes it the emotionally rousing section leading into the legendary hook it is today.
The impact? A visceral, emotional journey woven into a rhythmic narrative.
Expanding our lens, we examine another of J. Cole’s masterpieces, “Middle Child”.
Here, he cleverly repurposes the intro as a pre-chorus, with the lyrics:
“Brothers counting me out,
I’m counting my bullets,
I’m loading my clips,
I’m writing down names,
I’m making a list”
…recurring before each chorus.
This layered repetition heightens anticipation for the chorus, magnifying its emotional punch when it finally hits.