J. Cole on Raising Kids in Rap's Shadow

0:00On March 21st, Jay Cole opened up in a new Apple Music interview about his early days with rap music. At six or seven years old, his stepfather introduced him to Tupac and other gangster rap artists, like Iced Tea and Ice Cube, with no filters on the content. He remembers writing to school every day at 10 years old, blasting tracks from Tupac's group Thug Life. That raw exposure shaped his love for the genre. Now a dad himself? Cole says he's not comfortable playing those same songs for his kids. The violent and sexual themes make him hold back, even though he's grateful for his own childhood experience. He made it clear he's not judging other parents, just sharing his personal boundaries on what his family hears. Earlier this year, Cole also revealed how his wife Melissa reacted when he decided to apologize to Kendrick Lamar after their brief back and forth. These stories give a real look into balancing music's edge with family life.