Let Nas Down

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Let Nas Down is a song by American rapper J. Cole from his 2013 album Born Sinner. Produced by Cole, it serves as a tribute to his idol Nas, with whom Cole was often compared early in his career. The track samples Fela Kuti’s “Gentleman” and peaked at number 55 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Growing up, Cole idolized Nas, even pasting Nas’s verses on his wall. After signing with Roc Nation in 2009, he spent time trying to craft a hit for his debut album. According to No I.D., Nas told him he didn’t like the song “Work Out,” which inspired Cole to write a tribute to Nas the following year. Not long after, Cole met Nas in a Houston airport, played the song for him, and Nas reportedly felt honored and impressed.

Before Born Sinner’s release, Cole previewed the track for a New York radio host, who heard it under the working title “I Disappointed Nas.” The song drew comparisons to Kanye West’s “Big Brother” and Nas’s “Unauthorized Biography of Rakim” for its look at the mentor–mentee relationship. It became the album’s most discussed track, earning mixed reviews: XXL called it one of the album’s most honest moments, Spin felt it exposed a lack of fire on Born Sinner, and The Boston Globe found it too insular.

The debate around the song helped lead to a response from Nas. In late June 2013, Nas released a remix titled “Made Nas Proud,” sharing his perspective and praising Cole’s growth. The remix was widely praised, with Complex naming it one of the best songs of the first half of 2013.

Credits: Producer J. Cole; songwriters Jermaine Cole, Anthony Parrino, Fela Kuti; sample Fela Kuti’s “Gentleman”; length 4:37; labels Dreamville, Roc Nation, Columbia; released June 18, 2013; recorded 2012; genre hip hop, jazz rap.