Vince Staples has made it clear that he opposes fans comparing him to other artists. On Tuesday (July 23), he took to social media to address debates about whether he or J. Cole has a better discography.
“You ni**as need jobs,” the Dark Times creator humorously remarked.
The 31-year-old’s reaction stems from an X user comparing the artist to J. Cole. The X account @AllRapTakes, tweeted, “There’s not a single thing Vince Staples does better than J. Cole. I’d also rather listen to the top half of Cole’s discography over Vince’s (since people wanna use discog as a cop out).”
The tweet generated 152 comments and 658,000 views in less than 24 hours. The post received comments like, “Vince makes better albums and comes up with better concepts and unique production” and “Love Vince but this is true, Cole is far better writer and rapper and has better songs.”
While others made the comparison, many questioned the range of the debate. “Easily one of the worst rage bait takes ever,” wrote an X user.
“Where did this come from,” tweeted deodorant brand Axe.
After his remark, Staples questioned users’ credibility with a break-dancing reference. “You’re so passionate about Hip Hop, but I’ve yet to see any of you break dance,” he tweeted.
Staples’ sixth studio album, Dark Times, was released in May and marks his final project with Def Jam Recordings. Unlike his previous work, the 13-track album features no guest artists and includes only one pre-release single, “Shame On The Devil.” The album’s production team includes Jay Versace, frequent collaborator Cardo, Mike Hector, and others.
Meanwhile, J. Cole’s anticipated album The Fall Off, which he first teased in 2019, is still awaiting an official release date. He released Might Delete Later in April to tide fans over, featuring collaborations with Gucci Mane, Ari Lennox, Central Cee, Ab-Soul, and Bas. The mixtape also included the track “7 Minute Drill,” aimed at Kendrick Lamar, which was removed shortly after its release.