J Cole shows love for fellow hip hop stars on new track 'Middle Child'

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Washington Bureau Chief

J Cole has dropped his first official solo single since 2013: “Middle Child”.

The North Carolina rapper is currently completing work on his sixth album, Revenge of the Dreamers III. The new track sees him contemplate the way he is held up against other artists, reflecting on recent conversations with Jay-Z, Kodak Black and 21 Savage.

Cole’s “middle child” reference has been interpreted as either a reference to how he believes he sits between generations represented by Kodak and Jay-Z, or of his place in the oft-cited trifecta of rappers that includes himself, Drake and Kendrick Lamar.

He also mentions how rap fans want Cole to beef with Drake: “They act like two legends cannot coexist.” Some fans believe he also alludes to Kanye West‘s controversial activity on Twitter, which has included throwing jibes at Drake over perceived slights against him and his family.

Cole’s latest solo album, KOD, was released in April last year. The Revenge record does not yet have a release date.