J. Cole Once Played Nas ‘Let Nas Down’ During Chance Encounter

J. Cole‘s Inevitable podcast is the gift that keeps on giving as he gives his fans intimate details they may’ve not heard before.

During this latest episode, the North Carolina rapper tells a story about the time he played “Let Nas Down” for the legendary Queens MC after they boarded the same flight at a Houston airport.

His manager and right-hand man Ibraham “Ib” Hamad was listening to the newly recorded song, and as he was passing Cole his headphones back, Ib noticed Nas boarding the same flight.

“Right in that moment, I was like, this is some divine sh–,” Cole recalled. “This is ridiculous, bro. I don’t believe in coincidences. I was like, this is a sign from God like, ‘Keep on your path, stick with it.’ Mind you, I’ve never met Nas before. I got on the plane and I was like, ‘I have to play him this song. I’m supposed to play him this song.”

“I say ‘what’s up’ to him and I’m like, ‘Bro, I know this is gonna sound f—ing insane,’” he continued. “‘I just made this song f—ing two days ago. I can’t even explain to you how crazy it is that I’m seeing you right now, randomly on this flight. But I have to play you this song.’”

Nas agreed to hear it, but Cole admitted that he didn’t give him an opinion on the track when he was finished.

Adding, “I have no idea what he said and now, looking back, I have no idea how he felt or how I expected him to feel. All I knew was, ‘You’re right here. This is God.’ I’m sure he was on some sh– like, ‘Yo, that’s dope.’ I don’t remember us having a conversation about the song. But it’s just nuts that I even played it for him, that raw after it was done.”

Released in 2013, on his sophomore album Born Sinner, Nas and Cole dropped a remix entitled “Made Nas Proud” where he gave the young rapper some game and said he didn’t let him down.

You can listen to the episode here.