J. Cole Responds to Lawsuit

- The lawsuit, filed in October 2025, centers on the track "Ready '24" from J. Cole's mixtape *Might Delete Later*. Cam'ron alleges he provided a verse based on a verbal agreement that Cole would either provide a feature for one of his songs or appear on his podcast, *It Is What It Is*. - In his legal response, J. Cole's attorneys assert that Cam'ron "encouraged and blessed" the use of his performance for his own career benefit and is now using the lawsuit as leverage to "publicly disparage Cole." - Cole's legal team is asking a judge to dismiss the case entirely, arguing Cam'ron is not a co-author of the track, consented to the use of his recording, and is not entitled to the payout he seeks. - Cam'ron is seeking to be formally named a co-author on the sound recording and is requesting an accounting of the song's profits, which he estimates to be in excess of $500,000. - The new album, *The Fall-Off*, is a 24-track double album framed as the conclusion to a career narrative that began with his 2007 mixtape, *The Come Up*. - It is projected to be the biggest debut of 2026, with first-week sales forecasts ranging from 260,000 to 300,000 album-equivalent units, which would be Cole's highest opening week since 2018's *KOD*. - To promote the album, Cole initiated a "Trunk Sale Tour," traveling to sell physical CDs directly from the trunk of his car, mirroring his early career hustle. - The album features guest appearances from artists including Burna Boy, Erykah Badu, Future, and Tems.