Released: 2024
J. Cole’s “Crocodile Tearz” is a hard-hitting track that’s all about maintaining authenticity and grinding toward success, despite the fake love and opportunistic behavior around him. The song mixes J. Cole’s hunger for success with a reflection on those who’ve shown their true colors as he’s risen in fame. He uses clever wordplay and references to express these themes.
The opening lines “Powered up / I’m powered up” set the stage for an anthem of empowerment and self-sufficiency. When Cole says, “Hall of Famer, hungrier than all the newcomers,” he’s asserting his dominance in the rap game while acknowledging his constant drive to improve, a sentiment that resonates deeply in hip-hop culture’s competitive nature. The reference to “They get fucked 112, you couldn’t do numbers” cleverly plays on the R&B group 112, while stating others can’t match his success or stats.
Cole’s verse about the rap game’s realities, “We from the South where we learn all about stashin’…And if you run your mouth, bitch, you goin’ out sad,” speaks to the harsh lessons of his environment and the consequences of reckless talk. The line “Crocodile tears, niggas know I’m on a tier that they don’t see,” uses the metaphor of fake tears to address insincere sorrows from peers who can’t reach his level of success or understand the burdens he carries.
The repeated lines about people hitting him up only when they need something, “Niggas hit my phone up when they need somethin'”, underlines a theme of opportunism and the lack of genuine connection in relationships bolstered by fame and success. This idea is expanded with, “I can’t recall a time when you gave me somethin’,” highlighting a unilateral dynamic in these interactions.
In “Crocodile Tearz,” J. Cole deftly navigates the landscape of fame, success, and the authenticity of relationships within the industry. Through clever wordplay and vivid storytelling, he offers a critical look at the dynamics of success and the genuine connections it can obscure or reveal.
