J. Cole Pays Tribute To Nipsey Hussle With “Special Dedication” At Dreamville Festival

During his well-received set at Dreamville Festival, J. Cole took a moment to reflect on the life and legacy Nipsey Hussle. “I gotta take time on stage and acknowledge someone who had a huge impact on the community, on the f-ckin world,” he told the crowd before dedicating his performance “Love Yourz” to Nipsey’s everlasting image of consistency (in character).

Fittingly, “Love Yourz” off 2014 Forest Hills Drive, is a song about eternal reflections. The intimacy of the song gets lost when performed in front of thousands of concertgoers. Then again, it’s the gesture that counts.

Mind you, a thoughtful J. Cole chose “Love Yourz” for a reason: because of the didactic powers that are insinuated in the final measures of the song. “Heart beatin’ fast, let a n—a know that he alive/fake n—-s, mad snakes. Snakes in the grass let a n—a know that he arrived,” he raps to close “Love Yourz” in a softer more reflective voice.

Before delving into “Love Yourz,” J. Cole asked the 40,000 in attendance to light up their cell phones, as if to simulate candlelight at a vigil. Cole was among the first of Nipsey’s rapper peers to eulogy his passing on the 31st. “I respect and admire your career path and what you did for the neighborhood. My heart broke today when I saw the news,” he posted on Twitter. RIP Nipsey.

[Via]