Carmelo Anthony is giving J. Cole his flowers—placing the rapper among Hip-Hop’s top 10 greatest MCs of all time. During a recent episode of his podcast 7PM in Brooklyn, the former NBA superstar praised Cole not just for his lyrical skill, but for the intentional way he’s shaped his career from beginning to end.
“We’ve never seen anybody bookend their career and be this serious and intentional about it,” Melo said. “So to that point—where we’re bookending careers—then yeah, J. Cole is definitely a top 10 rapper.”
Melo Salutes J. Cole’s Peaceful Approach
Anthony also acknowledged Cole’s decision to step away from the lyrical tension that briefly brewed between him and Kendrick Lamar last year. While some fans expected a diss track, Cole chose to de-escalate the rivalry, earning Melo’s respect for his maturity and self-awareness.
“He’s smart,” Anthony added. “He realized that we’ve never seen the full arc—the beginning and end—of someone’s rap career done intentionally.”
What’s Next for Cole After The Fall Off?
With Cole suggesting his upcoming album The Fall Off may be his final full-length project, Melo shared his thoughts on the rapper’s possible next chapter:
“I think we’ll see him back in sports—documenting, storytelling, content creation,” he said. “Telling stories through his eyes. I think we’re gonna see a lot of that.”
J. Cole Gets Love From Other Rap Legends
Carmelo’s praise adds to a growing list of hip-hop heavyweights who have hailed J. Cole’s talent. Rap legend Big Daddy Kane previously ranked Cole above both Kendrick Lamar and Drake:
“I’m actually more of a J. Cole fan, honestly,” Kane said during an interview with The Art of Dialogue. “I think he’s probably the greatest lyricist of this era. He’s my personal favorite of all them cats.”
As Cole gears up for The Fall Off, fans and critics alike are celebrating his legacy—and if this really is the end of his rap career, it’s one for the history books.
