Following the nocturnal, Alchemist-produced “Bunce Road Blues,” J. Cole shifts gears on Disc 29 of The Fall-Off with the high-octane standout “WHO TF IZ U.” Produced by the powerhouse trio of Cole himself, T-Minus, and Vinylz, the track is a ferocious “competitive clinic” that finds the North Carolina legend aggressively defending his status in the rap hierarchy. The song is defined by an “insane” beat switch that transitions from a dense, bass-heavy rhythm into a menacing second half that samples Mobb Deep’s “Drop a Gem on ‘Em.” Cole channels the dark energy of the mid-90s, delivering head-spinning rhyme schemes and a cadence reminiscent of early Eminem to remind the world why he still occupies a seat in the “Big Three.” It’s a calculated, “unhinged” statement of dominance that serves as the perfect aggressive counterweight to the album’s more melodic moments.
