Cole explained that he had no illusions about being able to compete with Kanye's iconic status — he simply wanted to make a point by changing the album's original June 25 release date, which would have put him up against Wale'"I could've left it right where I was and just gone head-to-head with Wale and seen what happened there. I would've had a much better chance, but it wasn't about the sales," he said. "That would be a nice bonus, but it's more about the statement, [and putting] my name in the conversation. I'ma throw my name in the hat.
"This is art, and I can't compete against the Kanye West celebrity and the status that he's earned just from being a genius," Cole added. "But I can put my name in the hat and tell you that I think my album is great and you be the judge and you decide."
Kanye's Yeezus album is projected to sell up to 380,000 copies in its first week, while J. Cole is on course to sell close to 300K with Born Sin