J. Cole released the music video for “Disc 2 Track 2” on January 14, 2026, hours after announcing his long-awaited album The Fall-Off for February 6, surprising fans with a lead single that traces his life story backward from death to birth. According to The Beat 95.1, the video opens with a personal note from Cole reflecting on the decade-long creation of the project, while HotNewHipHop confirms the track’s release date and its hints at a double-album format[1][2].
The track, produced by DZL and Maneesh, draws direct inspiration from Nas’ 2001 song “Rewind,” as Cole raps his autobiography in reverse chronology over soulful production. HipHopDX details lyrics depicting his grandkids carrying his coffin, reversing through career highs like “verse of the year,” parenthood, marriage, and back to his birth, with lines like “My life, I see it in reverse / I first appeared in a hearse,” echoed in Hypebeast’s description of the visual’s somber narrative[3][4]. Directed by Ryan Doubiago, the video mirrors the lyrics by moving backward through rooms, capturing Cole’s reflective struggle with a notepad, as reported by The Beat 95.1 and HipHopDX[1][4]. Cole’s opening message emphasizes the album’s intent: “For the past 10 years, this album has been hand crafted with one intention: a personal challenge to myself to create my best work. To do on my last what I was unable to do on my first,” he wrote, owing it to himself and hip-hop[1][4].
The song’s title “Disc 2 Track 2” fuels speculation of a double-disc project, corroborated across sources, and ends with a bonus snippet of an unreleased track using a Whispers sample, per HipHopDX[4]. This follows a January 14 trailer for The Fall-Off, soundtracked by comedian Dan Harumi’s “How Long Is America Supposed to Last?” which explores fame’s natural decline, as noted by The Beat 95.1[1]. Hypebeast positions the release as the “final era” for the Dreamville founder, via Dreamville and Interscope Records, tying into themes of legacy and mortality[3]. HotNewHipHop praises the production and rapping as evidence of years of refinement[2].
As The Fall-Off nears with less than a month until its February 6 drop, “Disc 2 Track 2” generates significant buzz, showcasing Cole’s lyrical depth and conceptual ambition amid his billed career conclusion. The track’s release reaffirms his status in hip-hop, blending introspection with high-stakes storytelling that resonates with fans anticipating what multiple outlets call a potential classic[2][3].
