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Might Delete Later

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Might Delete Later

| type = mixtape

| artist = J. Cole

| cover = Might Delete Later.png

| alt = The name of the album in black block text on a bright, glowing, partially distorted orange screen.

| released = {{Start date|2024|04|05}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = Hip-hop

| length = 43:10

| label =

| producer =

| prev_title = The Off-Season

| prev_year = 2021

| next_title = The Fall-Off

| next_year = 2025

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Might Delete Later

| type = mixtape

| single1 = H.Y.B.

| single1date = April 30, 2024

}}

}}

Might Delete Later is the fourth mixtape by the American rapper J. Cole. It was released through Dreamville and Interscope Records on April 5, 2024. The mixtape features guest appearances from Young Dro, Gucci Mane, Ari Lennox, Cam'ron, Central Cee, Bas, Daylyt, and Ab-Soul. Included in the mixtape's production credits are Cole himself, T-Minus, Charlie Heat, FnZ, ATL Jacob, The Alchemist, Mike Will Made It, and Pluss, among others. The mixtape was supported by one single, "H.Y.B.", a collaboration with Bas and Central Cee that was sent to US rhythmic radio on April 30, 2024, weeks after the mixtape's release.{{cite web|url=https://hitsdailydouble.com//pop_mart&id=341037&title=YOUR-RADIO-ADD-RECAPS|title=A Recap of Radio Add Recaps|website=Hits|date=April 30, 2024|access-date=June 20, 2024}} Might Delete Later was J. Cole's first project not to be released under the Roc Nation imprint. It was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.

Background

Might Delete Later's release had been hinted at through vlogs published by Cole in the weeks leading up to its release.{{Cite web |last=Dionne |first=Zach |title=J. Cole Surprises Fans With Might Delete Later f/ Cam'ron, Gucci Mane, and More |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/zach-dionne/j-cole-might-delete-later |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405051837/https://www.complex.com/music/a/zach-dionne/j-cole-might-delete-later |archive-date=April 5, 2024 |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Complex |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |last=Small |first=TeeJay |date=2024-03-27 |title=J Cole Continues to Tease The Fall Off: Might Delete Vol. 2 Takeaways |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/780341-j-cole-might-delete-vol-2-the-fall-off |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405051853/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/780341-j-cole-might-delete-vol-2-the-fall-off |archive-date=April 5, 2024 |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=HotNewHipHop |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Caraan |first=Sophie |date=2024-03-18 |title=J. Cole Previews Another New Song in Might Delete Later, Vol. 2 Vlog |url=https://hypebeast.com/2024/3/j-cole-previews-new-song-might-delete-later-vol-2-vlog |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330143253/https://hypebeast.com/2024/3/j-cole-previews-new-song-might-delete-later-vol-2-vlog |archive-date=March 30, 2024 |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Hypebeast}}{{Cite magazine |last=Saponara |first=Michael |date=March 18, 2024 |title=J. Cole Previews Unreleased Song in Might Delete Later, Vol. 2 Tour Vlog: Watch |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/j-cole-previews-song-might-delete-later-vol-2-vlog-1235635848/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240323141112/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/j-cole-previews-song-might-delete-later-vol-2-vlog-1235635848/ |archive-date=March 23, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2024 |magazine=Billboard}}{{Cite web |last=Gonzales |first=Alex |date=2024-04-05 |title=J. Cole Dropped Might Delete Later, A Surprise Mixtape |url=https://uproxx.com/music/j-cole-might-delete-later-suprise-mixtape/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405051858/https://uproxx.com/music/j-cole-might-delete-later-suprise-mixtape/ |archive-date=April 5, 2024 |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Uproxx |language=en-US}} While promoting his upcoming studio album, The Fall Off, on February 21, 2024, J. Cole shared a video titled "Might Delete Later, Vol. 1" that included a snippet of "Crocodile Tearz".{{Cite web|last=Alexandria|first=Lavender|date=February 21, 2024|title=J. Cole Shares Snippet Of New Song "Might Delete Later"|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/766403-j-cole-snippet-new-song-might-delete-later-hip-hop-news|access-date=April 5, 2024|website=HotNewHipHop|language=en-US|archive-date=April 5, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405043807/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/766403-j-cole-snippet-new-song-might-delete-later-hip-hop-news|url-status=live}} Just under a month later, on March 18, J. Cole shared 'Vol. 2" of the vlog, which included a snippet of "3001".

On March 22, 2024, Future and Metro Boomin released their collaborative studio album, We Don't Trust You. The album's sixth track, "Like That", included a verse where featured artist Kendrick Lamar dissed J. Cole and Drake in reference to their collaborative track "First Person Shooter" that had been released the year prior.{{Cite web|last=Perry|first=Kevin E.G.|date=March 22, 2024|title=Kendrick Lamar disses Drake and J Cole on new song: 'It's just big me'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/kendrick-lamar-like-that-drake-j-cole-b2517226.html|access-date=April 5, 2024|website=The Independent|language=en-GB|archive-date=March 29, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329212232/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/kendrick-lamar-like-that-drake-j-cole-b2517226.html|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/kendrick-lamar-like-that-diss-drake-j-cole-1235639356/|title=Kendrick Lamar Takes Hard Shots at Drake and J. Cole on Future and Metro Boomin's "Like That"|last=Lamarre|first=Carl|magazine=Billboard|date=March 22, 2024|access-date=April 5, 2024|archive-date=April 5, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405001003/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/kendrick-lamar-like-that-diss-drake-j-cole-1235639356/|url-status=live}} J. Cole responded to Lamar's diss on Might Delete Later with "7 Minute Drill", a track Cole later deleted from streaming services after apologizing to Lamar for his response at Dreamville Festival 2024. Lamar and Drake would go on to engage in a rap feud throughout the following weeks.

Controversy

Following the release of the mixtape, Cole faced backlash from fans and reporters after allegedly making what were perceived to be transphobic comments on the project's eighth track, "Pi".{{Cite magazine|last=Krueger|first=Jonah|title=J. Cole Comes Out as a Transphobic Loser on New Song "Pi"|url=https://consequence.net/2024/04/j-cole-transphobic-pi/|date=April 5, 2024|access-date=April 5, 2024|magazine=Consequence|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Cole|first=Alexander|title=J Cole Called Out For Transphobic Bars On "Might Delete Later" Track "Pi"|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/784256-j-cole-transphobic-bars-might-delete-later-hip-hop-news|date=April 5, 2024|access-date=April 5, 2024|website=HotNewHipHop|language=en}} Some fans perceived the lyrics to be a reference to Kendrick Lamar's "Auntie Diaries", a song where Lamar addresses transphobia and his relationship with his transgender relatives.{{Cite magazine|last=Coleman II|first=C. Vernon|title=J. Cole Faces Backlash for Transphobic Lyric on New Project|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/j-cole-faces-backlash-transphobic-lyric/|date=April 5, 2024|access-date=April 5, 2024|magazine=XXL|language=en}}

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = Clash

| rev1score = 8/10{{cite magazine |last1=Murray |first1=Robin |title=J. Cole – Might Delete Later |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/j-cole-might-delete-later/ |magazine=Clash |access-date=April 5, 2024 |date=April 5, 2024}}

| rev2 = Pitchfork

| rev2score = 5.1/10{{cite web |last1=Thompson |first1=Paul A. |title=J. Cole – Might Delete Later |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/j-cole-might-delete-later |website=Pitchfork |access-date=April 10, 2024 |date=April 10, 2024}}

| rev3 = Sputnikmusic

| rev3score = 0.5/5{{Cite web |first = Dakota West|last=Foss|date=2024-04-05|title=Review: J. Cole – Might Delete Later |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/88413/J.-Cole-Might-Delete-Later/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=Sputnikmusic}}

}}

Might Delete Later was largely met with mixed critical reception upon release. Writing a positive review for Clash, Robin Murray described how the mixtape's tracks, excluding "7 Minute Drill", feel like "exhilarating dip[s] into some of J. Cole's core tropes". He wrote that the production on the mixtape is "slightly out-of-step with the tape as a whole", but he noted that the production feels more "ingrained" in comparison to Future and Metro Boomin's We Don't Trust You. In a middling review for Pitchfork, Paul A. Thompson wrote that despite "plenty of compelling... rhythmic, textural, and even personal elements" on Might Delete Later, the mixtape's repeated declarations of greatness and demands for recognition are ultimately "rendered vacant and vaguely sad" after Cole's removal of "7 Minute Drill" from the project.{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Paul A. |title=J. Cole: Might Delete Later |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/j-cole-might-delete-later/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} Writing a negative review for Sputnikmusic, Dakota West Foss wrote that the mixtape's "bars and punchlines" are those "that scan like [a] parody," saying that Might Delete Later "is a miscalculation at every level" and comparing the project to Chance the Rapper's underwhelming studio album The Big Day. In a play on the project's title, Foss' final consensus was that Cole "should delete [it] now."

Commercial performance

In the United States, Might Delete Later debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 115,000 album-equivalent units, which included 137.95 million on-demand streams and 9,000 pure album sales.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/beyonce-cowboy-carter-second-week-number-one-billboard-200-chart-1235656337/|title=Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' Scores Second Week Atop Billboard 200|magazine=Billboard|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=April 14, 2024|access-date=May 8, 2024}} This earned J. Cole his eighth top-ten entry on the chart, and his first project to not debut at number one since Born Sinner in 2013, which would later end up reaching the top of the chart.

Track listing

{{Track listing

| headline = Might Delete Later track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 43:10

| title1 = Pricey

| note1 = with Ari Lennox featuring Young Dro and Gucci Mane

| writer1 = {{hlist|Jermaine Cole|Courtney Salter|D'Juan Hart|Radric Davis|Tyler Williams|Michael Holmes|Kelvin Wooten|Daoud Anthony}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|J. Cole|T-Minus|DZL|WU10|Daoud}}

| length1 = 4:55

| title2 = Crocodile Tearz

| writer2 = {{hlist|Cole|T. Williams}}

| extra2 = T-Minus

| length2 = 3:49

| title3 = Ready '24

| note3 = featuring Cam'ron

| writer3 = {{hlist|Cole|Cameron Ezike Giles|T. Williams|Holmes|Wooten|Abdul Aziz Dieng}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|T-Minus|DZL|WU10|AzizTheShake}}

| length3 = 3:30

| title4 = Huntin' Wabbitz

| writer4 = {{hlist|Cole|T. Williams|Ernest Brown|Ibrahim Hamad}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|T-Minus|Charlie Heat|I. Hamad}}

| length4 = 2:42

| title5 = H.Y.B.

| note5 = featuring Bas and Central Cee

| writer5 = {{hlist|Cole|Abbas Hamad|Oakley Caesar-Su|Holmes|Dieng|Michael Mulé|Isaac De Boni}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|DZL|AzizTheShake|FnZ}}

| length5 = 3:54

| title6 = Fever

| writer6 = {{hlist|Cole|Jacob Canady|Ofer Ishai}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|ATL Jacob|Kujibeats}}

| length6 = 2:23

| title7 = Stickz n Stonez

| writer7 = {{hlist|Cole|Alan Maman|Steve Bilodeau}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|The Alchemist|Bilodeau}}

| length7 = 3:21

| title8 = Pi

| note8 = featuring Daylyt and Ab-Soul

| writer8 = {{hlist|Cole|Davone Campbell|Herbert Stevens IV}}

| extra8 = Daylyt

| length8 = 5:55

| title9 = Stealth Mode

| note9 = with Bas

| writer9 = {{hlist|Cole|A. Hamad|Holmes|Dieng|Anthony}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|DZL|AzizTheShake|Daoud}}

| length9 = 2:15

| title10 = 3001

| writer10 = {{hlist|Cole|T. Williams|Michael Williams II|Asheton Hogan}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|T-Minus|Mike Will Made It|Pluss}}

| length10 = 2:38

| title11 = Trae the Truth in Ibiza

| writer11 = {{hlist|Cole|Frazier Thompson III|Holmes|Anthony}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|DZL|Daoud}}

| length11 = 4:15

| title12 = 7 Minute Drill

| writer12 = {{hlist|Cole|T. Williams|Denzel Williams|Hug Alessandro|Elias Sticken}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|T-Minus|Conductor Williams|Al Hug|Elyas}}

| length12 = 3:32

}}

Notes

Personnel

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Weekly chart performance for Might Delete Later

! scope="col"| Chart (2024)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/albums-chart/2024-04-15|title=ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|date=April 15, 2024|access-date=April 12, 2024}}

| 2

scope="row"| Australian Hip Hop/R&B Albums (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/hip-hop-r-and-b-albums-chart/2024-04-15|title=ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Albums Chart|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|date=April 15, 2024|access-date=April 12, 2024}}

| 1

{{album chart|Austria|14|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=April 18, 2024}}
{{album chart|Flanders|11|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=April 14, 2024}}
{{album chart|Wallonia|55|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=April 14, 2024}}
{{album chart|BillboardCanada|3|artist=J. Cole|rowheader=true|access-date=April 16, 2024}}
{{album chart|Denmark|11|M|url=https://hitlisten.nu/default.asp?w=15&y=2024&list=a40|title=Album Top-40 Uge 15, 2024|publisher=Hitlisten|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=April 17, 2024}}
{{album chart|Netherlands|8|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=April 13, 2024}}
{{album chart|Finland|27|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=April 13, 2024}}
{{album chart|Germany4|31|id=534817|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=April 12, 2024}}
{{album chart|Hungary|29|year=2024|week=15|rowheader=true|access-date=April 18, 2024}}
scope="row"| Icelandic Albums (Tónlistinn){{cite web | url = https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/ | title = Tónlistinn – Plötur – Vika 15 – 2024 | publisher = Plötutíðindi | language = is|trans-title=The Music – Albums – Week 15 – 2024|access-date=April 13, 2024|archive-date=April 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240413163025/https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/|url-status=live}}

| 6

{{album chart|Ireland3|6|date=20240412|rowheader=true|access-date=April 12, 2024}}
scope="row"| Italian Albums (FIMI){{cite web|url=https://www.fimi.it/top-of-the-music/classifiche.kl#/charts/1/2024/15|title=Album – Classifica settimanale WK 15 (dal 05.04.2024 al 11.04.2024)|publisher=Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana|language=it|access-date=April 13, 2024}}

| 95

scope="row"| Lithuanian Albums (AGATA){{cite web|url=https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/s15-3/|title=2024 15-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)|language=lt|publisher=AGATA|date=April 12, 2024|access-date=April 12, 2024}}

| 5

scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/albums/2024-04-12|title=NZ Top 40 Albums Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=April 15, 2024|access-date=April 12, 2024}}

| 1

scope="row"| Nigerian Albums (TurnTable){{cite magazine|url=https://www.turntablecharts.com/charts/2|title=Official Top 100 Albums: April 5th, 2024 - April 11th, 2024|magazine=TurnTable|access-date=April 19, 2024|archive-date=April 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419140217/https://www.turntablecharts.com/charts/2|url-status=dead}}

| 12

{{album chart|Norway|5|M|url=https://topplista.no/charts/albums/2024-w15/|title=Album 2024 uke 15|publisher=VG-lista|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=April 12, 2024}}
{{album chart|Portugal|6|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2024}}
{{album chart|Spain|74|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=April 22, 2024}}
scope="row"| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/54?dspy=2024&dspp=15|title=Veckolista Album, vecka 15|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|access-date=April 12, 2024}}

| 11

{{album chart|Switzerland|5|artist=J. Cole|album=Might Delete Later|rowheader=true|access-date=April 14, 2024}}
{{album chart|UK2|7|date=20240412|rowheader=true|access-date=April 12, 2024}}
{{album chart|UKR&B|9|date=20240412|rowheader=true|access-date=April 13, 2024}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|2|artist=J. Cole|rowheader=true|access-date=April 16, 2024}}
{{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|1|artist=J. Cole|rowheader=true|access-date=April 16, 2024}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Year-end chart performance for Might Delete Later

! scope="col"| Chart (2024)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2024/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums/|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2024|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 1, 2025}}

| 63

{{col-end}}

References

{{reflist}}

{{J. Cole}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2024 mixtape albums

Category:J. Cole mixtape albums

Category:Dreamville Records mixtape albums

Category:Interscope Records mixtape albums

Category:Albums produced by Conductor Williams

Category:Albums produced by the Alchemist (musician)

Category:Albums produced by J. Cole

Category:Albums produced by Mike Will Made It