The Story Behind Lil Durk and J. Cole’s “All My Life”

Earlier this year, Lil Durk was slated to release his eighth studio album, Almost Healed, on May 12. However, just hours before its scheduled midnight ET release, he decided to postpone the LP two weeks to May 26. Instead of delivering Almost Healed on the 12th, he would end up dropping the album’s lead single “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole. The song would peak at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest any song with Durk as the primary artist has ever charted.

On top of this, Durk announced via Instagram on June 1 that “All My Life” had been certified platinum by RIAA. “Thank you. I send my love out to all my fans for keeping me motivated and hungry and not lazy and comfortable,” he wrote upon hearing the news.

Along with tangible milestones like these, though, Durk’s collaboration with J. Cole would be a huge source of pride for him as well.

The Collaboration

Durk first confirmed that he was collaborating with Cole in early April at Dreamville Festival, hosted by Cole’s record label, Dreamville. “I was gonna do [the festival] anyways,” he said. “I wanted to do it anyway getting to the festival world, but me and J. Cole cooking up something too. We’re just vibing, working, you know what I’m saying?”

A few weeks after giving this quote, Durk would begin posting photos and videos on the set of the “All My Life” music video, prepping fans for his epic first collaboration with Cole. Before putting it out, though, Durk made his fans work for the song a bit, requesting 100,000 comments under the song’s promotional Instagram post in order for him to release it. They would hit this mark soon after.

New Direction

When “All My Life” finally came out, it was clear Durk wanted to head in a different direction than usual. Straying away from his hyper-aggressive, gang-involved lyrics and song themes, the joint track with Cole would see Durk reflect on how he is viewed as a negative figure in society because of his rough upbringing. With its All my life / They been tryin’ to keep me down chorus, “All My Life” saw Durk hope to shed his previously shameful skin.

I done sat with the mayor and politicians, I’m tryna change the image
You can’t blame my past no more, I come from the trenches
Some said I’d never be a superstar, but I know I’m different (No, no, no)
I’m The Voice, but the system ain’t give me a choice

J. Cole

Cole’s contribution to the song would also fit into its motifs perfectly. Known around the industry as a poignant, well-adjusted figure, Cole enacted his wisdom and grace on the track, evident in his Durkio told me he been on some positive shit intro and lengthy final verse that touches on the tragic, violent deaths of many promising rappers.

These days seein’ rappers be dyin’, way before they even gettin’ they shine
I never even heard of lil’ buddy
‘Til somebody murdered lil’ buddy
Now I’m on the phone, searchin’ lil’ buddy name
Got ’em playin’ his tunes, all day in my room
Thinkin’, “Damn, this shit is wicked, to get they name buzzin’ some niggas just gotta go lay in a tomb”
And media thirsty for clicks
I got a new rule
If you ain’t never posted a rapper when he was alive
You can’t post about him after he get hit

Cole’s verse would impress Durk so much, that he would end up admitting something that he hardly ever does. During an interview with Complex, while promoting Almost Healed, Durk would assert that Cole outperformed him on the song, which he insisted was a rare feat.

“The number one thing, he smoked my ass on that, for one,” he said. “Barely. That barely happens. But shoutout to Cole… We made it happen.”

Shortly after, outlets began reporting that Durk paid an egregious amount of money for Cole’s feature verse, estimated to be in the $1 million range. Cole’s manager would deny this, though. But, seeing that it would go on to become the most successful song of Durk’s career right away, and with Durk’s team insisting he wanted to win Grammys with this album, a price like that would have been worth it for the Chicago rapper.

Photo by Steve Cannon / CL Media