No Role Modelz

"No Role Modelz"
Single by J. Cole
from the album 2014 Forest Hills Drive
Released	December 9, 2014[1][2]
Recorded	2014
Genre	Hip hop
Length	4:53
Label	Dreamville Roc Nation Columbia Vinyl Crown
Songwriter(s)	Jermaine Cole Kurtis Figueroa Darius Barnes M. Whitemon Paul Beauregard Saint Cassius Jordan Houston Tenina Stevens Earl Stevens D. Stevens B. Jones
Producer(s)	Phonix Beats
J. Cole singles chronology
"No Sleeep" (2015) "No Role Modelz" (2015) "Love Yourz" (2016)
Audio video
"No Role Modelz" on YouTube

"No Role Modelz" is a song by American rapper and record producer J. Cole. It was released through Dreamville Records, Roc Nation, Columbia Records, and Vinyl Crown as the third single from his third studio album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, on August 4, 2015. The song was produced by Phonix Beats with additional production from Cole, and interpolates "Don't Save Her" by Project Pat.^[3][4] The song has been referred as one of J. Cole's biggest songs.

The song received generally mixed reviews from critics. During the week of December 22, 2015, the song reached number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Cole his fourth top 40 hit as a solo artist and the highest-charting single from 2014 Forest Hills Drive. On May 20, 2016, the single was officially certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), making it the first song to do so without a music video.^[5] On December 10, 2024, the song was certified RIAA Diamond selling over 14 million copies, giving him his second and highest Diamond certification and is one of the best-selling digital singles of all-time.

Critical reception

"No Role Modelz" received mixed reviews from music critics. Craig Jenkins of Pitchfork wrote that "No Role Modelz" parlays a suspicion about a hook-up being a golddigger into a tirade about reality TV women lacking respectable public figures crudely suggesting that "she's shallow but the pussy deep." Jenkins wrote 2014 Forest Hills Drive often plays at a depth it never delivers."^[6] Billboard called the song "one of the decade’s great Rap Internet tropes", adding to their list of the 100 songs that defined the 2010s.^[7]

Charts

Weekly charts 2015–2016 weekly chart performance for "No Role Modelz" Chart (2015–2016) Peak position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[8] 62 US Billboard Hot 100[9] 36 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[10] 27 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[11] 14 2020–2023 weekly chart performance for "No Role Modelz" Chart (2020–2023) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[12] 40 Global 200 (Billboard)[13] 97 Iceland (Tónlistinn)[14] 32 Latvia (LAIPA)[15] 13 Lithuania (AGATA)[16] 50 Netherlands (Single Tip)[17] 13 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 22 Portugal (AFP)[19] 114 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[20] 85 South Africa (RISA)[21] 67 Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 19 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[23] 20 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[24] 23

Year-end charts 2021 year-end chart performance for "No Role Modelz" Chart (2021) Position Australia (ARIA)[25] 89 Portugal (AFP)[26] 178 2022 year-end chart performance for "No Role Modelz" Chart (2022) Position Australia (ARIA)[27] 41 Global 200 (Billboard)[28] 97 Lithuania (AGATA)[29] 70 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] 23 2023 year-end chart performance for "No Role Modelz" Chart (2023) Position Australia (ARIA)[31] 44 Global 200 (Billboard)[32] 91 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[33] 22 2024 year-end chart performance for "No Role Modelz" Chart (2024) Position Global 200 (Billboard)[34] 199

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.^[35]

• J. Cole – vocals, production, songwriting

• Darius "Phonix Beats" Barnes – production, songwriting
• Mark Pitts – production
• Brandt Jones – songwriting
• Danell Stevens – songwriting
• Darius Barnes – songwriting
• Earl Stevens – songwriting
• Jordan Houston – songwriting
• Marvin Whitenerom – songwriting
• Paul Beauregard – songwriting
• Tenina Stevens – songwriting
• Kaye Fox – additional vocals, associated performer
• Sean Kellett – assistant recording engineering, studio personnel
• Brian Gardner – mastering
• Juro "Mez" Davis – mixing, recording engineering

Certifications

Certifications for "No Role Modelz"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[36]	6× Platinum	420,000^‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[37]	Gold	30,000^‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[38]	Platinum	90,000^‡
Germany (BVMI)[39]	Gold	200,000^‡
Italy (FIMI)[40]	Platinum	100,000^‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[41]	10× Platinum	300,000^‡
Portugal (AFP)[42]	4× Platinum	40,000^‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[43]	Gold	30,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[44]	3× Platinum	1,800,000^‡
United States (RIAA)[45]	14× Platinum	14,000,000^‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[46]	Platinum	2,000,000^†
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. ^† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of best-selling singles in the United States

References

1. "Going for Adds – Urban". Radio & Records. VNU Media. August 4, 2015. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
2. "Going for Adds – Rhythmic". Radio & Records. VNU Media. August 4, 2015. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
3. Peters, Mitchell. "J. Cole Unveils '2014 Forest Hills Drive' Track List". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2015.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
4. "J. Cole Reveals "2014 Forest Hills Drive" Tracklist". HNHH. 30 November 2014.
5. Cutsforth, Ross (2022-05-05). "J. Cole's 'No Role Modelz' makes history as it goes diamond". Tone Deaf. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
6. Jenkins, Craig (December 11, 2014). "J. Cole: 2014 Forest Hills Drive". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
7. Josephs, Brian (2019-11-21). "Songs That Defined the Decade: J. Cole's 'No Role Modelz'". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
8. "J. Cole Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
9. "J. Cole Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
10. "J. Cole Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
11. "J. Cole Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
12. "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
13. "J. Cole Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
14. "Plötutíðindi" (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. July 23, 2022. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
15. "Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 14. nedēļa" (in English and Latvian). LAIPA. April 9, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
16. "2023 22-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
17. "Dutch Single Tip 16/07/2022". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved July 16, 2022.
18. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
19. "J. Cole – No Role Modelz". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
20. "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202220 into search. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
21. "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100 Week 12-2022". The Official South African Charts. Recording Industry of South Africa. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
22. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 17". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
23. "J. Cole Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
24. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
25. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2021". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
26. "Top 1000 Singles + EPs Digitais: Semanas 01 a 52 de 2021" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
27. "ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart for 2022". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
28. "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
29. "2022 metų klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
30. "Top Selling Singles of 2022". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
31. "ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart for 2023". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
32. "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
33. "Top Selling Singles of 2023". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
34. "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2024". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
35. J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive, 2014-12-09, retrieved 2024-10-21
36. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
37. "Brazilian single certifications – J. Cole – No Role Modelz" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
38. "Danish single certifications – J. Cole – No Role Modelz". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
39. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (J. Cole; 'No Role Modelz')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
40. "Italian single certifications – J. Cole – No Role Modelz" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
41. "New Zealand single certifications – J. Cole – No Role Modelz". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
42. "Portuguese single certifications – J. Cole – No Role Modelz" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
43. "Spanish single certifications – J. Cole – No Role Modelz". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
44. "British single certifications – J Cole – No Role Modelz". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
45. "American single certifications – J. Cole – No Role Modelz". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
46. "IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 21/2022" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Retrieved January 3, 2023.

External links

• Audio on YouTube