The Cut Off

Album: KOD (2018)
Charted: 28
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The reoccurring theme of K.O.D. is the pain that makes people escape into addictive behavior. On "The Cut Off" Cole raps about an addiction of helping others.

    I had to cut some people off 'cause they was using me
    My heart is big, I want to give too much and usually
    I send the bread and don't hear back for like two months now
    You hit my phone, you need a loan, oh I'm a crutch now


    Cole laments that people constantly take advantage of him and use him. The fact that somebody he called a friend took his kindness for weakness, means that he's forced to remove them from his circle.
  • The opposing character in the song who raps the first verse and chorus is Kill Edward. J Cole's alter ego is an addict that uses drugs and alcohol as his coping mechanism. He tries to manipulate the rapper, who wants to help him but Cole wises up to Kill Edward and ejects him from his life.

    Kill Edward was inspired by Cole's stepfather, Edward, who walked out on the family in 2003. Cole explained to Power 105's Angie Martinez that he tried to channel things he didn't like about himself into the Kill Edward character.

    "It represents, not kill him physically, I don't have no problem with the dude, I would speak to him today, but when I say Kill Edward, what I'm talking about is s--t that I feel like I inherited from him," he said. "There's aspects of myself that I wanted to overcome and beat, I feel like I got that from him… Cleansing myself of that traumatic experience."
  • Cole samples two tracks during "The Cut Off": the drums from Bill Withers' 1972 song "Kissing My Love" and the riff from Takehiro Honda's 2007 track "Dark and Mellow."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Gilby Clarke

Gilby ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned.

Brian Kehew: The Man Behind The Remasters

Brian Kehew: The Man Behind The RemastersSong Writing

Brian has unearthed outtakes by Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello and hundreds of other artists for reissues. Here's how he does it.

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.

David Paich of Toto

David Paich of TotoSongwriter Interviews

Toto's keyboard player explains the true meaning of "Africa" and talks about working on the Thriller album.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.