"No Role Modelz" is a song by American rapper and record producer J. Cole. It was released through

Dreamville Records Dreamville Records is an American record label founded by American rapper J. Cole and his manager Ibrahim Hamad. The label is currently distributed through Interscope Records, a unit of Universal Music Group. The roster includes Bas, Cozz, O ...

, Roc Nation,

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

, 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 Patrick Earl Houston (born February 8, 1973), known professionally as Project Pat, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. He is the older brother of Juicy J, the co-founder of Three 6 Mafia. Houston was formerly a member of the hip-hop ...

. 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 Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...

by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA), making it the first song to do so without a

music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...

. 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 Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...

. Craig Jenkins of ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

'' 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." ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' called the song "one of the decade’s great Rap Internet tropes", adding to their list of the 100 songs that defined the 2010s.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. * J. Cole – vocals, production, songwriting * Darius "Phonix Beats" Barnes – production, songwriting * Mark Pitts – production * Brandt Jones – songwriting * Danell Stevens – songwriting * Darius Barnes – songwriting * Patrick Earl houston – 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 Brian Knapp Gardner, also known as Brian "Big Bass" Gardner, is an American mastering engineer. He has worked on a number of recordings since the mid-1960s, including classic rock, funk, disco, alternative rock, R&B, hip hop, pop punk and dance-p ...

– mastering * Juro "Mez" Davis – mixing, recording engineering

Certifications

References

{{authority control 2014 songs J. Cole songs Songs written by J. Cole Song recordings produced by J. Cole Songs written by Juicy J Songs written by E-40 Songs written by DJ Paul Roc Nation singles