Rick Ross Defends J. Cole After BAL Top Scorer's Criticism

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Rick Ross offers some perspective after AS Sale guard Terrell Stoglin called J. Cole's presence in the BAL "disrespectful."

J. Cole is fully aware that he can't win over everyone in the world but he tries. The release of The Off-Season won over many of his naysayers but by the time the album was released, he had already put his energy into his first love: basketball. The rapper's rollout for his latest album was accompanied by a cover on SLAM Magazine, an appearance on Kevin Durant's podcast, and the curiosity of basketball and rap fans alike.

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Unfortunately, Cole's presence in the Basketball Africa League isn't necessarily receiving a warm welcome from other athletes in the league. AS Sale guard Terrell Stoglin shared his thoughts on Cole, deeming his presence as "disrespectful" to the players who've dedicated their blood, sweat, and tears in the league.

Rick Ross offered a bit of perspective following Stoglin's comments. Live from the Bel-Air Towers, Rick Ross insinuated that Stoglin sounded like a hater.

"In no way is this meant to be disrespectful but first and foremost, should no Black man's dreams be censored nor limited," said Ross. "And comin' from a brother, I think you would understand what building these types of relationships would do for the business. For the eyes on the industry, you know what I'm sayin'?"

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Ross explained that the very fact that J. Cole is on the court brings value to the new league. "If your father owned the team, and he had to decide between you and Cole, I believe he would find it honorable if you stepped down and let J. Cole bring what he bringin' to the industry," Ross continued. "More importantly, brother, you should be there to support the brother. If he made one point on the first game, by the time he get to the 10th, you should make sure he makin' six a game, you understand? If Cristiano Ronaldo bought the team, you would be there for the ribbon-cutting, brother."

Peep Ross' rant below. 

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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