a p p l y i n g . p r e s s u r e

About this song

The song's music video was released on May 25, 2021. A short documentary sharing its name, which chronicles the making of the album, was released on May 10, 2021.

What it's about

Cole applies pressure in two ways: by calling out broke rappers who flaunt wealth they don't have, and by showing off his own skills on the mic with a dense, verbose verse. The song builds on the superficiality of younger rappers he has discussed in earlier work, such as "1985 (Intro to 'The Fall Off')".

Fun facts

• Sampled in 3 other songs, like “Strange by Kevin Detroit”.
• Written and produced by J. Cole.