The Making Of J. Cole's "MIDDLE CHILD" With T-Minus | Deconstructed

J. Cole’s “MIDDLE CHILD” marked his first release of 2019, reuniting the North Carolina MC with producer T-Minus. On the track, Cole explores his place between the old and new generations of hip-hop, making him the “middle child” of rap. The song samples “Wake Up to Me” by ‘70s Philadelphia trio First Choice, and is the Dreamville boss’ highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 hit to date, peaking at No. 4 on the chart. T-Minus recently sat down with Genius to break down how “MIDDLE CHILD” was made.
Read more on Genius: genius.com/a/the-making-of-j-...
Read all the lyrics to J. Cole’s “MIDDLE CHILD” on Genius: genius.com/J-cole-middle-chil...
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#JCole #TMinus #MIDDLECHILD

[@OladeKiambu7G]

Deconstructed will always be my favorite series on Genius.

[@birchie27]

Olade Kiambu fax no printer

[@Shirocky]

My too bro

[@IsaiP]

Nicolas M check the rhyme was dope, I find a lot of rhyme scheme videos but they always miss a few and Genius seemed to get it right most of the time.

[@welcometodamal3876]

Rite

[@z1k3psycho35]

Idk despite memes I'm always ganna love lyrics explained

[@Demitrival]

This guy actually goes over everything

[@yeah-yr4bd]

Demitrival true, not a lot of people go through everything

[@andreilaiter1233]

a*

[@TwoTwoFourSix]

Because he isn’t a producer with a certain sound that can be stolen lol

[@switchupent.visuals2873]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXi9nIaiobKoZ6M New beat by T Minus to j cole

[@btb456789]

Lit

[@CrownedWorld11]

“I studied the greats, Im the greatest right now” 🔥🔥🔥

[@imsoboredbort7419]

Crowned Guilty of fuck no 😂

[@Jesko_VRS]

Carlos Ponce Def yes

[@nottheoriginalhandle]

I’m so bored Bort you stupid or something?

[@pato5769]

Hmm, debatable.

[@switchupent.visuals2873]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXi9nIaiobKoZ6M New beat by T Minus to j cole

[@papi5553]

"You cant really hear it, but you can FEEL it" - this whole process is gold ✨

[@elijahramos8688]

woah I read this as he said it

[@user-gw5ns3is7r]

Audio engineer spotted.

[@fk_torty]

It's so cool... Hope my peeps here in Africa/Nigeria get to this level asap!!

[@MarkoLenz]

J Cole + T-Minus = Real fire AF

[@lotto4419]

Yup

[@ciai_6199]

JT. Miole Rolls right off the tongue wow

[@MykeTruth]

Facts!

[@rednblackbeats]

Xpress Virus + samples

[@switchupent.visuals2873]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXi9nIaiobKoZ6M New beat by T Minus to j cole

[@JoeyLuckyBoyNato]

Tracklib is a game changer

[@domingokite]

Absolutely.

[@prodbrigi]

Do you still need to clear the sample stems or are they already cleared?

[@whotellinghim1870]

@@prodbrigi depends if you use one stem you might be able to get away with it but using most of it and they catch on you’ll get copyright so yes and no

[@nyx4966]

who telling him I thought when you brought them you get a licence or something that clears it

[@whotellinghim1870]

@@nyx4966 na getting a license is more of a buy it from the label type of thing sadly but you can get away with it if you manipulate the entire sample/stems

[@joshuakoppes3665]

I thought this guy was a nobody but he made my whole damn playlist💀💀

[@moneymikeslickwill8749]

Same

[@jojogirma61]

Kendrick, drake .... Fr fr

[@lorenzodawkins7500]

Smh

[@kivonsclipz4257]

YOU THOUGHT JCOLE WAS A NOBODY!!!!! BOYYY

[@rizoros8734]

Golden Ox ur slow

[@ProdKaizUp]

Wait this man produced swimming pools? Major props. That’s one of my favorite beats of all time.

[@JackKennedyTV]

Kai right? I had no idea

[@miskitoragee6296]

Fr, this guy worked with weezy, Kendrick, drake, and COLE

[@havertime]

And the motto,hyfr,she will

[@wasabijones4571]

yeah bro he made half of your favorite songs he just doesnt have a tag lol until now atleast

[@IBEENART]

Huge smile on my face watching this. Passion is great to see.

[@DocKaosBeats]

What's up bro keep them tutorials coming

[@bu9299]

iBEENART FACTS

[@IBEENART]

Doc Kaos815 Beats dropping one soon.

[@PudWhacker]

💯💯

[@XRXONE]

I FW you on IG 👌

[@LucidSoundz]

T minus always goes in!

[@newbaldwinyork8315]

Lucid Soundz hope to see you here one day

[@BlueNovaBeats]

The guy 🙏🏾

[@LucidSoundz]

Thanks guys 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@slick3996]

he can stop T Series

[@lilhydrant]

youre the goat too tho dont think you go unnoticed brotha!!!

[@itsjaizon]

We need a “The London” deconstructed video

[@ariastrwn7933]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eH3LeJ5vr7arprM

[@rizoros8734]

Aria Strwn he means the song..

[@androwwsarnejo2635]

nah cole produced it

[@joe-gx2ev]

@@androwwsarnejo2635 well yeh but with t minus so we still need it

[@aldrchase]

2:39 the editor did my man dirty with that zoom lmao

[@steelcitymeech7703]

Bruh moments like this, when people see the craft behind the beats and the studio sessions, it makes people be more attached to music then they already were💯

[@welcometodamal3876]

Motivation

[@takingnone1780]

bruh moment

[@barakshahbaz1168]

Fax

[@ChicoFiesta_]

you're welcome for the 666th like.

[@amcnally1291]

m.soundcloud.com/ashleymcnally667/cuts

[@Za1naa]

This is Dreamville's year PERIOD

[@shanerabartlett6801]

PE👏RI👏OD👏

[@mrdmt974]

Hopefully there’s healthy competition between them and TDE and we will have an amazing year

[@bkayt1992]

CANT WAIT FOR REVENGE OF THE DEAMERS III !!!!!!!!

[@jhamircounsel711]

I SWEAR TDE AND DREAMVILLE GONNA GO BACK AND FORTH WITH THESE ALBUMS LIKE PING PONG

[@jhamircounsel711]

@@mrdmt974 big facts

[@ballin565]

J Cole and Kendrick saved Hip-Hop ✊🏾

[@nvnov777]

Dont forget joyner,Logic

[@milanadhikari1082]

@@nvnov777 some of their songs and good but mostly their albums are wack

[@Name-rq4xw]

@@milanadhikari1082 dont know about logic but joyner always smack 🔥

[@theguywhoslosthismind2454]

@@milanadhikari1082 🧢, Joyner better than Cole

[@fijionatree]

@@theguywhoslosthismind2454 uh...

[@drummaboy231]

Fruity Loops/ FL Studio is still used to make hits & was the first software I used to start making beats...this is really dope to see, respect to them both.

[@JackKennedyTV]

Mvrcus true. It’s not access to the tools anymore, it’s just talent that wins. Pretty cool to see

[@joesauter3918]

Underrated producer right here

[@JuztSkilz]

Joe Sauter T Minus isn’t underrated. He’s a well respected and renown producer my man

[@sunjambeats7474]

How is he underrated? He has worked with the biggest rappers in the game and is well known...

[@boodie4853]

6ix is underrated

[@joesauter3918]

@@JuztSkilz I'm just saying he should be up there with names like Metro or Tay Keith, I feel like he's lesser known than he should be

[@kid5042]

@@joesauter3918 He was bigger than those guys untill he took a break from beats.

[@LeBeautiful]

lets just appreaciate how T-MINUS had one of the biggest comebacks of recent producing history 🙌

[@lucciproduced]

LeBeautiful Scott storch does

[@shorayshajo2723]

He never fell off

[@j.armand1363]

Scott Storch made the bigger comeback.

[@Aceboogie_13]

Shoray Shajo he took a break at one point tho

[@stuartor3414]

T-MINUSSSSSS???? T-MINUSSSSSSSS????

[@BeautyMixxD]

Y’all know if you put up anything J cole ima click 🙄

[@JackKennedyTV]

Jasmine Kierra same. They keep getting bigger names for these. And closer to the release date of the song. It’s really cool

[@Gangstapimp2013]

Here is J Coles number hit me up 575-208-1156

[@richkuku4470]

You need pipe

[@switchupent.visuals2873]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXi9nIaiobKoZ6M New beat by T Minus to j cole

[@seksi.superstar]

@@Gangstapimp2013 hahaha nice try

[@SHA256HASH]

I need to see an entire 1 hr documentary of T Minus! Love that guy!

[@neilk]

T-minus hella humble

[@akemathwal1368]

COLE A LEGEND NO CAPPP

[@TheW6H1]

but you typed in all caps lol

[@kemdem876]

What is meant by no cap?

[@hernandezcastillo]

@@kemdem876 It means like No lie or For real

[@muneebrana4022]

@@kemdem876 its a dumbass saying, thats all

[@akemathwal1368]

No cap

[@Rayobeats]

T-Minus slowly becoming a Dreamville producer LOL Drake better wake TF up

[@ztruth7792]

Rayobeats right

[@onlypain.4505]

You know he produced for Drake in 2007 right?

[@realaxtrap5098]

Drake aint better

[@pxssydxst9399]

Drake fuckin trash

[@CanIHaveCoochie]

T minus showed more passion when talking about the production than most "The Making of" producers.

[@Vilhousti30]

You good, T-minus?

[@OladeKiambu7G]

T minus done appeared hella times on this series lol

[@K-oq3hu]

Goat 🐐

[@jhamircounsel711]

@Mathew Sakwa ........

[@fannysorayaa]

Fr lol

[@xvjsu6868]

i can see why

[@davidmi1ler773]

yo 666th like

[@perrytheplatypus8380]

Jermaine? Cole Track? 🔥🔥 Bars? Stacked Dreads? Locked Hotel? Trivago

[@whatttbailly]

Who else goes back and listens to each song ?

[@JackKennedyTV]

Bjr. Keita every time. That’s the beauty of it!

[@AdamRafati]

How bout we deconstruct what all those buttons do on that damn keyboard

[@Studio_Luvin]

Adam I think it’s a mixer, so each knob controls a channel meaning you can lower the singers voice but turn up the drums or turn down the guitar

[@modoesstuff]

faders = volume & eq (equalization) for high & lowpass cuts/filters.

[@xgoobiex214]

Technically you don’t even need it and it’s just all for looks in the video.

[@adi5877]

@@xgoobiex214 "it's just for all looks" nope there's something called studio mixing and that's where you have good control of each instrument better than in DAW Software

[@mxplife]

That's a Neve 88RS, it's an analog mixing console not really meant for producing but more for mixing.

[@itsofficiallypluto3670]

Who else goes back to the original song and try to hear all these sounds that you missed

[@kizzymadeit]

Going bad by Meek Mill ft Drake Deconstructed??? 🔥🔥

[@oliverdmochowski5097]

J Cole I feel like is still slept on, he puts out so many more hits than he gets credit for, just because he doesn’t promote as much. He is definitely top 10 of all time.

[@khankbar]

of all time? hell nah. one of the greats of this generation? sure

[@kingkunta2977]

@@khankbar fr j Cole is maybe top 50 all time. Def not top 10

[@pilly6548]

@@kingkunta2977 top 20

[@BassCandy]

Who else is gon listen middle child after this??

[@thatboytv5859]

And watch its live performance 🔥

[@elitesocks8218]

I do that just to hear the layers and how it was produced 😂

[@tavisliftman5060]

🙋🏿‍♂️🙋🏿‍♂️🙋🏿‍♂️🙋🏿‍♂️🙋🏿‍♂️

[@BassCandy]

elite socks Facts

[@tyrifthorney189]

BAsSCAndY meee

[@1111blackfox]

This is how good music should be produced. The producer and performer both knowing what's going on and helping each other in the making.

[@JackKennedyTV]

Wheatley and they are doing everything for a reason too

[@TheOneKeyToLife]

People don’t realize T-Minus is responsible for so many hits through the 2010s..

[@scandelez]

I definitely didn’t

[@jhaiellkilgore8233]

3:12-3:18 that 808 always give me chills because of how sinister and good it is

[@davidmi1ler773]

I love the fact that this series gives producers the chance to express their ideas of how to create beats and create some of the biggest hits

[@JackKennedyTV]

d mil absolutely. Love hearing their thinking and why they are doing certain things. This was one of the best for that

[@stevenpham3475]

Cole gave T-Minus a shout out in the intro. Real recognizes real

[@ACM9407]

A lot of people give shout outs to their prodcucer on the track....it's quite common in Hip-Hop lol.

[@masicbemester]

@@ACM9407 producer tags lol

[@jamesdrm8868]

ATM, Kevin's Heart and Middle Child are my favorite songs by J. Cole

[@Kazuto2713]

James DRM you need to listen to old j Cole then

[@jamesdrm8868]

I already had wet dreams and role model are my favorite old songs by him

[@theaddictofgaming9174]

Hello, Friends, Tale of Two Citiez

[@WRXCKMANE]

As a producer i love watching these and learning from others

[@_zen.4034]

J.Cole is not the middle child, he the youngest legend 🐐

[@Abdullah-ww4kc]

No J.I.D is the youngest legend

[@JealousBishop]

@@Abdullah-ww4kc JID is 28. Not that young

[@_zen.4034]

@@Abdullah-ww4kc J.I.D ain't a legend yet, he's a freaking madman at rapping, but he's only released two albums

[@visu550]

Amari Brown black don’t crack

[@jeebrilkone4673]

No he is the middle child if you really think about it.

[@Jaysteez47]

I like how this guy explains everything and why he does it. By far one of my favorite deconstructed

[@JackKennedyTV]

Jose Gomez you can really tell why certain producers stick around and keep making hits and others just happened to have one in these. All the experienced ones have a reason for doing everything

[@therealkingfrances3242]

I love starting my day with this jam, it makes me think about my own personal struggles that I have overcome, and the ones that I’m overcoming; it gives me the strength to power through my day. Thank you 🙏🏽

[@drizzygoat6980]

i been waiting for this!!

[@PatrickNicolas]

I love how we're focusing on the producers .. appreciate you guys 🙏🏽

[@SydneySauer]

Most chill producer ever

[@Michalowsky]

The melody from 4:46 always gives me goosebumps when i listen to Middle Child

[@DxGlitches]

Yes, i was waiting on this!

[@tonysteti3487]

When you hear trumpets in a Cole song. Yk its about to be🔥🔥

[@JackKennedyTV]

Tony Steti literally one second after the song started you knew it was about to go down

[@user-Rico425fly]

I got so hyped up with this video that I couldn't wait for the video to finish so i could listen to Middle Child😂

[@ThanosTheTitan93]

Bruh I did the same thing lol

[@losmusicc777]

Been waiting on this one !!!

[@sillydilly3126]

Thank you genius been waiting for this

[@uriel4274]

Didn’t he produce swimming pools by Kendrick??

[@sahin1906]

Uriel Lugardo he said it at around 5:20 something

[@Demitrival]

Yup he said it

[@PudWhacker]

🔥🔥🔥

[@alexstone9099]

Yep, one of my favourite beats of all time.

[@uriel4274]

J P ikr

[@henryijeoma]

The beat seems so simple, but yet, so complex!

[@squadsaneslader]

How is it simple???

[@kiddoo906]

@@squadsaneslader Keyword "seems"

[@squadsaneslader]

@@kiddoo906 your point is

[@777wisdom7]

The beat IS simple...... The song they sampled the horns from complex.....

[@kiddoo906]

@@squadsaneslader he literally said it's complex and you're asking him how is it simple

[@lorealmadonnamoore9828]

The greatest beats always come from a sample 🤯

[@kazedanny4395]

Except no role models by jcole bro

[@47fr121]

@@kazedanny4395 are you saying no role modelz is bad

[@lateipan]

@4:21he literally turns up the volume, great genius video production!

[@jmisersmith3214]

This was half the songs amazingness

[@carbonbeats9599]

YES! WE WERE ALL WAITING FOR THIS

[@snezycolins4125]

Thank you for working with Cole man, really appreciate it.

[@dorito6584]

4:35 my literal fave thing about the song!

[@swixxo]

I called it the day the song dropped. Knew T Minus would come thru🙏

[@ProlificBeatz]

Drop that ROTD 3 Already lol

[@clearvision3036]

Prolific Beatz Bro that’s what I’m saying

[@HoodieKayy]

On kami 😂

[@Jose-ye3xm]

Seen somewhere it’s dropping in April ! 🙌🏽

[@BrianMessalti]

was waiting for this🔥

[@Iseechu]

Seen this video several times, and every time it gets me excited to hear Middle Child as if I've never heard it. I literally feel my soul vibrating *every single time*

[@555yarenn]

been waiting on this one

[@JackKennedyTV]

yaren seriously. So good

[@ihekajiihekaji9363]

Love love love watching the breakdown of how bangers are created

[@JackKennedyTV]

Alicia Ihekaji always crazy to see the thought process behind these. So cool

[@logifreyr7363]

Yes! Was waiting for this

[@xrefox]

Well done Genius! It was fun watching the passion of this man. Appreciate it!

[@dropdeadshred]

This track is one of the hardest ones genius deconstructed so far 🔥🔥

[@thanos879]

Damn I had no idea he made the beat for 'She Will'. I had that Instrumental as my alarm when I was in college. It used to motivate me to get up.

[@jayden4917]

I've been waiting for this🙌🏽

[@rapartist9309]

I was waiting for this

[@aaronr164]

Haven't stop playing this since it dropped

[@Bkay68]

5:04 Regular Show

[@flatfaceeddie11]

Yes! I have been waiting for this since I first heard the song! Absolute banger 🔥

[@amaiiarayne]

AHHHHH I WAS WAITING FOR THIS OMG

[@JAL5N]

Cole will be forever hard

[@budsworld1104]

Jalen pause..

[@IsaiP]

pause

[@IsaiP]

Modest Behavior damn it

[@JAL5N]

@@budsworld1104 LMFAO pause

[@ajmoreno8337]

Nigga what??

[@DoNotDisturbChop]

We NEED 21 Savage - A lot‼️🤩😤

[@richick1296]

I guess u got ur wish

[@achinthyamadhusoodanan2007]

@@richick1296 man I waited forever for that

[@naryanbirdi9394]

Been waiting for this 🔥🔥🔥

[@illwillVEVO]

The Editing on the video is just as amazing as the production!!!!!!!!!!

[@rexbeatz_]

I knew this video was coming. T-Minus 🐐

[@fracturebeats1273]

I already knew from listening to this song that the guy that produced it wears pink polo shirts

[@klifrannwest7301]

Ahahha

[@susanminott]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@marcusblackmonjr13]

Pink Polo Type Beat

[@jasonsteves734]

Genius, what makes you are these 'deconstructed' videos, if you want to be even more recognized make more of these, we absolutely love them. The format is too fun, well made and the content is great.

[@tanmaysingh5988]

deconstructed is a blessing for producers who are juss comin up.

[@marcyoung9019]

Hold up so tracklib is literally a place to just grab samples

[@JackKennedyTV]

Marc Young and stems of samples...game changer

[@WATEROWL]

Bro what theeeeeeeeee fuck

[@jordieb2215]

@@JackKennedyTV ive been watching reviews and it says you only get the mastered wav file. no stems

[@WumboLifts]

So hyped to make a sample now

[@salmonkolan9053]

Off da zoinkys- one of the best beats I've ever heard

[@jhamircounsel711]

fr

[@rekemereku3589]

Word bro

[@leather6998]

That ain't Cristo though?

[@xxJay20sxx]

that’s cristo not t-minus

[@SyedNasitAreeb]

Thank god Genius actually made this vid...I was waiting for so many days

[@NetWorthNinjas]

Was waiting for this one🔥🔥

[@kung-fukennyfamily]

Who else came here after Cole dropped the music video 🔥🔥?? Can't be the only one💯

[@brennanlouis]

J. Cole looks like if the world was ending he would be just be chillin' in the corner sipping'

[@illusionen6655]

Thanks for the comeback t-minus. You were truly missed from the game. Keep growing b 🙏🏼

[@PorshiaVonne]

Man this beat is so sick! This song held down my #1 jam spot for at least 3 months.

[@Kadenxe]

so this dude made the "she will" beat, "kevins heart", "Swimming pools", "im on one", and now this? Fucking legendary

[@zaidsoulat6331]

J.Cole is the GOAT of this generation

[@elguey570]

Zaid Soulat Lmao y’all Cole fans need to chill. He’s a legend but he ain’t ever reaching Kendrick.

[@cindypaynter1820]

I know he’s to far ahead

[@el_padron_1795]

K dot

[@ryanshields8560]

He's a legend but come on, we all know he's not the best of this generation

[@zaidsoulat6331]

El Guey Lyrically, they are equal but when it comes to flow, style, the way he performs etc, Cole out performs kendrick

[@sycix1]

This is sick af. Insane quality while keeping it simple

[@KingJTheGr8]

Thank you for actually breaking it down All praises 🔊👏

[@JayyBanks]

Bro Got The Ovo Polo 👕 on 🔥🔥🔥

[@divinest]

They never update there FL studio

[@johnigomu345]

Divinest Beats new versions of FL aren’t so different from the old ones

[@eloven1987]

@@johnigomu345 You can also use skins in earlier versions i believe?

[@ayande_o]

When you update you can't send flps out to other producers who may be using older versions cos they won't open. But newer versions can open older files. So the older your version, the wider the range of people you can send files out to. That's the main reason they don't update.

[@benja303]

If it ain’t broke

[@divinest]

@@ayande_o but then they can't receive files from newer models

[@thriftin_n_flippin851]

I love these videos so much. I know nothing about producing but I appreciate the music even more after watching. Ty for these vids.🦁🦁🦁❤❤❤❤🤯💣

[@jacquezbeasley968]

I have been waiting on this since the song dropped 🤯😃😃💯