The Come Up Show, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pedro Mora, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Candice Rose, LBF!, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Harlem rapper Jim Jones has opened up about passing on early opportunities to sign some of today’s biggest music stars: Drake, J. Cole, and The Weeknd. In a recent interview with The Art of Dialogue, Jones shared candid reflections on how each artist crossed his path before achieving mainstream success.
“J. Cole used to be in my studio all the time,” Jones said, noting the proximity and access he had to the North Carolina rapper during his early career. As for Drake, Jones recalled being introduced to his music by industry executive Alan Grunblatt. Despite acknowledging Drake’s lyrical talent, Jones admitted he struggled to see a clear image or lane for the Canadian artist at the time. “He could rap his ass off, but I didn’t understand it. It didn’t connect.”
Jones also described meeting The Weeknd on the day fellow rapper Stack Bundles was fatally shot in Queens. The timing and emotional weight of that moment, he said, interfered with any serious discussion about a deal.
This isn’t the first time Jones has spoken publicly about passing on Drake. In a 2022 clip, he recounted being pitched on Drake during the “Degrassi” era. His response at the time was dismissive: “Who is Drake on Degrassi?” he remembered saying. “He’s an actor in a wheelchair on the Disney Channel.”
Despite missing those opportunities, Jones’ influence during the mid-2000s remains significant. As a key figure at Koch Records and later an A&R executive at Atlantic Records, he played a role in shaping the sound and direction of hip-hop during a pivotal period. His honesty about those early decisions reflects both the unpredictability of the music business and the challenges of recognizing long-term potential in its earliest stages.
