Deja Vu (J. Cole song)

"Deja Vu" is a song by American rapper J. Cole, released on December 9, 2016 from his fourth studio album, 4 Your Eyez Only.^[2] It was released on January 10, 2017, as the first single off the album.^[3]

"Deja Vu"
Single by J. Cole
from the album 4 Your Eyez Only
Released	January 10, 2017
Recorded	2014–2016[1]
Genre	Hip hop
Length	4:26
Label	Dreamville Roc Nation Interscope
Songwriter(s)	Jermaine Cole
Producer(s)	Vinylz Boi-1da Velous J. Cole Ron Gilmore
J. Cole singles chronology
"False Prophets" (2016) "Deja Vu" (2017) "High for Hours" (2017)

Background

The song was written by Jermaine Cole and produced by Vinylz, Boi-1da, and Velous with additional production from Cole, Ron Gilmore. "Deja Vu" contains samples of "Swing My Way" performed by K. P. & Envyi.^[4]

Controversy

On December 9, 2016, producers Vinylz and Boi-1da accused producer Foreign Teck of stealing their beat, to Cole's track "Deja Vu" and giving it to singer Bryson Tiller for his hit record "Exchange", explaining why the tracks share similarities. Vinylz said Cole's track was recorded before Tiller's, and that he sent Foreign Teck a video of him making the beat to "Deja Vu", and a week later Teck posted a beat on Instagram with the same drums. Vinylz also alleged that Foreign Teck offered him publishing, a tacit admission that he had reverse engineered the beat.^[5] In an interview with Billboard, Cole's manager and Dreamville President Ibrahim Hamad revealed that "Deja Vu" was originally intended for Cole's previous album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive.^[1]

Commercial performance

"Deja Vu" became one of J. Cole's highest-debuting and highest-charting songs. The song debuted and peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100.^[6]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2016–2017) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 45 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[8] 39 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[9] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] 69 New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ)[11] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 50 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 46 UK Singles (OCC)[14] 30 US Billboard Hot 100[15] 7 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[16] 4 US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[17] 4 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[18] 9

Year-end charts Chart (2017) Position US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[19] 51

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[20]	2× Platinum	140,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[21]	Gold	5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[22]	Gold	400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[23]	3× Platinum	3,000,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Platon, Adelle (December 21, 2016). "J. Cole's Manager & Dreamville President Ibrahim 'Ib' Hamad Talks 'Going Platinum With No Features' & Success of '4 Your Eyez Only'". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
2. "4 Your Eyez Only by J. Cole on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
3. "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on January 4, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
4. "J. Cole - Deja Vu on Genius". Genius. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
5. Schwartz, Danny (December 9, 2016). "Boi-1da & Vinylz Explain Why J. Cole's "Deja Vu" & Bryson Tiller's "Exchange" Use The Same Beat". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
6. "Hot 100 Chart Moves: Deja Vu for 'Deja Vu' & Maroon 5 Rules Radio, Tying Boyz II Men's Record".
7. "J. Cole – Deja Vu". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
8. "J. Cole – Deja Vu" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
9. "J. Cole Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
10. "J. Cole – Deja Vu" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
11. "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. November 21, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
12. "J. Cole – Deja Vu". Singles Top 100. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
13. "J. Cole – Deja Vu". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
15. "J. Cole Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
16. "J. Cole Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
17. "J. Cole Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
18. "J. Cole Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
19. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
20. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
21. "Portuguese single certifications – J. Cole – Deja Vu" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
22. "British single certifications – J. Cole – Deja Vu". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
23. "American single certifications – J. Cole – Deja Vu". Recording Industry Association of America.