The Secret Recipe

This article is about the Lil Yachty and J. Cole song. For other uses, see Secret recipe.

"The Secret Recipe" is a song by American rappers Lil Yachty and J. Cole. It was released on September 29, 2023, as the lead single from the former's EP of the same name.^[1] Lil Yachty and Cole wrote the song with the former producing alongside Rawbone and 98k.

"The Secret Recipe"
Single by Lil Yachty and J. Cole
from the EP The Secret Recipe
Released	September 28, 2023 (2023-09-28)
Genre	Drumless hip hop
Length	4:08
Songwriter(s)	Miles McCollum Jermaine Cole Reginald D. Griffin
Producer(s)	Lil Yachty Rawbone 98k
Lil Yachty singles chronology
"Tesla" (2023) "The Secret Recipe" (2023)
J. Cole singles chronology
"There I Go" (2023) "The Secret Recipe" (2023) "First Person Shooter" (2023)

Background

Following anti-J. Cole tweets by Lil Yachty in 2011 and 2012, the two were believed to have "beef".^[2] Following "Everybody Dies", a 2016 J. Cole song containing a perceived diss at Lil Yachty, Lil Yachty said that he doesn't listen to J. Cole, but he "fuck(s) with J. Cole".^[2]

Composition and lyrics

"The Secret Recipe" contains a jazz-infused beat, with similar traits to Lil Yachty's psychedelic rock influenced Lets Start Here.^[3]

Lil Yachty raps about his sobriety, echoing a statement made during a Rolling Stone interview earlier in the year. He said "I can’t record music on drugs. I have to be fully sober", further explaining that "I don't have to be high to make it sound high."^[3] J. Cole discusses his dissatisfaction with the hip hop industry, specifically calling out faux-activists who use social issues to gain fame.^[4][5]

Charts

Chart performance for "The Secret Recipe"

Chart (2023)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100[6]	92
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[7]	31

References

1. Breihan, Tom (September 29, 2023). "Lil Yachty & J. Cole Team Up On The New Alchemist-Produced Single "The Secret Recipe.": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
2. Strauss, Matthew (September 29, 2023). "J. Cole and Lil Yachty Share Video for New Song "The Secret Recipe"". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
3. Madarang, Charisma (September 29, 2023). "Lil Yachty, J. Cole Cook Up 'The Secret Recipe' on New Collab". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
4. Williams, Jaelani Turner. "J. Cole Delivers Bars of Fury With Lil Yachty On "The Secret Recipe"". Okayplayer. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
5. Gonzalez, Alex (September 29, 2023). "Lil Yachty Drops 'The Secret Recipe,' A New Collab With J. Cole". Uproxx. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
6. "Lil Yachty Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
7. "Lil Yachty Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2023.