Zendaya
by Cozz (featuring J. Cole)

Album: Effected (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Zendaya" is a collaboration between Cozz and his label head J. Cole, who also produced the track. It finds the pair talking about rappers who have had an impact on their careers. While Cole spits about the influence of Kanye West and Jay-Z, Cozz addresses how J. Cole himself inspired him as a teenager.
  • Listen, music my flesh and blood, it's been my only love since ye high
    I used to play Jay high and Ye high
    Thinkin' one day I would go from fan to f---in' player
    I guess I found a way huh, my nigga Cozz wants Zenday


    Cozz explained to Billboard why the song is titled after the actress and singer Zendaya.

    "I was working with Cole, doing those writing drills. One of the days, I brought up Zendaya while we were talking about life and random s--t. We had a conversation about girls and I asked him how his relationship's been with his wife, and then, I was like, 'Zendaya's kinda fire.'

    Not only is she cute, she's on her s--t. She's super black power-ish and she just seems smart. I'm more attracted to brains and people who are on their s--t than anything. And, [she's a] beautiful woman, as well. I look at women as art. So we had this conversation and got to the music making.

    He made the beat and wrote his verse. He laid it down in front of me and I was like, 'Oh, s--t! You threw me a f---in' lob, boy?' Half of my verse was kind of there, but I changed it up because I was like, 'I have to respond to that.'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Tommy James

Tommy JamesSongwriter Interviews

"Mony Mony," "Crimson and Clover," "Draggin' The Line"... the hits kept coming for Tommy James, and in a plot line fit for a movie, his record company was controlled by the mafia.

Steely Dan

Steely DanFact or Fiction

Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?

David Gray

David GraySongwriter Interviews

David Gray explains the significance of the word "Babylon," and talks about how songs are a form of active imagination, with lyrics that reveal what's inside us.

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.

Tim McIlrath of Rise Against

Tim McIlrath of Rise AgainstSongwriter Interviews

Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath explains the meanings behind some of their biggest songs and names the sci-fi books that have influenced him.

George Clinton

George ClintonSongwriter Interviews

When you free your mind, your ass may follow, but you have to make sure someone else doesn't program it while it's wide open.