“This Action Only Makes Them Seem Guilty”— Internet Responses to J Cole’s Alleged DMCA Report Concerning Michael Jackson and Aaliyah Lyrics

A conspiracy theory surrounding J Cole’s popular 2013 track She Knows has been gaining attention online, especially after Diddy’s recent arrest on sex crime charges. This theory reportedly went viral on TikTok following Bad Boy Records founder’s apprehension on September 16.

Disclaimer: This article aims to explain the viral theory without reflecting any subjective views or personal opinions of the author.

The conspiracy suggests that the title of Cole’s song cleverly references Beyoncé’s last name, ‘Knowles’. Furthermore, it alleges that J Cole has some level of complicity in the supposed crimes committed by Diddy and her husband, Jay-Z, over the years.

Within the first bridge of the song, there are mentions of Aaliyah, Left Eye, and Michael Jackson, which some interpret as a suggestion that Beyoncé, Diddy, and Jay-Z conspired to cause the deaths of these artists:

“Only bad thing ’bout a star is they burn up/ Rest in peace to Aaliyah/ Rest in peace to Left Eye/ Michael Jackson, I’ll see ya/ Just as soon as I die”

On September 29, DJ Akademiks posted on X that Roc Nation, which signed J Cole as its first artist back in 2009, allegedly issued a DMCA notice to have She Knows removed. This action is claimed to be in response to the viral gossip on TikTok. Social media users engaged in discussions about the whole situation in the comments.

“Doing this just makes them look guilty, who on their team approved this lmao,”wrote one user on X.

“It’s getting spooky,”joked another user.

In reference to J Cole’s alleged role in the longstanding feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, another commenter chimed in on X:

“Damn J Cole can’t catch a break,”wrote the individual.

“Oh hell nawh don’t tell me they killed MJ now I don’t think I’m ready for all that just yet,”expressed another.

One user suggested that Roc Nation’s attempts to remove J Cole’s song effectively confirmed the guilt of Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Diddy regarding the allegations:

“So they just confirmed it was true,”said the social media user.

However, others dismissed the theory, arguing that the problem could be related to YouTube rather than any malicious intent regarding Cole’s song.

“You guys are stupid asf this is a YouTube issue lol,”commented one.

“This isn’t true, @youtubemusic failed to renew their license with the SESAC & several artists’ music has been blocked in the U.S., afaik,”explained another.

“I don’t think you guys are really reading what you’re typing. Because what I’m reading is pure delusion,”added another user on X.

J Cole’s Song Removal and YouTube’s SESAC Dispute

It’s important to note that there is no substantial evidence to support the TikTok conspiracy theory regarding J Cole’s She Knows, leaving the claim unverified.

The DMCA stands for the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, designed to safeguard copyrighted content such as music and film from unauthorized distribution online.

Nonetheless, there have been no official accounts of Roc Nation issuing a DMCA takedown notice against J Cole’s track. Several observers highlighted that the unavailability of the music video might be linked to YouTube’s legal issues with SESAC, a performance-rights organization.

This organization protects artists’ copyright in exchange for royalties. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a representative for YouTube stated the following regarding the ongoing situation:

“We have held good faith negotiations with SESAC to renew our existing deal. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach an equitable agreement before its expiration.”

As a result, SESAC-affiliated music and various artistic content are currently not accessible on YouTube, but only for viewers in the U.S. This contract dispute has also affected songs by numerous prominent artists, including Rihanna, Adele, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Jack Harlow, and Bob Dylan.

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