4 Your Eyez Only

The title track of 4 Your Eyez Only serves as a message to both J. Cole's newborn little boy and Nina the daughter of a deceased childhood friend, whom the rapper calls James McMillian, Jr. But Daddy had dreams once, my eyes had a gleam once Innocence disappeared by the age of eight years My Pops shot up - drug-related - mama addicted So Granny raised me in projects where thugs was hanging

According to the 4 Your Eyez Only track "Change," James McMillan Jr was a childhood friend of J. Cole who got caught up in the streets and was killed at age 22. In the first three verses on this song he raps from his friend's perspective to Nina recounting his life so she can always have an image of her father. The verses also serve as a message to Cole's new born daughter, expressing his concerns about the ways of this world. The final verse is from Cole's point of view talking to Nina directly about her late dad. A Dreamville source told Genius the storyline is about a real late friend of Cole's, but his name was changed to James McMillan Jr for the sake of privacy.

Cole repeats the phrase "for your eyes" throughout the song emphasizing it is a message to his friend's daughter and his little boy. The title also recalls the North Carolina rapper's hero Tupac Shakur's 1996 album All Eyez on Me. Cole has referenced his idolization of the late legend on several occasions to the extent of comparing him to Jesus on Born Sinner's "Let Nas Down."