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So, What’s Up With J. Cole’s “Deja Vu” & Bryson Tiller’s “Exchange” Sounding Alike?

blame it on Meka December 9, 2016
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So, the most glaringly obvious takeaway when one listens to J. Cole’s newly-released 4 Your Eyez Only is its third track, “Deja Vu.” More specifically, it sounds an awful lot like another song: Bryson Tiller’s “Exchange.”

As it turns out, the two songs may have a lot more in common than its aural similarities.

Producer Vinylz, who produced “Deja Vu” alongside Boi-1da, Velous, Ron Gilmore and J. Cole, took to his Twitter account to allege that the K.P. & Envy-sampling instrumental was originally his and Boi-1da’s own, before it was gracefully removed from their possession (read: stolen) from another producer, Foreign Teck of The Mekanics.

Vinylz explains:

“Me and Boi-1da made that ‘Exchange’ beat first. It was stolen from us by a thief named Foreign Teck. Cole’s song was recorded before ‘Exchange.’

“I sent this thief a video of me making the “Deja Vu” beat. A week later he posts a beat on Instagram with the same drums. I made him take it down. He said “I’m sorry bro. I was inspired. I look up to you.” A few months later he decides to remake the whole beat and give it to Bryson [Tiller]. He even offered me publishing on the song. Why would you offer publishing if you didn’t steal it?”

Boi-1da also chimed in, saying “Maybe Foreign Teck can explain why to y’all why “Exchange” and “Deja Vu” sound similar, right Vinylz?”

Teck would respond in kind through his own Twitter account, denying the charges while saying that this was not the first time someone claimed that he ganked the beat. However, in a since-deleted tweet, he did admit to “borrowing” Vinylz’ drums for Meek Mill’s “You Know” — off his DC4 mixtape.

However, Vinylz claims that the drum pattern for “You Know” is the same as “Deja Vu,” which — as he said — was done a year ago.

Long story short, the album isn’t even 24 hours old and drama is afoot. Good grief.