The 'J. Cole Luigi Reference' meme emerged as a satirical critique of the rapper's stylistic shift during the 2024 hip-hop landscape. After withdrawing from the Kendrick Lamar and Drake feud and subsequently releasing tracks with polarizing, playful lyrics like 'Grippy,' social media users began comparing his persona to Nintendo's Luigi—the quirky, less-threatening sidekick. The meme serves to highlight the jarring transition from Cole's reputation as a top-tier 'conscious' lyricist to a rapper making lighthearted or bizarre wordplay. It is now widely used to mock awkward rap verses or to characterize any sudden shift from a 'tough' persona to a harmlessly eccentric one.