As many other people did, including Killer Mike, J. Cole took to the internet to express his pain for the loss of Michael Brown. Cole also visited Ferguson in the aftermath of the grand jury’s decision not to indict the officer who killed Brown.

He then released “Be Free” on August 15, 2014 via SoundCloud with the following message:

Rest in Peace to Michael Brown and to every young black man murdered in America, whether by the hands of white or black. I pray that one day the world will be filled with peace and rid of injustice. Only then will we all Be Free

On December 10, Cole performed “Be Free” on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote his third studio album 2014 Forest Hills Drive and added an extra rap verse. The track was finally added to streaming services on August 14, 2020, nearly six years after its original release.