In a recent episode of the “Lead by Example With Bob Myers” podcast, American rapper and record producer J Cole recounted a childhood story about how his mother’s reaction caused him to stop smoking at the age of six.
Cole revealed that he began smoking cigarettes at a young age because he was constantly surrounded by older kids in his neighborhood.
He said, “At six years old, I was smoking cigarettes regularly around the neighborhood… And I was young and fearless and trying to be cool.”
He continued, “So, it was like, ‘Oh, y’all smoking. Like, let me see that.’ And, of course, we’re all out there kinda [with] young parents, with long leashes. To them, it’s funny. They’re 10 themselves. So, it’s funny for them. Nobody’s really worried about me. Nobody is like, ‘Hey! Don’t do that.’ They’re 10 and smoking cigarettes.”
Cole’s smoking habit ended when he went to a friend’s house and asked for a cigarette, which his brother overheard and told their mother. “When she smelled cigarettes on my breath, her face was heartbroken. It was disbelief. It was like, crushed,” he said.
Cole said that seeing his mother’s disappointment was a life-changing moment for him.
“That was the first time I became aware that, ‘Oh, my actions can hurt someone else,'” he explained.
“The reason why I think that was a life-changing moment, where after that I didn’t need much correction—I became a self-corrector.”