Fans react as J. Cole's 'She Knows' removed amid conspiracy: 'Doing this makes them look guilty'

A conspiracy theory involving J. Cole's 2013 hit "She Knows" has gone viral on TikTok following the arrest of Sean "P. Diddy" Combs on sex crime charges.

The theory suggests that J. Cole’s song title is a subtle nod to Beyonce’s last name, "Knowles," and accuses the rapper of being complicit in alleged crimes involving Diddy and Jay-Z.

Following Sean "P. Diddy" Combs’ arrest on sex crime charges on September 16, a conspiracy theory about J. Cole's 2013 hit song "She Knows" has been circulating online, particularly on TikTok.

The theory, which gained traction after Diddy’s apprehension, suggests that the title of the song is a play on Beyonce’s last name, "Knowles."

According to the conspiracy, J. Cole is accused of being complicit in alleged crimes supposedly committed by Diddy and Jay-Z.

Fans have zeroed in on a specific part of the song, referencing the deaths of Aaliyah, Left Eye, and Michael Jackson in the first bridge: "Only bad thing 'bout a star is they burn up/ Rest in peace to Aaliyah/ Rest in peace to Left Eye/ Michael Jackson, I'll see ya/ Just as soon as I die."

Some listeners are now interpreting this line as a cryptic insinuation that Beyonce, Diddy, and Jay-Z had a role in the untimely deaths of these iconic artists.

On September 29, DJ Akademiks reported on X (formerly Twitter) that Roc Nation, Jay-Z's label that signed J. Cole in 2009, had allegedly issued a DMCA takedown notice to remove "She Knows" after the theory went viral on TikTok.

Akademiks added, "doing this just makes them look guilty, who on their team approved this lmao," fueling the conspiracy further.

Social media quickly responded, with one user commenting, "So they just confirmed it was true," and another writing, "Oh hell nawh don’t tell me they killed MJ now I don’t think I’m ready for all that just yet."

One user humorously stated, "Damn J Cole can’t catch a break," while others expressed suspicion, with one saying, "its getting spooky."

In response, some netizens pointed out that the theory could be misleading, and the video’s unavailability might not be connected to the conspiracy at all.

A few users noted that the removal of J. Cole's "She Knows" could instead be linked to an ongoing legal dispute between YouTube and SESAC, a performance-rights organization.

"This isn’t true, @youtubemusic failed to renew their license with the SESAC & several artists' music has been blocked in the U.S. afaik," another user explained. "You guys are stupid asf this is a YouTube issue lol," added one commenter, rejecting the conspiracy theory.

The DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) is a law designed to protect copyrighted content, preventing its distribution without the creator’s permission.

While Roc Nation’s alleged DMCA notice has not been officially confirmed, many have suggested that the issue could be related to YouTube’s contract dispute with SESAC. A spokesperson for YouTube provided clarity on the situation, stating, "We have held good faith negotiations with SESAC to renew our existing deal.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach an equitable agreement before its expiration."

As a result, SESAC-protected music, including tracks by artists like Rihanna, Adele, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Jack Harlow, and Bob Dylan, has been unavailable on YouTube for U.S. audiences.