J. Cole
hip-hop
Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained attention as a rapper following the release of his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in early 2007. He attended college in New York City with intent in furthering his musical career, and signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2009; the label released his next two mixtapes: The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010), both of which earned him wider recognition.
Each of Cole's studio albums have peaked atop the US Billboard 200, beginning with his debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011), and its follow-up, Born Sinner (2013). Both met with critical acclaim, the albums spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 singles "Work Out", "Power Trip" (featuring Miguel), and "Crooked Smile" (featuring TLC). His subsequent albums—beginning with 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014), 4 Your Eyez Only (2016), and KOD (2018)—have since explored more conscious and introspective subject matter; the latter featured a then-record six simultaneous top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100—the first time an album had done so since the Beatles in 1964. His sixth and seventh albums, The Off-Season (2021) and The Fall-Off (2026; marketed as his final album), both had several top-40 entries upon release, with the former's "My Life" (with 21 Savage and Morray) peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. His guest appearances on the 2023 singles "All My Life" by Lil Durk and "First Person Shooter" by Drake, peaked at numbers two and one on the chart, respectively.
Self-taught on piano, Cole also acts as a producer alongside his recording career—having largely handled the production of his own projects—with credits on material for other artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Young Thug, Wale, and Mac Miller, among others. Cole's side ventures include his record label Dreamville Records, as well as its namesake media company and non-profit. The label, having signed artists including JID, Ari Lennox, Bas, and EarthGang, has released four compilation albums; their third, Revenge of the Dreamers III (2019), debuted atop the Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. In January 2015, Cole began housing single mothers rent-free at his childhood home in Fayetteville.
Cole has won two Grammy Awards from seventeen nominations, a Billboard Music Award for Top Rap Album, three Soul Train Music Awards, and eight BET Hip Hop Awards. Each of his albums—including Revenge of the Dreamers III—have received platinum certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). He is a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets.
