J. Cole facts for kids

Quick facts for kids J. Cole
Cole performing in 2023
Born	Jermaine Lamarr Cole (1985-01-28) January 28, 1985 (age 40) Frankfurt, West Germany
Nationality	American
Other names	Therapist Hollywood Cole Kill Edward
Alma mater	St. John's University (BA)
Occupation	Rapper singer songwriter record producer basketball player
Years active	2007–present
Organization	Dreamville Ventures
Works	Discography filmography production
Spouse(s)	Melissa Heholt ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	2
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres	Southern hip hop
Labels	Dreamville Roc Nation Interscope Columbia ByStorm
Jermaine Cole Personal information Nationality American High school Terry Sanford (Fayetteville, North Carolina) Listed height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Listed weight 185 lb (84 kg) Career information Pro career 2021–2022 Career history 2021 Patriots BBC 2022 Scarborough Shooting Stars
Signature

Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985), known as J. Cole, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was born in a military base in Germany and grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Cole first became known as a rapper after releasing his first mixtape, The Come Up, in 2007.

He signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2009. He then released two more mixtapes, The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010). These mixtapes were praised by critics and helped him gain more fans.

All of Cole's studio albums have reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. These include Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011), Born Sinner (2013), 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014), 4 Your Eyez Only (2016), KOD (2018), and The Off-Season (2021). His songs like "Work Out" and "Power Trip" became very popular.

Cole often produces his own music and has also produced for other artists like Kendrick Lamar and Janet Jackson. He also started his own record label, Dreamville Records, and a non-profit organization called The Dreamville Foundation.

J. Cole has won two Grammy Awards and many other music awards. His albums have sold millions of copies and received platinum awards.

Early Life and Education

Jermaine Lamarr Cole was born on January 28, 1985, in Frankfurt, West Germany. His father was an American soldier, and his mother, Kay, was a postal worker. When he was eight months old, his mother moved him and his older brother, Zach, to Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Growing up, Cole loved basketball and music. He played the violin in the Terry Sanford High School orchestra until 2003. He started rapping at age twelve. In 2000, his mother bought him a music sampler, which helped him improve his production skills. He even used the name Therapist for his early music production.

After high school, Cole moved to New York City to pursue music. He attended St. John's University on a scholarship. He first studied computer science but later switched to communications. He graduated with high honors in 2007. He officially received his degree in 2015 during a concert, explaining he had owed money for a library book. Before becoming famous, Cole worked various part-time jobs, including selling ads and being a kangaroo mascot.

Musical Journey

Early Music and First Mixtape (1999–2008)

Logo used by J. Cole earlier in his career

J. Cole was inspired by hip-hop artists like Canibus, Nas, Tupac, and Eminem. He worked with his cousin to learn about rhyming and storytelling in songs. By age 14, he had many song ideas. His mother bought him a drum machine to help him create beats. He posted songs online using the name Blaza, then Therapist.

Cole created a CD of his own music and tried to play it for Jay Z at a recording studio. He waited for hours but was turned away. Cole later used these songs for his first mixtape, The Come Up.

Mixtapes and Roc Nation Deal (2009–2010)

Cole was the first artist signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2009.

J. Cole released his second mixtape, The Warm Up, in June 2009. It received good reviews. He appeared on Jay Z's album The Blueprint 3 and collaborated with other artists like Wale. In 2010, XXL Magazine named him one of their "Top Ten Freshmen," highlighting new rappers.

Cole went on a college tour in 2010. He released the song "Who Dat" as a single. In August 2010, he won the UMA Male Artist of the Year award. On November 12, 2010, J. Cole released his third mixtape, Friday Night Lights, which featured artists like Drake. Cole produced most of the songs on this mixtape himself.

First Album Success (2011–2012)

Cole performing in Toronto during Cole World... World Tour in 2011

In 2011, Cole toured with Drake and produced a song called "HiiiPoWeR" for Kendrick Lamar. On June 15, 2011, he released "Work Out" as the first single from his debut album. This song became a big hit.

His first album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, was released on September 27, 2011. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 218,000 copies in its first week. The album was later certified gold. In February 2012, "Nobody's Perfect" featuring Missy Elliott was released as the third single.

Born Sinner and Truly Yours (2012–2013)

Cole was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2012 Grammy Awards. He also played in the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game. In May 2012, Cole announced he was working on a joint album with Kendrick Lamar.

On November 5, 2012, Cole announced his second album, Born Sinner. He released a promotional single, "Miss America", hoping it would bring a different kind of music to the radio. To promote Born Sinner, Cole released an EP called Truly Yours in February 2013, which included songs that wouldn't be on the album.

Cole performing during the What Dreams May Come Tour

"Power Trip" featuring Miguel was released as the first single from Born Sinner on February 14, 2013. Cole decided to release Born Sinner a week earlier than planned to compete with Kanye West's album Yeezus. Born Sinner sold 297,000 copies in its first week, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200. The album also featured popular singles like "Crooked Smile" with TLC.

2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014–2016)

Cole performing at Governor's Ball 2014, in New York City

In August 2014, Cole released "Be Free" in response to events in Ferguson, Missouri. He visited the city to meet with protesters. On November 16, Cole announced his third album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, would be released on December 9. The album was named after his childhood home. It had no lead singles and little promotion but still debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 353,000 copies in its first week.

Cole announced the Forest Hills Drive Tour in 2015. A live album, Forest Hills Drive: Live, was recorded during the tour and released on his 31st birthday. 2014 Forest Hills Drive won Top Rap Album at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards and Album of the Year at the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards.

In December 2015, Cole announced a documentary series called J. Cole: Road to Homecoming, leading up to his HBO special Forest Hills Drive: Homecoming. The series showed behind-the-scenes footage and featured other artists.

4 Your Eyez Only (2016–2017)

Cole performing in Toronto during 4 Your Eyez Only Tour in 2017

On December 1, 2016, Cole's fourth album, 4 Your Eyez Only, was announced for release on December 9. He released a 40-minute documentary called Eyez on Tidal, showing how the album was made. 4 Your Eyez Only debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming Cole's fourth album to do so. All 10 songs from the album appeared in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.

On January 16, 2017, Cole released a song called "High for Hours". He announced the 4 Your Eyez Only World Tour in February 2017, with 62 dates across North America, Europe, and Australia. An HBO documentary, J. Cole: 4 Your Eyez Only, aired in April 2017.

KOD (2018)

On April 16, 2018, J. Cole announced a surprise event in New York City, which turned out to be a listening session for his new album, KOD, released on April 20, 2018. The album's cover and tracklist showed twelve songs, with two features by Cole's alter ego, Kill Edward. The album explores themes like challenges people face, sadness, and greed.

KOD broke streaming records on Apple Music and Spotify on its release day. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, becoming Cole's fifth number one album. J. Cole also became the first artist to have three songs debut in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time: "ATM", "Kevin's Heart", and "KOD". The album was certified platinum.

Cole announced the KOD Tour on May 8, 2018, with supporting acts like Young Thug and Jaden Smith. He also mentioned working on another project called The Fall Off and a Kill Edward album.

Revenge of the Dreamers III (2019)

On January 6, 2019, Cole announced Dreamville's compilation album Revenge of the Dreamers III. Recording sessions took place in Atlanta for 10 days, with many artists and producers invited. On January 23, 2019, Cole released "Middle Child", which became his highest-charting song, reaching number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cole performed at the 2019 NBA All-Star Game halftime show.

Revenge of the Dreamers III debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, becoming Cole's sixth number-one album. It was certified platinum. The album was nominated for Best Rap Album, and "Middle Child" was nominated for Best Rap Performance. Cole's collaboration with 21 Savage, "A Lot", won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, marking his first Grammy win.

Recent Music (2020–Present)

On June 16, 2020, J. Cole released "Snow on tha Bluff", a song about important social topics. In July 2020, he released a promotional EP called Lewis Street with two new songs, "The Climb Back" and "Lion King on Ice".

On May 4, 2021, J. Cole announced his sixth studio album, The Off-Season, which was released on May 14, 2021. The album received positive reviews and topped the US Billboard 200, becoming his sixth consecutive number-one album. Four songs from The Off-Season debuted in the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100.

In October 2023, J. Cole was featured on Drake's song "First Person Shooter", which debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. This was Cole's first song to reach the top of that chart.

On April 5, 2024, Cole released the mixtape Might Delete Later. One song on the mixtape, "7 Minute Drill", caused discussion and was later removed from streaming platforms. In November 2024, Cole announced a podcast series called Inevitable. This podcast was released along with his early mixtapes, The Come Up, The Warm Up, and Friday Night Lights, becoming available on streaming platforms.

Basketball Career

Cole played basketball in high school and tried out for St. John's University team. In 2012, he played in the NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game. He has always seen a connection between sports and his music career, noting the competitive nature of both.

In July 2020, Cole wrote an article for The Players' Tribune about his dream of playing professional basketball. He also released his first signature shoe with Puma called the PUMA RS-Dreamer. In September 2022, J. Cole was featured on the cover of NBA 2K23 for the Dreamer Edition and appeared as a character in the game.

Professional Play (2021–2022)

On May 10, 2021, Cole signed with the Rwanda-based Patriots Basketball Club in the Basketball Africa League. He played three games with the team, scoring five points, three assists, and five rebounds in 45 minutes. He left the team after his contract for the minimum three games ended.

On May 19, 2022, Cole signed with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League. He played four games with them, averaging 2.4 points. He later took a break from the team to focus on his concert tour.

Artistic Inspirations

Cole has shared that many hip-hop artists influenced his rapping style. He mentioned Tupac, Jay-Z, Eminem, Nas, and Andre 3000. He said that Jay-Z was a mentor even before he signed with him, and he learned a lot from watching him.

He also shared that Tupac was his favorite rapper before he even started rapping. Cole felt a strong connection to Tupac's music because it felt truthful. He also mentioned that Nas inspired his mixtape Friday Night Lights.

Business Ventures

Dreamville Records

In 2007, J. Cole started his own record label, Dreamville Records, with his friend Ibrahim Hamad. Cole wanted a way to release his own music, and Hamad wanted to start a label. The label is now distributed by Interscope Records.

Dreamville Records is home to artists like Cole, Omen, Bas, Cozz, Lute, Ari Lennox, JID, and EarthGang. The label has released nine albums, with three of them selling enough to be certified platinum.

The Dreamville Foundation

In October 2011, Cole created The Dreamville Foundation, a non-profit organization. Its goal is to help young people in his hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina. The foundation gives school supplies to children and has a book club for young men. It also hosts an annual "Dreamville Weekend" with community events and career day panels.

In 2014, Cole bought his childhood home in Fayetteville through the Dreamville Foundation. His plan is to let single mothers and their children live there rent-free.

Dreamville Festival

On April 27, 2018, J. Cole announced the Dreamville Festival. This festival celebrates local music, culture, food, and art, featuring both new and famous artists. After being postponed due to a hurricane, the festival was held on April 6, 2019, in Raleigh, North Carolina. The lineup included all of Dreamville's artists and other popular musicians. The festival donates its earnings to local parks and the Dreamville Foundation.

Fashion

In February 2020, J. Cole partnered with Puma for footwear and clothing. He helps with creating products and marketing campaigns for the brand. In July 2020, Puma and J. Cole released their first shoe together, the PUMA RS-Dreamer. Cole said he wanted to create a basketball shoe that was both high-performing and stylish enough for everyday wear.

Personal Life

In a 2016 interview, Cole shared that he was married to Melissa Heholt. They met while they were students at St. John's University. Melissa is the Executive Director of the Dreamville Foundation. In 2018, Cole mentioned that he and his wife had a son. In 2020, he publicly shared that they have two children.

Discography

Studio albums

Concert Tours

Headlining

• Cole World... World Tour (2011)
• What Dreams May Come Tour (2013–14)
• Dollar & A Dream Tour (2013)
• Dollar & A Dream Tour 2014: The Warm Up (2014)
• Forest Hills Drive Tour (2015)
• Dollar & A Dream Tour III: Friday Night Lights (2015)
• 4 Your Eyez Only World Tour (2017)
• KOD Tour (2018)

Co-headlining

• The Campus Consciousness Tour (with Big K.R.I.T.) (2012)
• Revenge of the Dreamers NYC Crawl (with Dreamville) (2015)
• The Off-Season Tour (with 21 Savage) (2021)
• It's All A Blur Tour - Big As the What? (with Drake) (2024)

Supporting act

• Jay-Z Fall Tour (Jay Z) (2009)
• Attention Deficit Tour (Wale) (2009)
• Loud Tour (Rihanna) (2011)
• Club Paradise Tour (Drake) (2012)
• Rapture Tour (Eminem) (2014)

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: J. Cole para niños