J. Cole

This article is about the American rapper. For the cricketer, see J. Cole (Hampshire cricketer).
"Jay Cole" redirects here. Not to be confused with Jay Coles.

J. Cole
Cole performing in 2023
Born
Jermaine Lamarr Cole

(1985-01-28) January 28, 1985 (age 39)
Frankfurt, West Germany
NationalityAmerican
Other names
  • Therapist
  • Hollywood Cole
  • Kill Edward[1]
Alma materSt. John's University (BA)
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • basketball player
Years active2007–present
OrganizationDreamville Ventures
Works
Spouse
Melissa Heholt
​
(m. 2015)​
Children2
AwardsFull list
Musical career
OriginFayetteville, North Carolina, U.S.
GenresSouthern hip hop
Labels
Formerly ofAll City Chess Club
Websitewww.dreamville.com
Basketball career
Free agent
PositionShooting guard
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[2]
Listed weight185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High schoolTerry Sanford
(Fayetteville, North Carolina)
Playing career2021–present
Career history
2021Patriots BBC
2022Scarborough Shooting Stars
Signature

Jermaine Lamarr Cole[3] (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina,[4] Cole initially gained attention as a rapper following the release of his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in early 2007. Intent on further pursuing a musical career, he signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2009 and released two additional mixtapes: The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010) to further critical acclaim as he garnered a wider following.

Each of Cole's studio albums have debuted 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).[5] Despite commercial success, Cole departed from the pop-oriented sound of the albums in favor of conscious subject matter for his subsequent projects; themes of nostalgia, racial inequality, and materialism were explored respectively in his following releases: 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014), 4 Your Eyez Only (2016) and KOD (2018). The latter featured a then-record six simultaneous top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, tying with the English rock band the Beatles.[6][7][8] His sixth album, The Off-Season (2021), was met with continued success and spawned the single "My Life" (with 21 Savage and Morray), which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Its chart success was matched by his guest appearance on the 2023 single "All My Life" by Lil Durk, and succeeded by his first song to peak the chart, "First Person Shooter" by Drake that same year. The former also won Cole a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance.

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.[9] Cole has been prolific in side ventures, including his own record label Dreamville Records, as well as its namesake media company and non-profit.[10] The label, having signed artists including JID, Ari Lennox, 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.[11]

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.[12][13] Each of his albums—including Revenge of the Dreamers III—have received platinum certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

  1. ^ Lamarre, Carl (April 18, 2017). "Who Is KiLL Edward, the Lone Feature on J. Cole's 'KOD' Album?". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 18, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  2. ^ "Patriots Basketball Club Player List". Basketball Africa League. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  3. ^ "J. Cole". Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  4. ^ "J. Cole". Biography. A&E Television Networks. Archived from the original on September 27, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  5. ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  6. ^ "J. Cole | Artist". Grammy.com. November 23, 2020. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
  7. ^ ""4 Your Eyez Only" by J. Cole - Album Reviews". Live in Limbo. January 6, 2017. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  8. ^ "Post Malone Breaks Hot 100 Record For Most Simultaneous Top 20 Hits". Billboard. May 7, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  9. ^ "J. Cole Album & Song Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  10. ^ "J. Cole Returns To North Carolina For 'Dreamville Weekend'". RapFix. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012.
  11. ^ Rivera, Zayda (January 27, 2015). "J. Cole to let single moms live in his home rent-free". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  12. ^ "21 Savage Wins Best Rap Song | 2020 GRAMMYs". GRAMMY.com. January 26, 2020. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  13. ^ "J Cole Takes Home Top Rap Album Award At The Billboard Music Awards - Inquisitr". www.inquisitr.com. May 18, 2015. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.