Jermaine Lamarr Cole, known professionally as J. Cole, was born on January 28, 1985, in Germany on a military base and grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He became well-known after releasing his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in 2007. His talent quickly caught attention, leading to a deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2009. Over the next few years, Cole released two more successful mixtapes, The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010), which earned him critical acclaim.
J. Cole’s debut studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011), debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. His following albums, Born Sinner (2013) and 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014), also received praise and featured popular hits like “Work Out,” “Power Trip,” and “Crooked Smile.” His 2014 album became his first to be certified platinum, a milestone he later repeated with every album. Cole’s music often explores themes like nostalgia, social issues, and personal growth.
His later albums, such as 4 Your Eyez Only (2016), KOD (2018), and The Off-Season (2021), saw him shift towards more conscious and introspective themes. KOD was particularly successful, with six tracks in the Billboard Hot 100's top 20 at once, tying a record set by The Beatles. In 2023, J. Cole had major success with his feature on Lil Durk’s “All My Life” and released his first number-one hit with “First Person Shooter” alongside Drake.
Aside from rapping, Cole is a skilled producer and self-taught pianist, known for producing much of his own music. He founded Dreamville Records, home to artists like JID, Ari Lennox, and EarthGang. His label’s album Revenge of the Dreamers III (2019) topped the charts and was nominated for a Grammy. Throughout his career, Cole has received multiple awards, including two Grammys, and has been recognized for his philanthropic efforts, such as housing single mothers rent-free in his childhood home.
