J. Cole

J. Cole wins Rap Album and Live Performer of the year at the BET Hip-Hop Awards 2015.

Full list of Winners @ BET

#ColeWorld

Drake & Chance The Rapper surprised their audiences at the ACL music festival and brought out J. Cole as a guest performer.

More details/pictures HERE

J. Cole received the Best album nomination in the Rap/Hip-Hop category at the American Music Awards 2015 for his latest album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive.

The awards air live on November 22 8 PM EST.

Full Nominee list HERE

J. Cole recently performed at the Summer Ends Music Festival 2.0 in Tempe, Arizona. Cole’s set featured highlights from 2014 Forest Hills Drive such as “Apparently” and fan-favorite “No Role Modelz”. Check out some images from J. Cole’s performance below.

As J. Cole sat atop the faux roof of 2014 Forest Hills Drive–the childhood home he named his 3rd studio album after–at Madison Square Garden in New York City last night, he began to tell a story many rappers tell when they’ve “made it big,” often signified by achieving something as momentous as selling out MSG after releasing an album with no pop records. However, this story was different from the one say, Jay Z might tell, or Kanye West, or Nicki Minaj. J. Cole, along with Drake, Kid Cudi, and a handful of others, make up a small crop of superstars whose meager beginnings lived on the internet. When Kanye West refers to when he was pumping out “5 beats a day for 3 summers,” we have nothing but our imagination to rely on when attempting to conjure an image of a 24-year old Kanye West, huddled over a small desk in Newark, matching synths with samples. However, there are pictures of Drake and 40 dressed in cringeworthy outfits on Facebook and Myspace, dated 2008 or 2009. Every once in a while, someone digs far back enough to share a tweet J. Cole sent out 6 years ago, celebrating his 502nd follower. He now has in excess of 7 million.

20,000 of them packed out New York City’s most storied concert venue last night, the same venue the man who signed Cole, Jay Z, sold out in 24 hours for what was expected to be his farewell concert 12 years ago. As Cole took the stage amidst brooding blue LED lights, at one point joking about how unaccustomed he is to such bravado–”I don’t even know what the f*ck LED lights means”–there was nary a dull moment. Despite the fact that he relied on his Dollar & A Dream show formula–pick a project, and perform it from front to back–for a show that, one would imagine, doesn’t call for such a unilateral agenda, he had New York’s attention for the duration. Even when he spent nearly 10 minutes telling a story about the metaphoric nature of his song’s titles–”St. Tropez” in particular–or performed some of the album’s less popular cuts (“Hello”), the energy level rarely dipped below electric, and never strayed from fixated. “January 28th,” “Tale of 2 Citiez,” and “No Role Modelz,” shook the building as expected, and even a revisit of his debut album, “Lights Please,” drew one of the night’s biggest, loudest cheers.

So, as he began his brief rags to riches monologue atop that stage roof, which would precede 2014FHD‘s closer, “Love Yourz,” the song that has prevented at least one person from committing suicide, the sold-out crowd at MSG interrupted him with chants of “J. Cole, J. Cole,” before eventually erupting into a voracious standing ovation, one that left Cole in disbelief. Whatever he was about to say, this crowd had already witnessed. They saw how he was ridiculed for making “Work Out.” They remember when he was forced to drop what was meant to be his debut album a year early because it lacked a “radio hit.” They’d witnessed the jokes from social media personalities, promising Cole would amount to little more than a standout on the mixtape circuit, and the mercilessly circulated memes poking fun at Cole’s perceived lack of a personal relationship with Shawn Carter, who crowned Cole with a Roc-A-Fella chain at MSG’s smaller venue last year.

Cole’s approach to his 3rd album cycle was passive-aggressive, at least with respect to the critiques that had been held over his head following his first two official releases. He’s been called boring by many, but he’s still yet to let anyone rap on his albums, save Jay Z and Bas. 2014 Forest Hills Drive is the first of his albums to have absolutely no features, be it a guest chorus a verse. He traveled everywhere in sweats, his hair grew relentlessly, and last night it appeared to be an ode to The Weeknd. No records were serviced to radio before the album’s December release, and when “Apparently” was finally pushed, it was the only thing like it on the radio. The entire process, culminating in last night’s triumph, prompts a recall of Andre 3000–someone Cole has compared himself to in the past–in one of his best 2010′s guest verses, on T.I.‘s “Sorry.”

Was young and had to choose between you
And what the rest of the world might offer me, sh*t what would you do
Well I’d probably do it differently if second the chance
Only if some cool ass older man would’ve let me know in advance
There’s this quarry, that is dug so deep in a father’s chest
When he feel that he’s broken up his nest
And he figured shit he was just doing the best that he could
Which end up being the worst that he could
And all some p***y n***a on the internet can say is that verse ain’t good
It’s boring? Boring? Really?

I wonder which one of these 20,000 people were bored last night.

-Khari Nixon (@khari92)

Source

In Sway’s highly anticipated interview with J. Cole, this NC rapper opens up about all things music, Dreamville and breaks down his current mind state.

Go off the grid with Bally and J. Cole as he escapes the connected world in search of musical inspiration. Take in the breath-taking landscapes of Jamaica and experience the true notion of the ‘Urban Explorer’.

Once upon a time there was a kid from Fayetteville, North Carolina, who moved to the big city with dreams of becoming a hip-hop star — but J. Cole’s career was far from a fairy tale. A college student at St. John’s University in Queens by day, the rapper, born Jermaine Cole, toiled by night at any cramped downtown nightclub or open mic that would have him. He was different. Amid ostentatious, don’t-look-me-in-the-eye MCs, he was strangely normal and — gasp — approachable. Cole was reminiscent of a brother, cousin, or that babe you dated freshman year. He slowly built his base and eventually met rap godfather Jay Z. He was featured on “A Star Is Born” in 2009, but it took three studio albums before the neophyte earned the title. On August 4, J. Cole returns to New York City for his first headlining, sold-out show at Madison Square Garden as just that — a star.

“It’s crazy. So ridiculous. It’s insane,” he muses. He remembers foreseeing the moment. “I was either walking or riding my bike past Madison Square Garden, and thought, ‘One day I’ma do that shit.’ Three months later, that bitch sold out in one day.” It’s after midnight in a back room at Carnesecca Arena on the St. John’s campus. Earlier, he performed at his alma mater and spent hours posing for photos with students and faculty. Dr. Julia Upton, former provost and the professor of Cole’s “Discover New York” class, even surprised him with his long-delayed diploma. The rapper never received his sheepskin (despite graduating summa cum laude in 2007) due to fines for a missing library book. “I’m gonna send it to my mom,” he says, sinking into a black leather sofa, his long legs tucked beneath him. On- and offstage, he dresses down in a black-and-red Atlanta Braves varsity jacket and dark jeans. His gray hoodie is fully zipped, and his growing locks peek out from underneath.

Cole is known for repping the ‘Ville — his voice still bears traces of a Southern twang — but the city has been integral to his career. He has an apartment in midtown west (which he loves despite a chaos that reminds him of “the outskirts of Hell”), and he recorded his recent 2014 Forest Hills Drive at nearby Legacy Studios.

But before this, he was just Jermaine, the out-of-town student performing at talent shows and open mics. He got his first break, ironically, at Carnesecca during his senior year. “Everybody was mad surprised that I rap. They were like, ‘Oh, shit. This nigga can really fucking rap!’ ” he laughs, fidgeting occasionally with tendrils of his hair. “I didn’t broadcast it and go around with a rapper personality. I’m just Jermaine, walking around campus, making friends, and living my life.” Dr. Upton remembers the out-of-towner as “very focused” and “a very fine student” — but one who never mentioned his rap aspirations. Ibrahim Hamad was similarly surprised. They met playing basketball, and Hamad realized his friend had talent after stumbling upon music in Cole’s car. The two began making the local rounds. “I was going to people in Queens, to people at parties, when we would play ball, [and telling them], ‘Yo. Jermaine is nice,'” says Hamad, now Cole’s manager and the president of Dreamville Records. “He always knew what he wanted to do, but that built up his confidence, like, ‘We need to get a mixtape out.'”

J. Cole released his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in 2007, followed by his seminal The Warm Up in 2009. Things began to gain momentum. Cole opened for Wale at Le Poisson Rouge that May, and songs like the autobiographical “Grown Simba” and the lyrical mind-fuck “Lights Please” swelled on rap blogs. He inked a deal with Jay’s Roc Nation and appeared on “A Star Is Born,” from The Blueprint 3. “And could I be a star/Does fame in this game have to change who you are?” he asks in his verse. “Or could I be the same one who came from a faraway life/Just to make it in these Broadway lights?” Even then, fame was a heavy crown for J. Cole. “That was clearly on my mind at that time,” he says. “Without even knowing it, my thoughts, even at that time, were, ‘Damn. Can I attain major success but come out of this thing as myself?'”

In 2010, Cole performed at Hot 97’s Who’s Next Live at S.O.B.’s — a sold-out hotbed for young talent — and affirmed his spot as an ascendant. Kozza Babumba, director of marketing and publicity at S.O.B.’s at the time, says he booked the rapper as the fire growing beneath “Lights Please” raged. “Tickets sold out in no time. Might have been in about four days or so. I think even his team was surprised,” he says. The club was well over capacity. “There might have been something like 650 people in there. Everyone wanted to be in there. Industry insiders, journalists, cool kids. Everybody.”

So it was no surprise when Cole was ushered in to XXL’s annual Freshman Class that year, but sharing the cover with artists like Wiz Khalifa and Big Sean wasn’t easy. With the release of his 2011 debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, many industry insiders wondered if Cole was too normal and therefore forgettable. Yes, he had bars — but was he a star? Formidable competition from characters like Drake and Nicki Minaj didn’t help. The murmurs reached Cole. He sighs. “I used to hear that from people in the industry, like, ‘Yo, we love Cole, but he’s so regular.’ Like if that was a negative thing. It used to fuck with me for a second, like, ‘Damn. Maybe I do need [to change].’ ”

And when he tried to fit the mold, it backfired — all over the red carpet. In 2013, Cole acquiesced to a stylist and wore a gaudy, black-and-gold Versace sweater to the B.E.T. Awards. “I’m listening to these stylists like, ‘You gotta really step out. You gotta really hit them with the superstar look!’ ” The sweater must have been on fleek; both DJ Drama and Brandon T. Jackson rocked it. But the choice was seen as a sartorial faux pas, and became fodder for the Fashion Police, launching several “Who Wore It Best?” stories — not cool for a serious rapper.

Nowadays, Cole isn’t about impressing anyone but himself and his ardent fans. “It’s about growing up and realizing…’Yo. I really do like myself being a regular person who could be [somebody’s] homeboy.’ ” After seeing kids coming to his shows decked out in expensive watches and jewelry, Cole made the intentional decision to be “attainable.” Sweats, sneakers, and a T-shirt are common concert attire. These days, if someone calls him regular, he takes it as “a high compliment.”

J. Cole’s everyman appeal is all over 2014 Forest Hills Drive, his third album. He eschewed the typical dog and pony show for personal, grassroots promo. One lucky Dallas fan got a preview in her house after she hit Cole on Twitter, while a handful of contest winners went to the home of his mother in North Carolina. “Fans stuck around since day one. They love him and they believe in him,” says Hamad. “We realized if we take care of our fans and give them what they want, they’ll spread the gospel of J. Cole.” Day-one fans ushered 2014 Forest Hills Drive to No. 1 on the charts with 375,000 units sold.

Cole continued to connect with the people after the album’s success. Last year, the rapper marched in New York City as part of #BlackLivesMatter in memory of Eric Garner; he also visited Ferguson, Missouri. In December, he released a powerful tribute to Michael Brown called “Be Free,” an emotional rendition of which he performed on the Late Show With David Letterman. “All we wanna do is break the chains off/All we wanna do is be free,” he raps. It’s one of the few response records to address our current national crisis of police brutality.

For someone of his caliber, he’s remarkably reachable. This year, Cole attended a fan’s high school graduation after she promised him she’d get good grades and get accepted into a four-year college. Hamad remembers how she would send Dreamville her report cards over the years to track her progress. Cole routed his tour to ensure he could attend her graduation, and he’s offered to help her pay her tuition. He has also turned his childhood home into a rent-free house for single mothers. It’s easy to dismiss altruism as a marketing ploy, but Hamad assures that Cole’s is genuine — as the manager, even he sometimes has no idea what the rapper’s planning — and comes from the heart. “If you make a promise, you can’t let them down.”

Caring extends to journalists, too. “You taking an Uber home?” Cole asks after our interview ends. “Just making sure. It’s kind of late to take the bus.” Chivalry aside, this is why J. Cole wins — and, more importantly, why people want him to win. J. Cole is the people’s champ. He’s the small-town kid who made it without selling out or changing. He proves that being yourself — even if it’s regular — is enough. Nice guys do finish first.

Janet Jackson debuts her comeback single “No Sleeep” with a new clip, directed by Dave Meyers and featuring J. Cole. Janet and Cole spend a rainy day bundled up in a plush house. After dancing up and down the staircase, she heads to the bedroom as Cole delivers his verse.

J. Cole, Cody Macc, Fiend Bassy, and Omen are at this years Budweiser MadeInAmerica. Get tickets now at madeinamerica.com.

J. Cole is bringing back his Dollar & A Dream Tour, this time to celebrate the release of Friday Night Lights. As usual, admission is granted on a first-come first-serve basis for only $1. The first show is set to kickoff in Dallas on June 21st with stops in NYC, Atlanta and LA featuring Dreamville signees Bas, Cozz and Omen as support. Follow @JCOLENC and @DREAMVILLE for venue announcements.

2015 DOLLAR & A DREAM TOUR DATES

6/21 – Dallas, TX
6/22 – New York, NY
6/24 – Atlanta, GA
6/26 – Los Angeles, CA

Dreamville’s own took home the Top rap album award this past weekend at the 2015 Billboard music awards. Cole is currently on his European leg of his ‘Forest Hills Drive’ tour.

TIDAL announces the launch of the offline experience series, “TIDAL X.” The first of many, the “TIDAL X” series is bringing the music and VIP entertainment experience live to cities across the globe and is partnering with J Cole. Tune into tidal.com on Monday, April 27th to catch the stream.

Continuing his run of videos off of  2014 Forest Hills Drive, Cole takes us back to the days of puppy love with his video for Wet Dreamz. The video was directed by Ryan Staake.

Faith Evans takes to the stage at BET’s “Black Girls Rock!” to unveil a beautiful rendition of J. Cole’s Ferguson tribute “Be Free.”

From Lower Manhattan to Harlem, Cozz walks us through “Knock Tha Hustle (Remix)” and the streets of New York. From the hallways of housing project buildings to train stations, and even the legendary Apollo theater, where J. Cole joins him, the rising Dreamville rapper makes his presence felt.

Off of his powerful album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, Cole unveils his latest visual for  “G.O.M.D”. Directed by Lawrence Lamont, the video touches upon a rather dark time in American history, as  Cole portrays a slave who ultimately sparks a rebellion.

J. Cole recently stopped by PBS for a one-on-one sitdown with Tavis Smiley. The full interview airs on March 17th (check your local listings). Special thanks to Tavis Smiley and his team for a great interview. Keep the Faith.

The real is back. J. Cole is bringing his “Forest Hills Drive Tour” to a city near you. Get your tickets now! Click HERE

Dreamville is heading to Austin to headline the 7th Annual SXSW Takeover.

Presented by New Era, the Dreamville Takeover will take place on Saturday, March 21st at ACL Live at The Moody Theater. J. Cole will be joined by label mates Bas, Cozz and Omen.

General Admission tickets will be available on the day of the show.

J. Cole joins Jay Z and others to announce Tidal, a subscription based streaming service for music and video. Facing competition from Spotify, Google and Apple, Tidal will be fashioned as a home for high-fidelity audio and exclusive content. “This is a platform that’s owned by artists,” Jay Z said in an interview “We are treating these people that really care about the music with the utmost respect.” Learn more at Tidal.com