J. Cole

Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born 28 January 1985 on a U.S. military base in Frankfurt, West Germany) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. After early mixtapes The Come Up (2007), The Warm Up (2009), and Friday Night Lights (2010) built underground heat, he signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and debuted with Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011)—the first of a long run of Billboard 200 No. 1 albums.

Known for introspective lyricism, self-production, and leadership of Dreamville Records, Cole’s catalog includes Born Sinner, 2014 Forest Hills Drive (a multi-platinum, no-features cultural landmark), 4 Your Eyez Only, KOD, The Off-Season, and high-impact singles such as “MIDDLE CHILD,” “No Role Modelz,” and “Work Out.” A Grammy winner and stadium-level draw, he balances commercial reach with a reputation for bars-first integrity and long-form storytelling about class, ambition, and the South.

Expect dense narrative hip-hop, North Carolina roots, and catalog anthems when J. Cole headlines major U.S. markets—including Texas arena and festival dates—where the set usually spans mixtape classics through late-career reflections.