J. Cole

Artist Image: J. Cole
Attribution
Image Credit: 3voor12 Youtube (J Cole - Live at WOO HAH! 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_7owyK5Cqo 3voor12), CC BY-SA 4.0

Biography

Jermaine Lamar Cole (born January 28, 1985), better known by his stage name J. Cole, is a German-born American hip hop recording artist and record producer from Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 2009, he became the first artist to sign to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label. His long-awaited debut album titled Cole World: The Sideline Story was released on September 27, 2011. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, Top R&B Albums and Top Rap Albums chart, selling more than 217,000 in its first week sales. He received a nomination for Best New Artist at the 54th Grammy Awards. Cole was born in Frankfurt, Germany, on January 28, 1985. His father is African American and served in the United States Army, while his mother is white. At the age of 8 months old, Cole relocated to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he was raised by his mother, aunt and cousin. His father left the family when he was still a boy. Cole grew up in a multi-ethnic environment. His childhood revolved around a love for both basketball and rap music. He attended Terry Sanford High School and decided to study guitar under the well-known artist Mark Ebert. Cole eventually graduated from high school in 2003. He concluded that he had a better chance of getting a record deal in New York City, so he chose to attend St. John's University on an academic scholarship. There, he majored in communication and minored in business, graduating magna cum laude.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 2007
Number of Albums 29
Record Label Dreamville
Website www.jcolemusic.com
Wikipedia J. Cole on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Genres

Hip Hop

Trivia

What military service did Cole's stepfather serve in?

Army

...nds meet. His mom eventually remarried Cole's stepfather was also in the Army and the family relocated to a nicer home. His stepfather had become abus...
What drug did Coles mother become addicted to after his marriage ended?

crack

... toward Zach; after the marriage ended, Cole's mother became addicted to crack under the influence of a new boyfriend. It was in Fayetteville that Col...
Where did Cole find his passion for music?

Fayetteville

... addicted to crack under the influence of a new boyfriend. It was in Fayetteville that Cole's passion for music found an early outlet when he joined t...
What was Cole's first name of rap?

Blaza

... He also began to teach himself rapping and production, rapping first as Blaza , then as Therapist We used to look through the dictionary for rap names...
What city did Cole move to after high school?

New York

...as a kangaroo mascot. After graduating from high school, Cole moved to New York and attended St Johns University, graduating magna cum laude in 2007 w...
When did Cole graduate from St. Johns University?

2007

...duating from high school, Cole moved to New York and attended St Johns University, graduating magna cum laude in 2007 with a degree in communications....
What is the name of the American hip hop recording artist and record producer?

Jermaine Lamarr Cole

... Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985), better known by his stage name J. Cole, is an American hip hop recording artist and record producer. Bor...
When was J. Cole born?

Frankfurt, Germany

...an American hip hop recording artist and record producer. Born in Frankfurt, Germany , Raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole posted songs on var...
In what state was he raised?

North Carolina

...ecord producer. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina , Cole posted songs on various internet forums at the age of 14 unde...
At what age did Cole post songs on various internet forums?

14

...orth Carolina, Cole posted songs on various internet forums at the age of 14 under the name Blaza, but later switched to the name Therapist. Cole init...
Who was the president of Dreamville?

Ibrahim Hamad

...ich he also founded his record label Dreamville with label president Ibrahim Hamad . Billboard 200, and was soon certified platinum by the Recording In...
What was the name of Cole's second album?

Born Sinner

...f America (RIAA). In June 2013, Cole released his second studio album Born Sinner . The album received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Septemb...
When did Cole release Born Sinner?

June 2013

...d platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In June 2013 , Cole released his second studio album Born Sinner. The album receive...
On what date was Born Sinner certified double platinum?

September 15, 2020

...nner. The album received mostly positive reviews from critics. On September 15, 2020 , Born Sinner was certified double platinum. The album was support...
What was the name of Cole's third studio album?

Forest Hills Drive

...4. On December 9, 2014, Cole released his third studio album 2014 Forest Hills Drive . It was also the first album in 25 years at that time that went p...
When did Cole release his third album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive?

December 9, 2014

...Trip with R&B artist Miguel, which was released on February 14. On December 9, 2014 , Cole released his third studio album 2014 Forest Hills Drive. It ...
What was the name of Cole's first album?

Cole World: The Sideline Story

...tion imprint in 2009. Cole released his debut studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story , in 2011. Billboard 200, and was soon certified platinum by...
When was Cole World: The Sideline Story released?

2011

...Cole released his debut studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, in 2011 . Billboard 200, and was soon certified platinum by the Recording Industr...
What album did Cole release in 2016?

4 Your Eyez Only

... Rap Album. In December 2016 Cole released his fourth studio album 4 Your Eyez Only . The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and wa...
What was Cole's father's race?

African American

... 198 in Frankfurt, Germany on to a European American mother and an African American father. He moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina with his mother w...
Where did Cole move to when his father left the family?

Fayetteville, North Carolina

... American mother and an African American father. He moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina with his mother when his father left the family. Money put h...
What did his mother buy him?

a beat machine

...him the basics of rhyming and word play. His mother then bought him a beat machine which helped him to produce his own music. Cole spent the remainder...
Where did Cole post his music online?

Therapist

...o produce his own music. Cole spent the remainder of his teen years as Therapist , posting his music online under the moniker. In pursuit of a better c...
What major did Cole major in?

communication

...St. John's University on an academic scholarship where he majored in communication and minored in business, graduating magna cum laude. Cole first cam...
What was Cole's first mixtape called?

The Come Up

... graduating magna cum laude. Cole first came up with a mixtape called The Come Up in 2007. With only courage and determination, Cole stood outside Jay...
How long did Cole stand outside JayZ's office building to give him his demo tape?

hours

...courage and determination, Cole stood outside JayZ's office building for hours to give him his demo tape. But when the big rapper came out, Cole was s...
What did Cole do to get his demo tape?

stood outside JayZ's office building for hours

... in 2007. With only courage and determination, Cole stood outside JayZ's office building for hours to give him his demo tape. But when the big rapper ...
What album did Cole release in 2021?

The OffSeason

...tainment. Cole has since returned to the top of the album chart with The OffSeason (2021). Cole's high school grades earned him an academic scholarshi...
What university did Cole attend?

St. John's University

... high school grades earned him an academic scholarship to attend St. John's University in New York City, where the fledgling MC and beatmaker knew he ...
What label did Cole sign with in 2011?

Roc Nation

...am Remi, Large Professor, Just Blaze, and Kanye West Cole signed with Roc Nation . In 2011, Roc Nation released Cole's official debut, Cole World: The ...
What was Cole's first Top 40 single?

Work Out

... Story, which debuted on top of the Billboard 200. Its biggest single, Work Out , became Cole's first Top 40 pop hit as a headliner, reaching number 13...
What was the name of the Miguel collaboration?

Power Trip

...er, followed in 2013 and spawned singles such as the Miguel collaboration Power Trip (a number 19 hit) and the TLC assisted Crooked Smile (number 27)....
Cole began to teach himself what?

rapping and production

...anford Orchestra as a violinist. He then began to teach himself rapping and production , rapping under the name Blaza, then as Therapist before joining...
What is his degree in?

communications

...hns University, graduating magna cum laude in 2007 with a degree in communications . Rap Career In 2007, he debuted his mixtape, The Come Up. It was la...
Where was Cole born?

Germany

... most influential rappers of his generation. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained reco...
In what year did Cole released Born Sinner?

2013

...uted at number one on the US Billboard 200. His next album, Born Sinner ( 2013 ), also topped the Billboard 200. Moving into more conscious themes, 2014...
What was Cole's fifth number one album on the Billboard 200?

KOD

...y (2016), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Cole's fifth album, KOD (2018), became his fifth numberone album on the Billboard 200 and featur...
What year did 4 Your Eyez Only debut?

2016

... 2015 Grammy Awards. His jazz influenced fourth album, 4 Your Eyez Only ( 2016 ), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Cole's fifth album, KOD (2...
How many simultaneous top twenty hits did KOD have?

six

... his fifth numberone album on the Billboard 200 and featured a thenrecord six simultaneous top twenty hits on the Billboard Hot 100, tying with the Be...
When was the OffSeason released?

May 14, 2021

...oard Hot 100, tying with the Beatles. His sixth studio album, The OffSeason, which earned him his sixth numberone album, was released on May 14, 2021 ....
At what age did J. Cole find himself with composition notebooks full of rhymes but no rhymes?

15

...ories with an unbridled rigor. Seizing every opportunity to write, at age 15 J. Cole found himself with composition notebooks full of rhymes but no be...
Who were some of the hip hop luminaries that he delved deep into?

Tupac Shakur, Nas and OutKast

...e delved deep into the music of hip hop luminaries including Tupac Shakur, Nas and OutKast , taking from them a love for telling stories with an unbrid...
What did Cole write in his composition notebooks?

rhymes

...ite, at age 15 J. Cole found himself with composition notebooks full of rhymes but no beats of his own to lay them on. She granted his wish and from t...
Where did Cole move to after high school?

New York City

...online under the moniker. In pursuit of a better chance, he moved to New York City as soon as he graduated from high school He enrolled in St. John's ...