Who is J. Cole? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Jermaine Lamarr Cole, Jermaine Cole

Age: 39 Years, 39 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Melissa Heholt

mother: Kay Cole

Born Country: Germany

Rappers Hip Hop Singers

Height: 6'2" (188 cm), 6'2" Males

Notable Alumni: St. Johns University

City: Frankfurt, Germany

More Facts

education: St. Johns University

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1

What is J. Cole's best album?

Many fans and critics consider "2014 Forest Hills Drive" to be J. Cole's best album, as it is highly praised for its storytelling and introspective lyrics.
2

How did J. Cole get his start in the music industry?

J. Cole got his start in the music industry by self-releasing mixtapes and gaining popularity through online platforms. He eventually caught the attention of Jay-Z, who signed him to his label, Roc Nation.
3

What are some of J. Cole's most popular songs?

Some of J. Cole's most popular songs include "No Role Modelz," "Apparently," "Love Yourz," "Deja Vu," and "Middle Child."
4

Has J. Cole ever won a Grammy Award?

Yes, J. Cole has won multiple Grammy Awards for his work in the music industry, including Best Rap Song for his collaboration with 21 Savage on "A Lot."
5

How does J. Cole stand out as a rapper in the hip-hop industry?

J. Cole is known for his introspective lyrics, storytelling abilities, and social commentary in his music, which sets him apart from many other rappers in the hip-hop industry.

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Childhood & Early Life

J. Cole was born Jermaine Lamarr Cole in Frankfurt, Germany in a US army camp on 28th January 1985, where his father was stationed at that time. His father is of African descent while his mother is German origin. She worked for the postal service of the United States. His father turned his back on his family soon and Cole’s mother brought him and his brother Zach to the US, North Carolina.

Cole was brought up in a multi-ethnic environment and says that his upbringing makes him totally against racism. Cole was a shy kid and was immensely attracted to music and basketball. He played violin for some time and this was the time when he got addicted to music and started dreaming about being a musician someday.

Rapping came natural to Cole and he started doing it quite often by the time he was 12. Upon receiving a music sampler one Christmas from his mother, Cole became hooked to music production. He joined a few local small time groups and started practicing rapping and making beats.

Cole thought that a move to New York would let his musical ambitions breathe and he found the right excuse by expressing the desire to study there and majored in computer science, and kept working on his music side by side.

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Career

J. Cole's career started at a very young age when he and cousin started to learn the basic tricks and nuances of music production on their own. They wrote lyrics together and upon receiving a drum machine from his mother, Cole started refining his music production skills, and by the time he turned 16, he was sending out his mixtapes to some of the best known names in the business such as Jay Z and Eminem, but to no avail.

Cole had already released his first mixtape ‘The come up’ in the hope of getting noticed but got disappointment instead. He would stand outside Jay Z’s office for hours and when he finally got a call from the man himself, he knew his time had come. Jay Z was initially not impressed with Cole, but understood his passion and gave him a chance to feature in one of the songs for his album ‘The Blueprint 3’, which received critical acclaim and thereafter, Cole started collaborating with more artists and released his second mixtape in June 2009.

'Beyond Race' magazine chose him as one of the ’50 great breakthrough artists’ in 2010 and in the same year he embarked on a college tour where he performed several times with Wiz Khalifa. In June, Cole released a freestyle album titled ‘The last stretch’. Later in 2010, Cole came up with his next mixtape titled ‘Friday Night Lights’ which included collaborations with Drake, Omen and Wale. Drake and Cole became buddies and Cole ended up as a supporting act for Drake’s UK tour. In the next few months, Cole supported Rihanna on her tour.

It was now the time for his first studio album ‘Cole Story: The Other Side’ in 2011 and it immediately climbed to the top spot in the Billboard 200 chart in the very first week of its release. He followed the success of his first album with another one in 2013 titled ‘Born Sinner’ which featured names such as Kendrick Lamar, TLC and Miguel. The album made its debut on the Billboard at no.2 spot and went on to sell more than 250000 copies in the first week alone. In the third week, the album gained more popularity and reached the top spot in the much coveted chart.

The very next year, Cole made a comeback with yet another solid album titled ‘2014 Forest Hills Drive’. According to him, it was a little bit autobiographical. Despite being not promoted well enough and announced just a couple of weeks before its release, the album became a massive hit as soon as it hit the markets and debuted at number 1 spot in most of the charts. One single from the album titled ‘Apparently’ was nominated for the Grammy awards in the Best Rap Performance segment and the album also ended up grabbing a nomination for the Best Rap Album award.

His biggest work till date arrived in 2016 in form of ‘4 your eyez only’, and it debuted at the number one spot in the Billboard 200 charts. It raked in the third largest sales weekly for any album released in 2016, lagging behind Drake’s ‘Views’ and Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’. In between releasing the albums, Cole kept appearing in other rapper’s singles and released a mixtape called ‘Revenge of the dreamers’.

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Personal life

J. Cole met Mellisa Heholt during college and they started dating, but nothing was heard of their marriage. In a 2016 interview Cole finally revealed that he has a wife and a baby daughter who was born in the same year.

Cole has founded the Dreamville Records and Dreamville foundation. While the former works towards promoting new talent in the music industry, the latter works towards improving the living standards of youths residing in the ghettos.

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Facts About J. Cole

Cole graduated magna cum laude from St. John's University with a degree in communications, showcasing his dedication to education alongside his successful music career.

Cole is known for his frugal lifestyle, as he famously lived in a small, modest apartment in New York City even after achieving fame and success in the music industry.

In addition to his music career, J. Cole is passionate about giving back to his community. He founded the Dreamville Foundation to support urban youth in North Carolina through various educational and social initiatives.

Cole is a talented basketball player and has showcased his skills in various celebrity basketball games and events, demonstrating his versatility beyond the world of music.

Despite being a prominent figure in the hip-hop industry, J. Cole is known for his introspective and thoughtful lyrics that often touch on personal struggles, societal issues, and the importance of self-reflection.

J. Cole Biography

You wanted to know

What is J. Cole's best album?

How did J. Cole get his start in the music industry?

What are some of J. Cole's most popular songs?

Has J. Cole ever won a Grammy Award?

How does J. Cole stand out as a rapper in the hip-hop industry?