A North Carolina native, Cole grew up with a mother who loved rock and folk while his father was a fan of hardcore hip-hop artists like 2Pac and Ice Cube.

Since 2013, Cole has conducted an annual tour called “Dollar And A Dream” where fans willing to pay one dollar are treated to tracks from his early work.

J. Cole was the first artist signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label who released his official debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story, which debuted on top of the Billboard 200. Featuring the single “Power Trip”. Born Sinner followed in 2013 with guest appearances from Miguel, TLC, and Kendrick Lamar.