J. Cole (born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, 1985) is an American rapper, producer, and songwriter from Fayetteville, North Carolina, who built his reputation on introspective lyricism and self-produced records. Every one of his seven studio albums has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 - a streak few artists in any genre can match. He founded Dreamville Records, which has grown into one of hip-hop's most respected independent-leaning labels, and has long been considered part of rap's elite alongside Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
The Fall-Off, J. Cole's seventh studio album marketed as his final release, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 280,000 equivalent album units in its first week.
J. Cole announced The Fall-Off World Tour, a 70+ date global arena run spanning North America, Europe, the UK, Australia, and South Africa - his first solo headline tour in five years.
With 21 songs from The Fall-Off debuting on the Billboard Hot 100, J. Cole surpassed 100 career chart entries, becoming the 22nd act to reach that milestone.
The 2025 Dreamville Festival - the fifth and final edition - took place at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, NC; Cole subsequently announced a multi-year partnership with Live Nation to continue a reimagined version of the event.
J. Cole released 'Clouds', his first new song of 2025, addressing concerns about artificial intelligence's impact on music.
