Jermaine Lamarr Cole, known professionally as J. Cole, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born on January 28, 1985, on a U.S. military base in Frankfurt, West Germany, he was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Cole’s father, an African American veteran, departed the family during his youth, leaving his mother, Kay, a white American postal worker, to raise him and his older brother, Zach.
Cole developed a passion for music and basketball during his youth. He began rapping at the age of twelve and started producing music after his mother gifted him a sampler for Christmas. After graduating high school with a 4.2 GPA, he moved to New York City to pursue a music career and attended St. John’s University, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in Communications.
In 2007, Cole released his debut mixtape, The Come Up, followed by The Warm Up in 2009 and Friday Night Lights in 2010, which garnered significant attention. His talent led to a signing with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2009. Cole’s debut studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011), debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. Subsequent albums, including Born Sinner (2013), 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014), and 4 Your Eyez Only (2016), continued his commercial success.
In 2021, Cole released his sixth studio album, The Off-Season, which received critical acclaim and topped the Billboard 200. The album’s single “My Life,” featuring 21 Savage and Morray, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2023, his collaboration with Lil Durk on “All My Life” further showcased his versatility and sustained relevance in the hip-hop industry.