Biography

J. Cole, the first artist signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, was among the most commercially successful rap artists of the early 2010s. Born in Germany but raised in North Carolina, Jermaine Cole grew up with a mother who loved rock and folk, and a father who was a fan of hardcore rap artists like 2Pac and Ice Cube. Cole's high school grades earned him an academic scholarship to attend St. John's University in New York City, where Cole knew he could make progress as a musician. After numerous days standing outside Jay-Z's office in hopes of giving him a demo, Cole finally ran... Read more