J. Cole

J. Cole Announces A One-Night-Only ‘Forest Hill Drive 10th Anniversary’ Concert In New York City

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Over the past few weeks, J. Cole has treated fans new and old to the mixtapes (The Come Up, Vol. 1, The Warm Up, and Friday Night Lights) that launched his career. But the “She Knows” rapper hasn’t forgotten about his early studio albums.

Yesterday (November 29), J. Cole announced a special one-night-only concert to commemorate his third studio album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive. On December 16, lovers of the project or die-hard J. Cole supporters will gather for the “Forest Hill Drive 10th Anniversary” show at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

With the holiday season will underway, the performance, which is presented by Chase and produced by Live Nation, has a special offer for limited tickers. Similar to J. Cole’s “Dollar and A Dream” shows, 2,014 tickets will be made available for $1. But, those tickets will only be made available in-person and limited to one ticket per person.

In addition to the performance, J. Cole has released a 2014 Forest Hills Drive (10 Year Anniversary Edition) vinyl and CD each contain four unreleased bonus tracks (“Home Soon,” “Die Together,” “Judgement Day,” and “Winter Wonderland”). Find more information here.

The presale for “Forest Hill Drive 10th Anniversary” will kick off on Monday, December 2 at 10 a.m. Eastern for Chase credit and debit cardholders. The artist presales is also scheduled for the same time. On Wednesday, December 4 at 10 a.m. Eastern the general sale will launch. Find more information here.

X (Twitter)

Tracklist

1. “Intro”
2. “January 28th”
3. “Wet Dreamz”
4. “03’ Adolescence”
5. “Tale of 2 Citiez”
6. “Fire Squad”
7. “St. Tropez”
8. “G.O.M.D.”
9. “No Role Modelz”
10. “Hello”
11. “Apparently”
12. “Love Yourz”
13. “Note to Self”
14. “Home Soon”
15. “Die Together”
16. “Judgement Day”
17. “Winter Wonderland”

Artwork

X (Twitter)

J Cole Claims That Jay-Z Once Told Drake To Give Cole A Hit Single

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J Cole and his manager and Dreamville cofounder Ibrahim Hamad continue to bring fans a compelling experience via their Inevitable audio series chronicling the former’s career. They brought fans a lot of interesting reflections and revelations so far, with one alleged interaction in particular driving a lot of fan interest. Moreover, the North Carolina rapper and Ib claimed that Jay-Z once told Drake to give Cole a hit single. This was at Hov and LeBron James’ Two Kings dinner during NBA All-Star Weekend in 2011, and Cole wanted to find a hit single before the release of his debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story.

“We having a conversation. Me, Cole, Drake, Future [The Prince],” Ibrahim Hamad said of Jay-Z and J. Cole. “I don’t know who else but there were a couple more people. So then Jay walks in and he sees all of us together. He goes ‘Yo!’ and he looks at Drake and he says ‘Yo, give the boy one,’ points at Cole like basically ‘give him a hit.’ We’re all like ‘what?’ I even remember Future’s face being like, that’s embarrassing.”

Read More: Joe Budden Explains Why Kanye West, Jay-Z & Rihanna Have More “Leverage” Than Drake, Lil Wayne & Nicki Minaj

J Cole & Jay-Z Performing In 2014

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NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 28: Rappers J. Cole and Jay Z perform in concert at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

“He’s looking at Drake and pointing at me and going, ‘Give him a hit, give my boy a hit,’ basically,” J. Cole remarked during the new episode. “What I do remember is being at the dinner after that and I’m just looking at Cole and he looks pissed,” Ib added. How they spoke on the meaning behind all this is that the two MCs were at a highly competitive point and had just collaborated on the song “In The Morning.” Not only that, but Cole had allegedly failed to put out a hit single before this album cycle despite previous attempts like “Blow Up” and “Higher.”

Apparently, J. Cole actually confronted Jay-Z about this situation later into the night, claiming hypocrisy over this demand for a hit single when Reasonable Doubt didn’t have that expectation. What’s funny is that not only did Cole World: The Sideline Story become his biggest album at that time, but “Work Out” proved to be a massive hit. So it all worked out in the end…

Read More: Elliott Wilson Addresses Jay-Z Diss Track Rumors

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J Cole Announces One-Night-Only Concert For “2014 Forest Hills Drive” Anniversary

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While J Cole has had a pretty tough 2024 all things considered, at least he will close it out on a very high note. On December 9, his commercial and critical masterpiece 2014 Forest Hills Drive will turn ten years old, and new physicals with bonus tracks emerged to celebrate. But in addition to that, the Dreamville boss will host a one-night-only concert celebrating the album at Madison Square Garden on December 16. Presale tickets go live on Monday (December 2) with certain unclear access, and general tickets will drop on Wednesday (December 4 ) at 10AM EST via this link.

But J. Cole’s late 2024 celebrations don’t stop there. He also launched the Inevitable audio series with Ibrahim “Ib” Hamad – his manager and label cofounder – and Scott Lazer. It goes over the North Carolina native’s entire discography piece by piece, contains some previews and snippets of unreleased material, and narrates a lot of Cole’s reflections and lessons throughout the different points of his career. It’s been a very compelling experience so far, and we can only imagine what will pop up once we get into the big blockbuster LPs like 2014 Forest Hills Drive.

Read More: J Cole Previews Two Unreleased Kendrick Lamar Collabs Amidst Feud

J Cole Announces One-Night-Only 2014 Forest Hills Drive Show

What’s more is that one of J. Cole fans’ favorite things about this new Inevitable program is how they expanded it as a multi-media venture. Not only do you get these stories about his legendary career, but his team also dropped his old mixtapes on streaming services. The latest one to finally hit DSPs was Friday Night Lights, which for many is the pinnacle of classic Jermaine. Even though many listeners instead focus on the Kendrick Lamar and Drake rap beef plus some disappointing singles, this late-year run shows that people still care about his craft.

Finally, this MSG announcement also comes off the heels of Dreamville Fest 2025’s reveal. Although we don’t know the lineup yet, we can expect J. Cole and many more amazing talents to captivate Raleigh for its fifth anniversary. Considering how notable this year’s event was, make sure you get your ticket. Or, if you’re lucky, you can snag a stub for this 2014 Forest Hills Drive anniversary show.

Read More: J Cole Reveals How Listening To Drake For The First Time Changed His Career

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J Cole & Drake Showed Off Their Chemistry 14 Years Ago On “In The Morning”

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J Cole recently released his classic and beloved 2010 mixtape Friday Night Lights on streaming services for the first time, and fans are rejoicing as a result. It’s a big unexpected hit of nostalgia amid a pretty interesting year for the Dreamville boss, such as a new reflective audio series, a brand-new mixtape, and a Kendrick Lamar battle that seems to shift in public perception with each new update. But none of that would be possible without Cole’s talent, one that he displays on “In The Morning.”

It’s a pretty smooth and steady romantic cut that leans more lustful than languid, and features the other big piece of the Kendrick Lamar battle: Drake. He and J. Cole are in a pretty vague spot right now, mostly because Drizzy himself hasn’t really responded to the North Carolina MC’s defense of him in any significant way. But their chemistry on this Friday Night Lights cut is quite solid, and it’s one that they definitely improved upon 13 years later with tracks like “Evil Ways.”

Meanwhile, J. Cole is seemingly closing out 2024 on a reflective note, looking back at his career through the Inevitable audio series. With that in mind, listening to “In The Morning” really brings that retrospection to life. With The Fall Off still on the way and new chapters emerging in the 2024 rap war seemingly every day, it looks like 2025 will also be a busy year for Cole. In any case, we’re excited to see him tackle it.

Read More: Drake & J. Cole Perform “In The Morning” For First Time In 10 Years: See Tour Setlist

J Cole & Drake’s “In The Morning”

Quotable Lyrics
You see, my intentions with you was clear,
I’m learning not to judge a woman by the s**t that she wear,
Therefore, you shouldn’t judge a n***a off the s**t that you hear,
Get all defensive, apprehensive, all because my career

Read More: J Cole Reveals How Listening To Drake For The First Time Changed His Career

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J Cole Finally Drops Iconic Mixtape “Friday Night Lights” On Streaming

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J Cole has been in legacy mode lately. He launched the podcast Inevitable as a means of rehashing his monumental achievements in the rap game. He’s been running through his run of mixtapes in the lead up to his final album, The Fall Off. The best part of this rollout, however, has been the fact that his mixtapes have been released to streaming platforms in conjunction with the podcast. The Come Up and The Warm Up were released, and now, Cole’s mixtape opus, Friday Night Lights, is available.

Friday Night Lights remains one of the finest showcases of J Cole’s career. It sees him produce the lion’s share of songs, and elevate his rapping from the already elite level he was at on The Warm Up. “Back to the Topic” is a dense lyrical showcase, as is his nod to Kanye West, “Villematic.” The collabs are sparse on here, but they are spectacular nonetheless. Wale delivers a show stopper of a verse on “You Got It,” Omen sobers the listener up on “Enchanted.” Most notable, however, is the classic Drake collab, “In the Morning.” It was recycled for J Cole’s major label debut, but hearing it now, with the context of the “Big Three” drama, it’s a reminder of simpler times. Friday Night Lights remains a classic release for those who grew up on Datpiff. Now, it’s available for all.

Let us know what you think of this brand new album, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

Read More: J Cole Reveals How Listening To Drake For The First Time Changed His Career

J Cole’s Third Mixtape Remains One Of His Best Releases

Friday Night Lights tracklist:

  1. Friday Night Lights
  2. Too Deep for the Intro
  3. Before I’m Gone
  4. Back to the Topic
  5. You Got It (featuring Wale)
  6. Villematic
  7. Enchanted (featuring Omen)
  8. Blow Up
  9. Higher
  10. In the Morning (featuring Drake)
  11. 2Face
  12. The Autograph
  13. Best Friend
  14. Cost Me a Lot
  15. Premeditated Murder
  16. Home for the Holidays
  17. Love Me Not
  18. See World
  19. Farewell

Read More: J Cole Announces His Fifth Dreamville Festival

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Kanye West’s 2020 Tweet About The “Big Three” Resurfaces Amidst Feud

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The “Big Three” has really imploded in 2024. Drake, Kendrick Lamar and J Cole declared war on each other, and chaos has ensued. Drake and Cole’s careers have suffered, and Lamar has become the new king of the genre. Kanye West, meanwhile, looms over the “Big Three.” He’s a major influence on all three artists, and has had complicated relationships with each of them over the years. He even got on a remix to “Like That” to throw shots at Drake and Cole. This combativeness was not always the case, though. A tweet from 2020 shows that Kanye West had other plans in mind for the talented trio.

West’s 2020 post about Drake, Kendrick Lamar and J Cole has gone semi viral in the wake of Drake’s legal drama. He praised all three artists, and claimed that he wanted to get them all in the same room in the interest of doing something great for the genre. “We need J Cole Drake Kendrick all in a room 2gthr,” Kanye West wrote. “It’s time to get free… we will not argue… while somebody we don’t know in Europe is getting paid.” It’s a fascinating idea, given how fractured the relationships between all four of these men have become in the last few years.

Read More: J Cole Praises “Favorite Artist” Kanye West Amidst Ongoing Feud

Kanye West Wanted To “Free” Drake, Kendrick And Cole

Kanye West’s tweet is also fascinating given its business implications. The rapper has been rallying against the traditional label system for a decade. He’s suffered financial losses as a result, but he has also claimed to be “free” as a result. Conversely, he called out Drake for being a product of the label machine, and someone who did the biding of those in power. Kanye West suggesting that the biggest rappers in the world team up is so powerful because he alludes to taking back power. He wants to see the men he influenced break “free” of the system.

It’s a sentiment that Kanye West expressed far more negatively during a 2024 appearance on The Download podcast. He claimed Drake had a “rich baby daddy” at UMG named Lucian Grainge. Drake’s decision to file a lawsuit against UMG and Spotify seemingly supports West’s comments. It’s interesting to think of an alternate timeline in which West, Drake, Kendrick and Cole did get a room together around 2020. It’s impossible to say whether or not the “Big Three” battle would have been avoided, but it’s fun to ponder regardless.

Read More: Diddy’s Beverly Hills Home Attracts $30M Offer From Buyer Of Kanye West’s Malibu Mansion

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J. Cole and Dreamville Announce Return of Dreamville Festival for April 2025

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Global superstar J. Cole and Dreamville, the renowned entertainment brand and multi-platinum record label he co-founded, have officially announced the return of Dreamville Festival to Raleigh, North Carolina. The two-day event will take place on Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, 2025, at Dorothea Dix Park.

Presales for the 2025 festival begin Wednesday, December 11, at 9:00 a.m. EST, offering General Admission, GA+, and VIP packages. These presale tickets will be the most affordable, with prices increasing as the event approaches. Any remaining tickets will be available during a general on-sale.

The festival’s 2024 edition drew 100,000 fans from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and over 20 countries to J. Cole’s home state, generating an economic impact exceeding $145 million for the Wake County area. Next spring, Dreamville Festival will once again celebrate music, culture, and community with a lineup of immersive experiences.

JCole2 @SamShapiroMedia SUN 06.04
Sunset2 @SamShapiroMedia SUN 06.04

Attendees can enjoy dozens of local food trucks, artisans, and muralists across the festival grounds. Highlights include the Dreamville Ferris Wheel, offering scenic views of downtown Raleigh, site-wide art installations, and the Dreamville Foundation’s Nonprofit Row, connecting fans with local organizations.

This year’s event will support the Dreamville Foundation and Dix Park Conservancy, with a portion of proceeds benefiting these nonprofit partners. Organizers extend gratitude to the sponsors and partners who help bring this celebrated festival to life each year.

Mark your calendars and prepare to experience the magic of Dreamville in the heart of North Carolina next spring.

The post J. Cole and Dreamville Announce Return of Dreamville Festival for April 2025 appeared first on The Source Magazine.

J Cole Announces His Fifth Dreamville Festival

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J Cole’s 2024 has been very interesting, controversial, and exciting all in one. As of recently, it’s been the latter as the North Carolina native is in the middle of his audio series, Inevitable. The 10-episode podcast-like saga is giving fans a closer and more personal look at the superstar’s journey from a hungry young buck to his biggest album to date, 2014 Forest Hills Drive. It looks like more seasons/volumes of this will be coming, with the potential pot of gold at the end of the rainbow being The Fall Off. Along the way, Cole has been officially rereleasing his three earliest mixtapes along with the episodes named after them.

The last of those is Friday Night Lights and if all goes according to plan, it will be on streaming sometime tomorrow. However, things haven’t been all sunshine and rainbows for Jermaine, especially in the first third of the year. His fourth Dreamville Fest arrived during that stretch, which was awesome. However, his apology at his event to Kendrick Lamar was quite a divisive moment to say the least. The tune on that decision has since changed, but it left some feeling off following that installment of his beloved festival.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar “Squabble Up” Music Video: 8 Key References You May Have Missed

Here’s What To Know About J Cole’s Next Dreamville Festival

 
 
 
 
 
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Hopefully, things will be a bit smoother and a whole lot more epic next year when the outdoor spring festivities return. To be exact, Dreamville Fest will be back starting April 5 and running through the 6th. It will be held once again in Raleigh, NC at Dorothea Dix Park, with tickets going on sale soon. According to a recent press release, a presale will land on Wednesday, December 11 at 9 a.m. EST.

What customers will be able to get their hands on are general admission tickets, general admission plus passes for both days, as well as a few VIP packages. There is another major detail to remember, and its this: “These will be the least expensive tickets available to the general public,” the release reads. “Prices [will increase] as the event date approaches. If any presale tickets remain, a general ticket on-sale will follow.” So, don’t say we didn’t warn you! Make sure you circle your calendars!

Read More: Kendrick Lamar “wacced out murals” Lyric Breakdown

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When Are The Dates For Dreamville Festival 2025?

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Following last year’s edition with headliners SZA and Nicki Minaj and over 100,000 attendees, J. Cole‘s Dreamville Festival is returning in 2025. The artist-led music festival will be held at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, 2025.

The lineup for Dreamville Festival 2025 hasn’t been announced yet, but ticket presales begin on Wednesday, December 11 at 9:00 a.m. ET with two-day GA, GA+, and VIP packages. If any presale tickets remain (here’s a tip if you’re thinking of going: they won’t), a general ticket on-sale will follow. You can find more information here.

Outside of the music, Dreamville Festival, which brings in over $145 million to the local economy, features local vendors, food trucks, artisans, and muralists spread across the festival grounds. Attendees will also be able to enjoy “site-wide art installations; learn more about local community organizations through Dreamville Foundation’s Nonprofit Row; [and] ride the iconic Dreamville Ferris Wheel, which provides unparalleled skyline views of downtown Raleigh and the sprawling festival grounds.”

J. Cole recently shared two previously unreleased collaborations with Kendrick Lamar (he called his Kendrick diss track “the lamest sh*t I did in my f*ckin’ life” at last year’s Dreamville) on the Inevitable podcast. He also released The Come Up, Vol. 1 and The Warm Up mixtapes to digital streaming services.

J. Cole Played A Pair Of Unreleased Kendrick Lamar Collaborations On ‘Inevitable’

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It has been fascinating to see how differently Kendrick Lamar’s ostensible rivals Drake and J Cole have reacted to the Compton prophets’ devastating 2024 run. Their disparate approaches have varied wildly; while Drake apparently sought legal recourse for his public embarrassment (to the disappointment and disapproval of fans online), Cole has taken another, seemingly more apologetic tack. In the latest episode of his nostalgic “not-a-podcast” podcast Inevitable, J. Cole shared a pair of previously unreleased collaborations with Kendrick.

“Shock The World” and “Temptation” were recorded in 2010, around that time everyone thought they would release a joint mixtape together. Cole recounted how their meeting at a 2010 U-N-I release party (now, there is a name I haven’t heard in quite some time), which led to Cole giving K. Dot a few beats to mess around with — including the aforementioned titles and the 2011 Section.80 standout “HiiiPower.”

“When I played them for him, I was like, ‘Bro, you can have these if you want,’” Cole recalls. “I remember he said — and it always stuck with me ’cause I had never heard nobody say this to me before — he was looking at me like, ‘N****, are you sure you want to give me these?!’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, go ahead, take them.’ He was like, ‘Bro, you sleeping on yourself.’ It struck me because it was actually the stone-cold truth of my reality at that time. I was so focused on getting this unicorn hit for my album that I was actually sleeping on the shit that I did well.”

It seems inevitable that this will prompt another round of fan requests for that joint tape (which is, perhaps, Cole’s intention after he flubbed his chance to outrap Kendrick earlier this year), but it also seems equally unlikely that the GNX rapper will be taking requests for the foreseeable future.

You can hear the full story on Inevitable, which you can listen to here.