[1]Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper, singer, record producer and professional basketball player from Fayetteville, North Carolina. He first gained recognition in 2007, following the release of his debut mixtape The Come Up. Shortly after its release, Cole was contacted by Jay-Z and subsequently signed to his record label Roc Nation in 2009. That same year, Cole released his second mixtape, The Warm Up, which was followed by his third mixtape, Friday Night Lights, in 2010.
Cole's debut studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, was released in 2011, and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling more than 218,000 copies in its first week. He received a nomination for Best New Artist at the 54th Grammy Awards. Cole's second album, Born Sinner, was released in 2013, and peaked at number one on the chart. His third album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, was released in 2014 and also debuted at the number one position on the charts, giving Cole his third number one album. The album also earned him his first Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. In December 2016, Cole released his fourth studio album, 4 Your Eyez Only. The album debuted at #1 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified platinum in April 2017. His fifth studio album, KOD, was released in April 2018 and also debuted at the #1 spot on the charts, earning Cole his 5th number one album.
Self-taught on piano, Cole also acts as a record producer, producing singles for artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Janet Jackson, as well as handling the majority of the production on his own projects. He has also developed other ventures, including Dreamville Records, as well as a non-profit organisation called the Dreamville Foundation. Cole signed with the Rwanda-based Patriots BBC of the Basketball Africa League for the 2021 season.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- 2011: Cole World: The Sideline Story
- 2013: Born Sinner
- 2014: 2014 Forest Hills Drive
- 2016: 4 Your Eyez Only
- 2018: KOD
- 2021: The Off-Season
Mixtapes[]
- 2007: The Come Up
- 2009: The Warm Up
- 2010: Friday Night Lights