The Real Sideline Story: How J. Cole Came to Be a Major Player in the Rap Game

Cole today is a very different rapper from the J. Cole we first heard on Jay-Z’s aptly titled track from The Blueprint 3, “A Star is Born” and that’s a good thing. J. Cole’s first appearance was nothing short of fire, with that very same verse being the foundation for a long roller-coaster of a journey; from a kid with big dreams in New York, to one of the most well-known and popular rappers in the world.

Return of Ole Virginny

Virginia has always had a major foot in the music since the 90’s, with Hip-Hop legends like Skillz, Lonnie B, D’angelo, Missy Elliot, Lady of Rage, Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and The Clipse. More recently, Trey Songz, Chris Brown, and Lex Luger, who’ve undeniably changed their respective genres with their individual sound, have been grouped along with them. While when most people think of Hip-Hop or Rap, they don’t think of Virginia, the Old Dominion has played an extremely integral part in shaping the sound of the game as we know it. Local prospects are showing the same capacity for game changing moves with swift developing popularity and cosigns.