J. Cole made headlines recently for demonstrating his dedication and heart for hip-hop and the community. Cole not only took the time to lend an ear to an aspiring rapper. But he took a minute to offer valuable advice to others in attendance from his wealth of wisdom.
J. Cole
Cole is a self-taught artist with a depth of talent. He devoted much of his younger years to mastering the arts of lyrical flow and production. And he continued to hone his skills through high school and college. Graduating from college with honors in 2007 would not be his only accomplishment. 2007 would also be the year he set his career in motion.
Meant To Be
His debut project, “The Come Up,” would come out the same year as his graduation. However, fate would not take a turn until 2009. Reportedly, Cole’s work caught the ear of a music executive named Mike Pitts. And ironically, Mike Pitts had the ear of Jay Z. According to Biography, a young, ambitious Cole had once before attempted to bend Jay-Z’s ear but with no success. But this time, things would be different; everything would align and lead to an extraordinary outcome, proving if one believes in a dream, one never gives up the hustle. Jay-Z listened, liked what he heard, and signed Cole. And the rest, as they say, is history.
It’s Built In
In the years since Cole has not relented in getting things done. Not only has he released five studio albums, but he’s also produced some top-tier talent, which includes Kendrick Lamar. He started a label, Dreamville, and created a similarly named non-profit. He has always been a light in his community and has shown time and time again that he is not a stranger to giving back. As seen in his visit to an NYC apartment complex on March 22, it is just a part of who he is.
Ty Trilly’s J. Cole Experience
An aspiring hip-hop artist, Ty Trilly, was more than a little hyped when J. Cole showed up to lend an ear to his work in progress, “Adapt.” The artist was so impressed and grateful that he shared the experience on social media. According to Ty Trilly,
“Cole pulled up on me to hear my new shit, No Meetings in the city, straight Raw block shit,”
Trilly didn’t stop at that. He continued to expound on his shock at the advice Cole gave him. Cole mclarifiedthat he didn’t merely come to listen; he came to share some knowledge. He had every intention of giving the artist the push he needed. Cole pushed Ty Trilly to move forward with what he had. This is what Ty Trilly cited Cole as saying,
“Just that! Shoot the video, put that b***h out, it’s gon’ land on the people it’s supposed to land on.”
Those are words that so many can benefit from. Sometimes you have to put it out there.
A Wealth of Wisdom
Cole didn’t only train his focus on Trilly. He offered words of wisdom to the collective, encouraging them to unite as one powerful unit. Cole is cited as saying,
“it’s already a network over here. You n***as just gotta come together; you know what I mean? There are too many people right here not to have the network.”
That is an example of foundational building in action.
Conclusion
Performers/artists may seem monolithic, but most aren’t. It often takes many skills to make it to a position of prominence. However, those other skills are often glossed over. Cole entered the industry with the heart of a preserver, an intellectual’s mind, and a giver’s soul. So giving back was something already built-in him. Therefore, dropping in on an aspiring artist’s creative turf is not odd. This merely reflects who J. Cole is, and is an example that many could aspire to follow.
Written by: Renae Richardson
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