He even consulted with Master P, who famously played in a pair of NBA preseason games in the Nineties, about his goals. It’s exactly what you would expect from Cole, who commands a fervent dedication from his fans thanks to a commitment - jarring or not - to what many see as rap authenticity.Ĭole isn’t the first rapper to dabble in professional sports, but he’s arguably the most thorough. J.Cole’s pro ball moment shows us where he sees himself right now - in a universe of his own making, separate from whatever your favorite artists might be on. It’s not unlike the NBA references peppered throughout The Off-Season. There’s a video of Cole warming up with other players on the court while a track from his album plays over the loudspeakers. It is a very specific kind of flex to spend your album’s opening weekend racking up highlight reels on ESPN. He scored 3 points in his team’s win against Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers, all while his album was streamed by scores of listeners around the world. This was just a few days after the release of The Off-Season, J.Cole’s first album in 3 years. Over the weekend, J.Cole played in his first professional basketball game as a 2-guard for the Rwanda Patriots Basketball Club, part of the newly formed Basketball Africa League.

J cole the audacity