J. Cole wrote a two-chapter memoir entitled “The Audacity,” which detailed his interconnected journey as a basketball player, rapper, father, and husband.
In the revealing text, he shares that both of his sons were born following the triple-platinum release of Cole’s third studio album, Forest Hills Drive.
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The success of Cole’s GRAMMY-nominated album challenged him to reflect on how to continue executing his life’s purpose. He spent this time going back to his roots, hoping to realign and refocus.
He writes, “In that time I’ve been blessed with two sons, learned the delicate art of balance between parenthood and career, had the pleasure of working with a ton of talented artists as a featured rapper, spent 10 magical days recording a Dreamville album in Atlanta, and put a lot of time and energy into sharpening my sword and growing as an artist.”
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Cole published these two chapters in blog form on The Players’ Tribune.
Since his adolescence, Cole has dreamed of playing professional ball in the National Basketball Association (NBA). However, his desire to be a “rap legend” has always trumped his hoop dreams. At every fork in the road, he has always chosen to prioritize his rap career.
“Unlike basketball, in rap, I was highly advanced beyond any of my peers,” he explains. “Going from Fayetteville, NC, to New York was step one of my quiet but focused journey towards that goal.”
The multi-hyphenated emcee appeared to be transparent about his trials, tribulations, thoughts, and emotions. Line-by-line he takes the reader through his journey, interweaving his monumental success with his emotional and mental discourse.
(Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for ESPN)
He states, “…I could see how steep the mountain was, but still, I wanted to climb. Not because I thought I was good enough, but because I believed that maybe I could be.”
“Not because making it to the mountaintop was something that I needed to do, but because not trying was something that I couldn’t accept.”
The “No Role Modelz” rapper also discussed how his competitive spirit has been both a catalyst and an inhibitor throughout his career. He further shares that the pressure of being at the top lyrically oftentimes made him feel as though he should stop doing what he loves, rapping.
“I’ve learned that a fundamental part of my anatomy is this: I have a relentless drive. When I really want to achieve something, I dig deep and find the work ethic, the foresight, and the patience needed to make it happen.”
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His brief memoir was published, two days before the release of, “The Climb Back” and “Lion King on Ice,” two singles from Cole’s upcoming sixth studio album, The Fall Off.
Cole teased the release of these two singles on Instagram and Twitter.
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