J. Cole started out as a young man venturing from North Carolina to New York in pursuit of his music career. Landing a record deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation, Cole made his mark with the release of his notable mixtapes “The Warm Up” and “Friday Night Lights." Around this time was when I first started listening. A great lyricist and storyteller, he's prevailed in the music industry. With the debut of his third album, “2014 Forest Hills Drive,” he narrates his life from childhood to adolescence. Listeners begin the album with a young, naive boy with a materialistic mindset and end it with a wise man that realizes love is all we need. I was granted the opportunity to watch Cole’s album come to life onstage during his final show of the 2014 Forest Hills Drive Tour. He brought the tour all the way back home to a sold-out show and surprise guests that equated to an amazing and unforgettable experience.
With the album centered around Cole’s origins in North Carolina, I felt it was only right to get the full experience by seeing the show in Fayetteville. There was a sense of familiarity as I too come from a small town, so, ultimately, I felt a sense of comfort. I made it in time to see YG, Big Sean, and Jeremih perform. Jeremih delivered R&B hits that even I forgot he had, while YG kept the crowd engaged and hyped off songs like “Who Do You Love?” and “My N*gga.” Big Sean’s engaging set got the crowd excited for Cole’s debut.
After the lights went down and the curtains were drawn, Cole appeared on stage. His entrance was reminiscent of his album cover, as he appeared to be sitting on a replica of his childhood home with trees and blue skies as his backdrop. After he took a moment to soak in a packed coliseum and the love of his supporters, the show continued. He performed every song from the album and even took it back to his mixtape days. His energy, as well as the crowd’s, was overwhelming, and there was definitely never a dull moment. If Cole wasn’t rapping, he was giving inspirational speeches and cracking jokes, creating a sense of comfort between audience and artist. His attire even screamed comfort as he donned basketball shorts and a black tee with sneakers. The concert had a laid back and fun feel to it and, from what I could see, everyone was enjoying themselves.
At one point, Cole fooled the audience into thinking the concert had ended, but this was not so. What I thought would be a performance of his hit song “Work Out” turned into Drake coming on stage to surprise us. If the energy wasn’t crazy when Cole came out, then it reached new levels with the appearance of Drake. He performed some of his hits before spitting a quick freestyle that we’d never heard. His heartfelt speech expressing his respect and love for J. Cole was heartwarming and was a sight to see, especially with all the beefs that occur in the hip hop industry.
Cole informed us that he had been planning this months prior, and his excitement and disbelief seemed to match ours. He continued on with his surprises with the arrival of none other than Jay Z. There had been rumors swirling around that HOV would be in the building, but it seemed far fetched. However, the rumors became true as we spazzed out to Jay Z rapping “N*ggas in Paris” and a few of his other hits. Big Sean came back on stage to perform “Clique” with Jay and expressed his gratitude as well. I don’t think that I could take one more surprise and, although I was hoping Kendrick would pop out, he didn’t. Nonetheless, the show was amazing and J. Cole ended it with “Power Trip,” one of his best songs from his second album, “Born Sinner.”
There are no words that can do this concert justice. It was the concert of a lifetime and well worth the five or so hours spent to get there. Seeing legends, and legends in the making, take the stage and put on a show surpassed my expectations. More importantly, it was a proud moment to see J. Cole give so much back to a city that means so much to him. Small towns are not given the luxury of having greats like Drake and Jay Z come to their towns. To witness this is to witness history happening for Fayetteville, and I’m so appreciative that I was there. For those who were able to see J. Cole on this tour run, I’m sure you can relate to my excitement. For those who weren't, I would highly recommend that you take the time and money out to see him in concert. I promise you will not be disappointed. Thank you to J. Cole for putting on a phenomenal show, making me feel at home and making me never regret becoming a fan.
