J. Cole's Greatest Give-Back Moments With Fans
Happy Birthday to Fayetteville's finest.
1 / 12
Happy Birthday, J. Cole! - J. Cole is one of hip hop’s most generous constituents. Whether it is giving a little bit of his own time to touch base with fans one-on-one or starting major foundations like The Dreamville Foundation to inspire urban youth. Through it all, the platinum selling rapper strives to keep himself connected with his fans and the community alike. Don't believe us?To honor Cole's 30th birthday, check out some of his fan appreciation moments now. — Jon Reyes and Michael Harris(Photo Credit: W.Wade/WENN)
2 / 12
Third Time's the Charm - J. Cole hit up Twitter this month to announce that he was kicking off his Dollar and a Dream Tour once again. So far the dates for the Dollar and a Dream Tour III: Friday Night Lights include stops in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles and popped off on June 21 in Dallas. As a bonus treat, Cole also performed his Friday Night Lights mixtape for his loyal supporters. (Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Mountain Dew)
3 / 12
Dollar and a Dream Tour - In the summers of 2013 and 2014, J. Cole embarked on his fan appreciation Dollar and a Dream Tour. The shows were announced at the last minute and the fans only paid $1. At one show, he even performed his debut, The Warm Up, in its entirety.(Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for American Eagle)
4 / 12
2014 Forest Hills Drive - J. Cole recently purchased his childhood home that his mother had previously lost in foreclosure and was the inspiration and title for his new album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive. Not planning to actually live there, he told The Combat Jack Show, "My goal is to have that be a haven for families. So every two years, a new family will come in. They'll live rent-free. The idea is that it's a single mother with multiple kids, and she's coming from a place where all her kids [are] sharing a room... I want her kids to feel how I felt when we got to the house."(Photo: Roc Nation)
Photo By Roc Nation
5 / 12
'Be Free' - Cole gave voice to a lot of the emotion felt when he recorded the track "Be Free," dedicated to Mike Brown, in August. He then flew to Ferguson, Mo., to pay his respects to the slain teen, visiting the scene of the murder and taking part in the protests. (Photo: cruzxctrl via Instagram)
Photo By Photo: cruzxctrl via Instagram
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 12
The Dreamville Foundation - J. Cole established the Dreamville Foundation in October 2011 to uplift the urban youth of Fayetteville, N.C. His organization donates thousands in school supplies each year and takes kids on field trips to brighten their horizons beyond their neighborhoods. In addition, he hosts the Annual Dreamville Weekends in his hometown where the youth engage in fun-filled and educational activities. (Photo: The Dreamville Foundation via facebook)
7 / 12
Brotherly Love - J. Cole uses Twitter to stay connected to his supporters and one of his followers received a special gift. After asking the Cole World spitter to sign her CD, Cole traveled to Philly and put his John Hancock on her copy of 2014 Forest Hills Drive.(Photo: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
8 / 12
Run the Yard - J. Cole was a surprise speaker last November at Morehouse College and once word got out that the Roc Nation MC was on the grounds, you know he had to walk the A.U.C. yard and build with his fans.(Photo: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for Tequila Don Julio)
9 / 12
Lone Star Visit - Cole made one lucky fan’s dream come true last year when he stopped through Dallas. A Twitter user named Dalia said she wanted to see him and he replied, “Send me DM with your address. I’ll come play u the album.”Shortly after, J. Cole and crew arrived and played video games while kicking it with her family and checking out 2014 Forest Hills Drive before it hit stores. (Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for American Eagle)
10 / 12
The Warm Up - In December, while on his promo run, the “Work Out” MC sent out a cryptic tweet reading, "Baton Rouge I'm at LSU playing football and basketball for a minute. Pull up."It didn’t take long for the students to find him and for a pick-up football game to ensue. After kicking it on the gridiron, Cole then talked with his fans and signed a few autographs.(Photo: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for D'USSE)
ADVERTISEMENT