J. Cole released two new melodies off his upcoming album, “The Fall Off,” Wednesday night: “The Climb Back” and “Lion King on Ice.”
The 35-year-old rapper declared the drop to his social media followers Tuesday and shared that he doesn’t have a release date for the album yet in light of the fact that he’s “taking (his) time, still finishing.” This will be Cole’s 6th studio album following his 2018 “KOD” where he set up for his next release. The last track on “KOD” was named “1985 (Intro to the Fall Off).”
The North Carolina artist’s singles come a couple of days after he wrote an article for The Audacity where he shared his childhood hoop dreams and uncovered he and his wife, Melissa Heholt, had welcomed a second child.
Cole said he was giving a shot to play basketball for St. John’s University, his alma mater, and was considering getting up for his second day of practice where he was “one of the 10 hopefuls” or seeking after a rap career — the primary reason he moved to New York.
“That morning, as I lay in bed, I was at a fork in the road. Turn left and live a life dedicated to basketball and the long and arduous pursuit of a far fetched NBA career. Or turn right and go do what you came here to do. As the clock struck 6:15, I rolled over, covered my face with the comforter and went back to sleep,” he wrote.
Indeed, even as his rap career was taking off, Cole said he despite everything contemplated playing professional basketball. He noticed that his relationship with his music started to change and began to feel “like a marriage that was at a crossroads.” He was uninspired, and the sparkle to make melodies he was glad for traveled every which way.
Cole composed that so as to discover his inspiration and drive again, he moved back to “Mohammad’s crib,” his old apartment and furthermore the “last place (he) had ever been broke in” and put himself through “writing drills.” From there, he completed his “4 Your Eyez Only” album and the “seeds for The Fall Off were planted.”
“Four years have passed. In that time I’ve been blessed with two sons, learned the delicate art of balance between parenthood and career… and put a lot of time and energy into sharpening my sword and growing as an artist,” Cole wrote. “The fire that was once dying out has returned, and for that I’m grateful.”
The release of his two singles off his upcoming album comes only a month after Cole amazed fans by dropping “Snow on tha Bluff” at the height of fights following the passing of George Floyd, a Black man, on account of a white police officer who knelt on his neck for over eight minutes.
The melody lighted a brief feud between him and 28-year-old rapper Noname (otherwise known as Fatimah Nyeema Warner).