Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in early 2007 in which he also founded his record label Dreamville with label president Ibrahim Hamad. Intent on further pursuing a solo career as a rapper, he went on to release two additional mixtapes The Warm Up in 2009 and Friday Night Lights in 2010, after signing to Jay Z's Roc Nation imprint in 2009.
Cole released his debut studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, on September 27, 2011, which included the lead single "Work out". It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, and was soon certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
In June 18, 2013, Cole released his second studio album Born Sinner. Born Sinner sold 297,000 copies in its first week of release, and peaked at number one in it's third week of release. The album received mostly positive reviews from critics. On September 15, 2020, Born Sinner was certified double platinum. The album was supported by the lead single Power Trip with R&B artist Miguel, which was released on February 14.
On December 9, 2014, Cole, released his third studio album "2014 Forest Hills Drive". It was also the first album in 25 years at that time that went 3 times platinum with absolutely no features. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 353,000 copies in its first week and was certified platinum on March 31, 2015. The latter earned him his first Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. The album was later accompanied by two documentaries "J. Cole: Road to Homecoming" in the period of December 16, 2015 – January 9, 2016 & "Forest Hills Drive: Homecoming" on January 9, 2016.
On 9 December, 2016, Cole released his fourth studio album "4 Your Eyez Only". The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart with 492,000 album-equivalent units, of which 363,000 were pure album sales, becoming Cole's fourth number one album. On January 12, 2017, the album was certified gold and certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on April 7, 2017.
On April 20, 2018 Cole released his 5th studio album "KOD", after he revealed the album name two days after and held a couple listening sessions. The album featured his new alter ego kiLL edward under which he released the single "Tidal Wave (just a little reference)" on April 18th, 2018, 2 days before releasing KOD. The album was recieved with positive reviews from critics and debuted atop the US Billboard 200, selling 397,000 album-equivalent units in its first week (174,000 coming from pure sales), earning Cole his fifth consecutive number-one album in the country. The album broke several streaming records at the time of the release. On December 5, 2018 the album was certified platinum.
Cole released a 2 song EP called "Lewis Street" on July 22, 2020, which included the single "The Climb Back", which would later be featured on his 6th studio album. On May 7, 2021, Cole released the lead single "Interlude" one week before releasing his 6th studio album. Cole's 6th studio album "The Off-Season" was released on May 14, 2021. The album sold 282,000 album-equivalent units in its first week and would earn Cole his sixth consecutive number-one album in the country. 4 of the 12 songs debuted on the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100, with the song "My Life" featuring 21 Savage & Morray peaking at number 2.
Self-taught on piano, Cole also acts as a producer alongside his hip hop career, producing singles for artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Janet Jackson, as well as handling the majority of the production in his own projects. He has also developed other ventures, including Dreamville Records, as well as non-profit organization the Dreamville Foundation. In January 2015, Cole decided to house single mothers rent-free in his childhood home in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Born Sinner
J. Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I die today my nigga was it business? Was it personal?
Should this be my last breath I'm blessed cause it was purposeful
Never got to church to worship lord but please be merciful
You made me versatile, well-rounded like cursive
Know you chose me for a purpose, I put my soul in these verses
Born sinner, was never born to be perfect
Sucka for women licking their lips and holding these purses
Teachers treated niggas as if they totally worthless
And violent, and hopeless
I saw but never noticed that a college point is right to be
'All you can be' posters
Rest in peace to Tiffany
I don't know if this is the realest shit I wrote
But know that the realest nigga wrote this
And signed it, and sealed it in a envelope
And knew one day you would find it
And knew one day that you would come back and rewind this, singing
I'm a born sinner
But I die better than that, swear
You were always where I needed you to be
Whether you were there or not there (I was there)
I was born sinning
But I live better than that (better tonight)
If you ain't fucking with that
I don't care (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Yeah, this music shit is a gift
But God help us make it cause this music business is a cliff
I got a life in my grip, she holding tight to my wrist
She screaming: "Don't let me slip"
She see the tears in my eyes, I see the fear on her lips
True when I told you
"You the only reason why I don't flip and go insane"
My roof in the pouring rain
You knew me before the fame, don't lose me the more I change
Just grow with me, go broke you go broke with me
I smoke you gon' smoke with me
Woman's curse since birth, man lead her to the hearse
I go Bobby you go with me damn
Listen here, I'll tell you my biggest fears
You the only one who knows them
Don't you ever go expose them
This life is harder than you'll probably ever know
Emotions I hardly ever show
More for you than for me
Don't you worry yourself
I gotta do this for me
They tell me life is a test but where's a tutor for me
Pops came late I'm already stuck in my ways
Ducking calls from my mother for days
Sometimes she hate the way she raised me but she love what she raised
Can't wait to hand her these house keys with nothing to say
Except
I'm a born sinner
But I die better than that, swear
You were always where I needed you to be
Whether you were there or not there (I was there)
I was born sinning
But I live better than that (better tonight)
If you ain't fucking with that
I don't care (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm a born sinner
But I die better than that, swear
You were always where I needed you to be
Whether you were there or not there (I was there)
I was born sinning
But I live better than that (better tonight)
If you ain't fucking with that
I don't care (yeah, yeah, yeah)
In the song "Born Sinner," J. Cole explores the themes of morality, purpose, and gratitude for the blessings in his life. The lyrics showcase his reflections on the choices he has made and the person he has become. He admits that he has made mistakes and has sinned, but he does not dwell on them. Instead, he focuses on making the best of the time he has left and fulfilling his purpose.
The opening lines of the first verse ("Spinning in circles, live my life without rehearsal") suggest that J. Cole is living his life without any pre-planning or strategy. He is just going with the flow, making choices as they come. The lines that follow show that he is fully aware that his lifestyle could lead to his early demise. He questions the motive behind his potential death, whether it was personal or business-related. J. Cole then acknowledges that his life has been purposeful - even if he never made it to church to worship the Lord, he has utilized his talent and chosen platform to put his soul into his verses.
The chorus of the song connects directly to the theme of being a born sinner. It speaks to the idea that we are all imperfect and make mistakes but that we must strive to live better than our sinful nature. J. Cole also reflects on the people who have played a critical role in his life and who have helped him stay on track. He talks about his fear of losing his grip on reality and spiraling out of control. He shows gratitude to the people who have been there to help him overcome those fears and urges them to continue supporting him in the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Spinning in circles, live my life without rehearsal
I'm living my life without knowing what the future holds and navigating it blindly.
If I die today my nigga was it business? Was it personal?
If I were to die today, I wonder if it would be because of something I was involved in or just by chance.
Should this be my last breath I'm blessed cause it was purposeful
If this were my final moments, I would be grateful that my life had meaning and I left an impact on the world.
Never got to church to worship lord but please be merciful
I haven't been to church to worship, but I hope that God shows me mercy regardless.
You made me versatile, well-rounded like cursive
God made me a versatile person with diverse abilities and talents, similar to how cursive writing is complex and diverse.
Know you chose me for a purpose, I put my soul in these verses
I believe that God has chosen me for a purpose, and I express myself and pour my soul into my songs.
Born sinner, was never born to be perfect
I was born with flaws and imperfections, and I know that I will never be perfect.
Sucka for women licking their lips and holding these purses
I have an attraction to women who are seductive and materialistic.
Back when we ran the streets who would think we grow to be murderers
In the past, when my friends and I were reckless and carefree, no one would have imagined that we could become violent offenders.
Teachers treated niggas as if they totally worthless
Teachers didn't treat us with respect and believed that we were worthless and would never accomplish anything.
And violent, and hopeless
As a result of this treatment, some people in my community became violent and hopeless.
I saw but never noticed that a college point is right to be 'All you can be' posters
I saw motivational posters that encouraged going to college and being successful, but I never really paid attention or believed it was possible for me.
Rest in peace to Tiffany
I'm paying my respects to someone who has passed away, Tiffany.
I don't know if this is the realest shit I wrote
I'm unsure if this is my most genuine and honest song yet.
But know that the realest nigga wrote this
Regardless, I want everyone to know that I am an authentic and genuine person.
And signed it, and sealed it in a envelope
I've written this down and kept it safe and secure, like a message of importance.
And knew one day you would find it
I believe that someday, someone will discover this message and understand its significance.
And knew one day that you would come back and rewind this, singing
I hope that whoever finds this message will listen to the song and relate to it.
I'm a born sinner
I was born with flaws and imperfections, but I'm still a good person.
But I die better than that, swear
I know that when I die, I will have lived a life that I can be proud of.
You were always where I needed you to be
You have always been there for me when I needed you, even if you weren't physically present.
Whether you were there or not there (I was there)
Even if you weren't there, I was present and made it through on my own.
If you ain't fucking with that I don't care
If you don't agree with me or my music, it doesn't bother me.
Yeah, this music shit is a gift
I see making music as a talent and something I'm grateful for.
But God help us make it cause this music business is a cliff
The music industry is extremely difficult and treacherous, and I don't know if I can make it without divine assistance.
I got a life in my grip, she holding tight to my wrist
I have a woman in my life who is holding onto me tightly and wants me to succeed.
She screaming: "Don't let me slip"
She is worried that I will fail or slip up and wants me to stay on track.
She see the tears in my eyes, I see the fear on her lips
She can tell that I'm emotional and struggling, and I can see the fear in her expression.
True when I told you
When I said this before, I meant it.
"You the only reason why I don't flip and go insane"
You are the person who keeps me grounded and sane in this chaotic life.
My roof in the pouring rain
I'm enduring hardships and difficult times in my life.
You knew me before the fame, don't lose me the more I change
The person I am now is the same person you knew before I became famous, and I hope to stay true to myself despite any changes.
Just grow with me, go broke you go broke with me
I want you to grow and change alongside me, even if it means struggling financially together.
I smoke you gon' smoke with me
I have habits and vices that I hope you will accept and join me in.
Woman's curse since birth, man lead her to the hearse
Being a woman is something that has been difficult and challenging for you since birth, and men have only made it worse.
I go Bobby you go with me damn
I'm committed to this lifestyle and path, and I hope you will join me on it.
Listen here, I'll tell you my biggest fears
I'm going to open up to you and share my deepest fears.
You the only one who knows them
You're the only person I trust to share this information with.
Don't you ever go expose them
Please don't share my fears or vulnerabilities with anyone else.
This life is harder than you'll probably ever know
My life is extremely difficult and complicated, and you may not fully understand the extent of it.
Emotions I hardly ever show
I rarely display my emotions fully or openly.
More for you than for me
I try to be successful and accomplish things in life for your benefit more than my own.
Don't you worry yourself
Please don't worry about me or my problems.
I gotta do this for me
I'm pursuing my goals and dreams because it's something that personally fulfills me.
They tell me life is a test but where's a tutor for me
People often say that life is a test, but I don't have anyone to guide me through it or teach me what I need to know.
Pops came late I'm already stuck in my ways
My father was absent for most of my formative years, and I've already established my own patterns and habits.
Ducking calls from my mother for days
I'm avoiding my mother's attempts to contact me, possibly out of guilt or shame.
Sometimes she hate the way she raised me but she love what she raised
My mother may have regrets about how she raised me, but she loves me and is proud of who I've become.
Can't wait to hand her these house keys with nothing to say
I'm looking forward to giving my mother the keys to a new home as a way of thanking her for everything she's done, even though words may not be enough.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Jermaine L. Cole, James Edward Fauntleroy Ii, Anthony Parrino, Juro Davis, Canei Finch, Ibrahim Hamad
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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