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.
Dolla and A Dream
J. Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So if its about that cream, then I’m all up in the spot
I was raised in the F-A
Why a nigga never gave me nothing?
Pops left me, I ain’t never cry, baby, fuck him, that’s life
And trust me I’m living,
Look what a nigga made out,
The shit that I was given,
Momma sewing patches on my holes,
Man, our hoes couldn’t put this flame out.
Straight up, I got my back against the brick wall,
I’m from a world where niggas never pop no Cristal, it was pistols.
You pass through, you better pray them bullets missed y’all,
I thank the Lord He let a nigga make it this far,
A lot niggas don’t, a lot of moms weep.
I gotta carry on, all the weight is on me.
You never know when a nigga might try to harm me.
Rest In Peace that nigga John Lee,
I pour liquor, homie
It’s foul, but yo the world keeps spinning,
Gotta keep winning, get up off this cheap linen,
Nigga Imma eat, even if it means sinning,
Niggas want beef, Imma sink my teeth in ‘em
Pause, I go harder, I'm all about a dollar
You niggas street smart? I’m a motherfucking scholar
So trust me, I ain’t stopping ‘til my money is long,
So much dough, them hoes will think I’m rocking money cologne
Have a model at the crib waiting, “Honey, I’m home.”
Cooking greens for a nigga, give ‘em plenty, a dome.
It’s funny, we dream about money so much its like we almost got it,
Until we reach up in our pockets, its time to face reality,
The ville is a trap nigga now,
And if you ain’t focused you gonna be here for awhile,
My nigga Mike rolling with me, riding shotgun,
Type a nigga know about every car, but don’t got one.
That’s hunger, no wonder niggas fucking with the evils,
Posted on the corner, selling crack like its legal
But who am I to judge how a nigga get his paper?
This money coming soon, dog, I’m tryna get my cake up
I guess I gotta wake up these niggas myself,
An E&J sipper, but my shit is top shelf,
Young J, the rawest shit you niggas ever heard of
A journalist nigga, call me the Fayetteville Observer
You know the routine, man
Fayettnam
Real niggas can relate,
And Ville niggas can relate, man.
My niggas know about the struggle, man.
What you know about your momma sewing patches on your holes, nigga?
I had the light blue jeans with the green patches, haha, oh shit.
I was in like first grade man, I swear
It was like the Sixes came out, the Jordan Sixes.
Them shit was so fly man, I wanted them so bad.
Darryl what up man?
My nigga Darryl had them shits on in class yo,
I wanted that shit soooo bad.
I begged my mom for that shit, you know.
But she couldn’t afford it, yo, she gave me,
Got me some Reeboks black tops, ahaha
But that was all good tho, cuz uh,
The year after that I had, I had some, some no name shits,
Some all black shits, haha
Them shits had metal, metal shoelace buckles and shit, you know?
But you know back then niggas didn’t,
Niggas ain’t even know he was broke man, no worries and shit.
But uh, times have changed man, I got bills,
My mom is in debt, what you know about that?
College loans and shit, nigga
Gotta get this money, ma
In "Dolla and A Dream," J. Cole expresses his determination to succeed despite coming from a difficult background. Growing up in the "ville," where many people sell drugs to make a living, J. Cole had to navigate a world of violence and poverty while trying to achieve his dreams. He explains that all he has is "a dolla and a dream" and that he's been raised to be resilient, which is why he can make something out of nothing. J Cole talks about the challenges he's faced growing up in a place where people get shot and die frequently.
He also talks about his desire to be successful and wealthy. He claims that he's not stopping until his money is long and he's living large. This ambition is emphasized by his declaration that he's a motherfucking scholar, which suggests that he's smart and capable of achieving anything he sets his mind to. He mentions how many people in his community get caught up in the cycle of poverty and low ambition, but he won't fall prey to those traps.
Throughout the song, J. Cole emphasizes the importance of hard work, dedication, and persistence in achieving one's goals. He also acknowledges the harsh realities of the world and how difficult it can be to succeed, but he remains resolute in his pursuit of greatness.
Line by Line Meaning
A dolla and a dream, that's all a nigga got
All I have is a little bit of money and a dream of a better life.
So if its about that cream, then I’m all up in the spot
If it's about money, then I'll do whatever it takes to get it.
I was raised in the F-A
I was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Why a nigga never gave me nothing?
Why does no one ever help me or give me anything?
Pops left me, I ain’t never cry, baby, fuck him, that’s life
My father abandoned me, but I never cried about it. That's just how life is.
And trust me I’m living,
Believe me, I'm alive and well.
Look what a nigga made out,
Look at the success I've achieved despite my struggles.
The shit that I was given,
The difficult circumstances and challenges that I faced.
Look what a nigga came out
Look at how far I've come despite the odds against me.
Momma sewing patches on my holes,
My mother had to sew patches on my clothes because we couldn't afford new ones.
Man, our hoes couldn’t put this flame out.
Even with tough times, my spirit and drive can't be extinguished.
Straight up, I got my back against the brick wall,
I feel trapped and hopeless in my current situation.
I’m from a world where niggas never pop no Cristal, it was pistols.
I grew up in a neighborhood where guns were more common than champagne.
You pass through, you better pray them bullets missed y’all,
If you're not from here and you come around, you better hope you don't get shot.
I thank the Lord He let a nigga make it this far,
I am grateful to God for allowing me to overcome my struggles and be where I am today.
A lot niggas don’t, a lot of moms weep.
Many people don't make it out of where I come from, and their mothers mourn their loss.
I gotta carry on, all the weight is on me.
I have to keep going, despite the challenges and pressure I face.
You never know when a nigga might try to harm me.
I'm always on guard because I never know who might try to hurt me.
Rest In Peace that nigga John Lee,
A tribute to someone who has died.
I pour liquor, homie
I'm pouring out a drink in memory of someone who has passed away.
It’s foul, but yo the world keeps spinning,
Life can be rough, but it goes on regardless.
Gotta keep winning, get up off this cheap linen,
I have to keep succeeding and rising above my current situation.
Nigga Imma eat, even if it means sinning,
I will do whatever it takes to provide for myself, even if it's not necessarily legal.
Niggas want beef, Imma sink my teeth in ‘em
If someone wants to start a fight, I'm not going to back down.
Pause, I go harder, I'm all about a dollar
I am committed to working hard and making money.
You niggas street smart? I’m a motherfucking scholar
I'm smart, book-smart and street-smart.
So trust me, I ain’t stopping ‘til my money is long,
I am determined to make as much money as I can and be financially secure.
So much dough, them hoes will think I’m rocking money cologne
I will have so much money that it's as if I'm wearing it like a fragrance.
Have a model at the crib waiting, “Honey, I’m home.”
When I'm successful, I will have beautiful women waiting for me at home.
Cooking greens for a nigga, give ‘em plenty, a dome.
These women will take care of me and cook me delicious meals.
It’s funny, we dream about money so much its like we almost got it,
We often fantasize so much about wealth that it feels like it's within reach.
Until we reach up in our pockets, its time to face reality,
When we actually check our bank accounts, we realize we don't have as much money as we thought.
The ville is a trap nigga now,
The place where I come from is a difficult, limiting environment.
And if you ain’t focused you gonna be here for awhile,
If you're not careful and determined, you will be stuck here for a long time.
My nigga Mike rolling with me, riding shotgun,
My friend Mike is with me, sitting in the passenger seat.
Type a nigga know about every car, but don’t got one.
Mike likes cars and knows a lot about them, but he doesn't have one of his own.
That’s hunger, no wonder niggas fucking with the evils,
The lack of resources and opportunities causes people to resort to illegal and dangerous means to survive.
Posted on the corner, selling crack like its legal
People sell drugs and engage in other criminal activities as if it's normal and legal.
But who am I to judge how a nigga get his paper?
It's not my place to criticize someone for how they make money.
This money coming soon, dog, I’m tryna get my cake up
I'm expecting a large sum of money soon and I'm trying to increase my wealth.
I guess I gotta wake up these niggas myself,
I have to motivate myself and others, because no one else will do it for us.
An E&J sipper, but my shit is top shelf,
I drink cheap liquor, but I have high standards and expectations for my life.
Young J, the rawest shit you niggas ever heard of
My music is authentic and real, and nothing else compares to it.
A journalist nigga, call me the Fayetteville Observer
I'm like a journalist, observing and reporting on life in Fayetteville.
You know the routine, man
You know how it is.
Fayettnam
A slang term for Fayetteville.
Real niggas can relate,
People who have lived similar experiences can understand.
And Ville niggas can relate, man.
People from Fayetteville can relate to what I'm saying.
My niggas know about the struggle, man.
My friends and I have experienced a lot of hardship and adversity.
What you know about your momma sewing patches on your holes, nigga?
Do you know what it's like to have to wear clothes with patches sewn on them by your mother?
I had the light blue jeans with the green patches, haha, oh shit.
I have a specific memory of wearing light blue jeans with green patches sewn on them.
I was in like first grade man, I swear
This happened when I was very young, in first grade.
It was like the Sixes came out, the Jordan Sixes.
I remember a specific time when a certain pair of shoes, the Jordan Sixes, were popular.
Them shit was so fly man, I wanted them so bad.
I thought those shoes looked really cool and I really wanted them.
I begged my mom for that shit, you know.
I pleaded with my mother to buy them for me.
But she couldn’t afford it, yo, she gave me,
My mother didn't have the money to buy them, so she got me something else instead.
Got me some Reeboks black tops, ahaha
Instead of the Jordan Sixes, my mother bought me a different pair of shoes, Reebok black tops.
But that was all good tho, cuz uh,
But it was okay, because I was grateful for what I had.
The year after that I had, I had some, some no name shits,
The following year, I had a pair of shoes that weren't a popular brand.
Some all black shits, haha
These shoes were plain black.
Them shits had metal, metal shoelace buckles and shit, you know?
They had metal buckles on the shoelaces.
But you know back then niggas didn’t,
But at that time, people didn't care as much about having the latest fashion.
Niggas ain’t even know he was broke man, no worries and shit.
People didn't realize that I was poor, and I didn't worry about it too much.
But uh, times have changed man, I got bills,
Now, things are different and I have a lot of expenses to pay for.
My mom is in debt, what you know about that?
My mother is struggling with debt, do you understand what that's like?
College loans and shit, nigga
I have to pay for college loans and other expenses.
Gotta get this money, ma
I have to make money to support myself and my family.
Contributed by Chloe Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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