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.
Knock On Wood Freestyle
J. Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The feeling's in my head
I trust your heart instead
Guess I'll try to be a better man
It's time to make a change
My life to rearrange
But "I don't know" is
The only answer that I give
And read my lips
And in the meantime
Have a smoke that makes you sick
Squeeze a lemon
And drink your drink
Tell me what your mind is acting up
A simple change in chemicals is usually enough
Blue and gold and dreaming up some more
It's time to make a change
My life to rearrange
But "I don't know" is
The only answer that I give
Teach a lesson
And read my lips
And in the meantime
Have a smoke that makes you sick
Squeeze a lemon
And drink your drink
Need some wood to knock
My heart keeps ticking like a clock
And all the wishes in my well
Won't sink this under
When I'm old and grey
I hope my heart still ticks away
And all the memories that I've have
Won't drag me under
The lyrics of J. Cole's song Knock On Wood Freestyle reveal his thoughts about his personal growth and self-improvement journey. He starts by admitting that he has been searching for something without really knowing what it is. He trusts his heart to guide him towards it, but he realizes that he needs to become a better man to find it. He acknowledges that he needs to make a change in his life and rearrange his priorities but admits that he does not have all the answers yet.
The chorus of the song, "But 'I don't know' is the only answer that I give," shows his uncertainty and confusion about his future. However, he recognizes the importance of learning lessons along the way and taking time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like having a smoke or drinking a lemonade.
The second part of the song emphasizes the need to take care of oneself and focus on the present moment. He talks about the benefits of simple things like changing one's mood or working towards a goal. He also touches on the theme of nostalgia and how memories can sometimes hold us back.
Overall, J. Cole's Knock On Wood Freestyle is about personal growth and self-reflection, and ultimately, it encourages the listener to take control of their life and make positive changes.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know what I've been looking for
I'm not sure of my aim in life
The feeling's in my head
My thoughts and emotions are in conflict
I trust your heart instead
I count on your intuition
Guess I'll try to be a better man
I will attempt to improve my behaviour
It's time to make a change
I've realized I need to alter my lifestyle
My life to rearrange
I must reorganize my priorities
But "I don't know" is
My uncertainty is
The only answer that I give
The sole response I provide others
Teach a lesson
Learn from my mistakes
And read my lips
Pay attention to what I say
And in the meantime
Meanwhile
Have a smoke that makes you sick
Indulge in something harmful
Squeeze a lemon
Use a remedy or remedy
And drink your drink
Have a beverage
Tell me what your mind is acting up
Share your worries with me
A simple change in chemicals is usually enough
Often minor adjustments can make a significant difference
Blue and gold and dreaming up some more
Combining pleasure with hopefulness
Need some wood to knock
Require some fortune to avoid misfortune
My heart keeps ticking like a clock
My heart doesn't stop despite the ticking of the clock
And all the wishes in my well
Despite my fervent desires
Won't sink this under
Won't overwhelm me
When I'm old and grey
In the distant future
I hope my heart still ticks away
I hope to continue existing
And all the memories that I've have
Despite the recollections I've experienced
Won't drag me under
Won't be a burden to me
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Thomas Attwood
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
CJ Trillo
man, i got love for a lot of these new rappers...kid cudi, b.ob., wale, jay electronica....even drake a little bit. but on some real shit, nobody's on this fool cole's level. the young dude is the future.
Skillz
This aged well
Sabbagh
@Skillz Lmao frfr
Jorge Carmelino
god comment
Jay Pr
Wtf faxx
Simangaliso Sithole
Talk about aging well like fine wine.
Trini
I remember bumping this on my way to school damn near everyday can’t believe it’s been damn near 10 years.
PudWhacker
Same 😩
Leon Norbel
This freestyle will never get old. Cole you’re a genius & my god how far you’ve gotten in this rap game. Respect ✊🏻
Lanacology
Good music really never dies