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.
Nothing Lasts Forever
J. Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Oh oh oh oh oh)
(La da da da da)
[Hook:]
I tried, you tried, we tried
All of the times that we had together
We should of known nothing last forever(X2)
[Verse 1: J. Cole]
When this shit end, man it's gon get ugly
Real real ugly, your grandmama love me
And your mama love me, little sister hugs me
Even got a few homegirls that wanna fuck me
Soon as this shit end, forget about it
You been stayin' in my crib, you gotta get up out it
Cause if you layin' in my bed, let's admit about it
One time fuckin' and we no longer upset about it
Cause when this shit ends it's either all or nothin'
I thought you loved me, how the hell you gon call ya cousin?
You know the diesel ass, half slow, evil ass
Nigga in that Honda showin' up with that drama
On my mama, we been through it all
From the goods to the bads, rise to the fall
You done seen me at my best, seen me at my worst
So when this shit ends, know it's gon hurt
[Hook:]
[Verse 2: J. Cole]
They say we won't last
I know you suspicious, but you don't ask
And I don't tell, that's where we both fell
A good nigga gone bad
Good chick a lil mad as fuck, she done had enough
I be, out here tryna raise my status up
But success bring bitches, and they bad as fuck
Ass fat as fuck, with a little ol' waist
I ain't want the whole meal, just a little ol' taste
Should have looked both ways fore I crossed you
I guess I never thought I could have ever have lost you
Now I'm out stuntin' with this bitch, you ain't about nothin'
While some nigga learnin' all the shit I taught you
Damn, guess you deserve that, a new start
But deep down you know we grew apart
Long before I broke your heart, if I lost your respect
I'm just hopin' you don't look at me as you somethin' you regret
[Hook:]
[Verse 3: J. Cole]
I got your message I been meanin' to respond, know it's been awhile
Apologies, I ain't been around
I wanna kick it, but I know that shit is different now
And times have changed
Let me know if I'm out of bounds, are the lines the same?
I mean ya, lookin' good, yeah you still got it
Been reminiscin' and I'm not sure how I feel about it
Now we can say that all good things come to an end
But we know each other way too well to pretend
We went from friends to somethin' much more
To breakin' up to makin' up and fuckin' once more
Second chances, we gave enough to finally
We gave it up, but some days I be wakin' up and wantin' one more
But what for? Maybe it's just the weather
We break each others heart's, so maybe it's for the better
Holler whenever, cause you always got a friend in me
And nothin' lasts forever, least we got these memories
[Hook:]
The song "Nothing Lasts Forever" by J. Cole is a reflection on the ups and downs of romantic relationships. The lyrics convey the idea that even though two people may try their hardest to make a relationship work, it may still come to an end. The first verse speaks specifically to the aftermath of a break-up, with J. Cole lamenting the loss of someone he once cared deeply for. He talks about how difficult it will be to see this person with someone else after they split, and how their friends and family will be impacted by their separation. He also acknowledges the inevitability of the end of a relationship, even when both parties have done everything in their power to make it work.
In the second verse, J. Cole addresses the issues that can arise in a relationship when one person starts to gain success in their career. He talks about how new opportunities and temptations can arise, and how difficult it can be to manage these new changes. He also confesses to making mistakes in his own relationship, specifically with regards to being unfaithful. The third verse is more reflective, as J. Cole looks back on his relationship and the memories he shared with his former partner. He acknowledges that while things may not have worked out in the end, he still values the experiences they shared and is grateful for the time they had together.
Line by Line Meaning
When this shit end, man it's gon get ugly
The end of our relationship will not be pretty
Real real ugly, your grandmama love me
Even your grandma loves me, but things will turn sour
And your mama love me, little sister hugs me
Your family likes me, but that won't prevent the end
Even got a few homegirls that wanna fuck me
Other women are interested in me, but none of them matter
Soon as this shit end, forget about it
Once it's over, it's over and we should move on
You been stayin' in my crib, you gotta get up out it
If you're living in my house, you need to leave when it's over
Cause if you layin' in my bed, let's admit about it
If we're sleeping together, we have to acknowledge it
One time fuckin' and we no longer upset about it
One night of sex won't fix our issues
Cause when this shit ends it's either all or nothin'
Our relationship will either last or not work out at all
I thought you loved me, how the hell you gon call ya cousin?
You claimed you loved me, but now you're calling your cousin to intervene
You know the diesel ass, half slow, evil ass
You know the type of guy who causes drama and he's not worth it
Nigga in that Honda showin' up with that drama
That guy is showing up in his Honda, causing trouble
On my mama, we been through it all
We've been through so much, but that doesn't guarantee a happy ending
From the goods to the bads, rise to the fall
We've experienced everything together, good and bad
You done seen me at my best, seen me at my worst
You've seen me at my peak and at my lowest point
So when this shit ends, know it's gon hurt
We'll both be hurt when our relationship ends
They say we won't last
People doubt our relationship will survive
I know you suspicious, but you don't ask
You have doubts but you don't voice them
And I don't tell, that's where we both fell
We both failed by not communicating
A good nigga gone bad
I used to be a good guy, but now I've changed
Good chick a lil mad as fuck, she done had enough
You're angry and have had enough of me
I be, out here tryna raise my status up
I'm trying to improve my life and career
But success bring bitches, and they bad as fuck
Being successful attracts women, some of whom are troublesome
Ass fat as fuck, with a little ol' waist
Some of these women have attractive bodies
I ain't want the whole meal, just a little ol' taste
I just wanted to experience something new and exciting
Should have looked both ways fore I crossed you
Before I entered into this relationship, I should have considered the potential consequences
I guess I never thought I could have ever have lost you
I took our relationship for granted and didn't anticipate losing you
Now I'm out stuntin' with this bitch, you ain't about nothin'
I'm out with another woman while you mean nothing to me anymore
While some nigga learnin' all the shit I taught you
Another guy is learning from me, and that's not something you should think about
Damn, guess you deserve that, a new start
I acknowledge that you deserve a fresh start
But deep down you know we grew apart
We've grown apart and it's time to move on
Long before I broke your heart, if I lost your respect
Our relationship was already strained before I hurt you, and that's what hurts the most
I'm just hopin' you don't look at me as you somethin' you regret
I hope you don't regret being in a relationship with me
I got your message I been meanin' to respond, know it's been awhile
I received your message, and I know I should have responded sooner
Apologies, I ain't been around
I'm sorry for being absent
I wanna kick it, but I know that shit is different now
I want to hang out, but things have changed and it may not be the same
And times have changed
Things have changed since we were together
Let me know if I'm out of bounds, are the lines the same?
Tell me if I'm out of line and if our relationship still has boundaries
I mean ya, lookin' good, yeah you still got it
You look good and still have your charm
Been reminiscin' and I'm not sure how I feel about it
I've been thinking about our past and I'm conflicted about my emotions
Now we can say that all good things come to an end
Our relationship had its good aspects, but it's over now
But we know each other way too well to pretend
We are too familiar with each other to fake our feelings
We went from friends to somethin' much more
Our relationship evolved from being friends to being in love
To breakin' up to makin' up and fuckin' once more
We went through the cycle of breaking up, reconciling and making love again
Second chances, we gave enough to finally
We gave each other enough second chances
We gave it up, but some days I be wakin' up and wantin' one more
I've moved on, but sometimes I can't help but feel nostalgic
But what for? Maybe it's just the weather
I question why I want to rekindle a relationship, maybe it's just my mood
We break each others heart's, so maybe it's for the better
We hurt each other, so it's probably best that we don't try again
Holler whenever, cause you always got a friend in me
You can always call me because we'll still be friends
And nothin' lasts forever, least we got these memories
Our relationship didn't last, but we still have memories of our time together
Contributed by Allison E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ezmeralda Acuña
I tried, you tried, we tried
All of the times that we had together
We should've known nothing lasts forever
I tried, you tried, we tried
All of the times that we had together
We should've known nothing lasts forever
When this shit end, man it's gon' get ugly
Real real ugly, your grandmama love me
And your mama love me, little sister hugs me
Even got a few homegirls that wanna fuck me
Soon as this shit end, forget about it
You been stayin' in my crib, you gotta get about it
Cause if you layin' in my bed, let's admit about it
One time fuckin' and we no longer upset about it
Cause when this shit ends it's either all or nothin'
I thought you loved me, how the hell you gon' call yo cousin?
You know the diesel ass, half slow, evil ass
Nigga in that Honda showin' up with that drama
On my mama, we been through it all
From the goods to the bads, rise to the fall
You done seen me at my best, seen me at my worst
So when this shit ends, know it's gon' hurt
I tried, you tried, we tried
All of the times that we had together
We should've known nothing lasts forever
I tried, you tried, we tried
All of the times that we had together
We should've known nothing lasts forever
They say we won't last
I know you suspicious, but you don't ask
And I don't tell, that's where we both fell
A good nigga gone bad
Good chick a lil mad as fuck, she done had enough
I be, out here tryna raise my status up
But success bring bitches, and they bad as fuck
Ass fat as fuck, with a little ol' waist
I ain't want the whole meal, just a little ol' taste
Should have looked both ways 'fore I crossed you
I guess I never thought I could have ever have lost you
Now I'm out stuntin' with this bitch, you ain't about nothin'
While some nigga learnin' all the shit I taught you
Damn, guess you deserve that, a new start
But deep down you know we grew apart
Long before I broke your heart, if I lost your respect
I'm just hopin' you don't look at me as somethin' you regret
(You can't say we didn't try, you can't say we didn't try)
I tried, you tried, we tried
All of the times that we had together
We should've known nothing lasts forever
(You can't say we didn't try, you can't say we didn't try)
I tried, you tried, we tried
All of the times that we had together
We should've known nothing lasts forever
I got your message I been meanin' to respond, know it's been awhile
Apologies, I ain't been around
I wanna kick it, but I know that shit is different now
And times have changed
Let me know if I'm out of bounds, are the lines the same?
I mean ya, lookin' good, yeah you still got it
Been reminiscin' and I'm not sure how I feel about it
Now we can say that all good things come to an end
But we know each other way too well to pretend
We went from friends to somethin' much more
To breakin' up to makin' up and fuckin' once more
Second chances, we gave enough to finally
We gave it up, but some days I be wakin' up and wantin' one more
But what for? Maybe it's just the weather
We break each others hearts, so maybe it's for the better
Holler whenever, cause you always got a friend in me
And nothin' lasts forever, least we got these memories
(You can't say we didn't try, you can't say we didn't try)
I tried, you tried, we tried
All of the times that we had together
We should've known nothing lasts forever
(You can't say we didn't try, you can't say we didn't try)
I tried, you tried, we tried
All of the times that we had together
We should've known nothing lasts forever
Sandra Roa
For everyone who is hurt
Stay up eventually everything will get better and find your real love
Maria Alvarado
Sandra Roa 💖 yessssss. The first heartbreaks are the worst but the right one eventually comes along.
GP- Footy
My girl and I just broke💔 I feel empty inside. We had dreams and make so many promises to each other. We always say “ till the end of the world” every night before we go to sleep. We’ve Been in love since we were 12 and now we both 20. Shit hurts man but i gotta keep my head up. I guess it wasn’t mean to be .
angel zarate
GP- Footy we just broke up last wednesday and I got no more hope and motivation to keep going I just feel like giving up on everything...
GP- Footy
Angel Lowkey my girl and I made up the next day. We fight all the time but deep down we know we still in love with each and our story hasn’t reached its end yet. If you both still love each other, 4-5 years later, you guys will find your way back to each other. Real love never ends
Barlow Jack
Real shit never give up you never know when its your time to truly be happy the strong will always survive
Cameron002
If you're here due to a break up and are using music to handle the emotions I just want to say that it does get better, the pain fades and things become clearer, I came across this song a week after my 6 year relationship broke up and it somewhat helped to just focus on me and move forward, I wish that for anyone who comes across this and just remember shit does get better :)
letting Go of Everything!
Thank you. For someone who has been all about love... Its been the worst time of my life and id rather do without it all together!!
barbie89
Thank you, yes came here exactly because of my current breakup it's been really hard to let go and it feels like the pain will never end
Made niggas
Bro you're a bro just get on with it 😂