ClutchCityMagazine.com

Jermaine Cole (born March 13, 1985), who is better known by his stage name J. Cole, is an American rapper and producer. He gained major attention when he became the first artist signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label. The following interview took place in Houston, Texas on January 23, 2010 at the SF2 clothing apparel store in the southwest section of the city. J. Cole was having a meet and greet session with many of the fans before his concert later that night at Warehouse Live. J. Cole has released two mixtapes. One called "The Come Up" (2007) and "The Warm Up" (2009). The former gained J. Cole exposure in the music industry as you will see soon in the questions below:

**NOTE FROM JELISA:** Everything in caps and bold is Clutch City Magazine. Everything in lower case is J. Cole

1. HOW DID YOU LINK UP WITH JAY (JAY-Z)?
Through Mark Pitts, who is my manager now. And ummm...he managed me back in the day and ummm...yeah he introduced me to Jay and he heard "Lights Please" and the rest is ummm...history really.

2. WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
I'm from North Carolina. Fayetteville, North Carolina.

3. WHAT TURN OF EVENTS MADE YOU SAY, "DAMN, I MADE IT?"
Umm I was always...naw naw when it actually felt real was probably when I was sitting in the room with Jay (Jay-Z) for the first time, or the first time I had like a big meeting. That’s when I was like, "Yeah I'm getting close." Ya know what I'm saying?

4. WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES AND WHY?
I gotta say Tupac just because of the passion that he had and the shit he used to rap about like real everyday topics. And with him it's like no matter where you from, you can relate I mean at least to the pain aspect. And lyrically the Nas’s, Jay’s, and the Eminem’s. Those are the guys that kind of molded my style.

5. WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH IN THE FUTURE?
Umm Alicia Keys - and Jay did that - so now I gotta wait now cuz it's gon seem kinda corny. I always wanted to work with her though. And like Rich Boy and every time I say that people be like, "Rich Boy?'

NOW HOLD ON NOW, RICH BOY GOES KINDA HARD. I BOUGHT HIS ALBUM! AND WHEN I ACTUALLY LISTENED TO IT, I SAW THAT THIS GUY IS A GREAT LYRICIST AND PEOPLE WAS LOOKIING AT ME LIKE, "WHY IS YOU BUYING THAT?" LOL!
I like him man. He be talking about some shit, he got a message on the low, and shit I'm a fan. And when I tell people they be like, "What? Rich Boy?" But yeah like ummm...Rich Boy and Mos Def, and yo! You know who I like!? I like that nigga Z-Ro!!! I haven’t heard too much, but what I have is so ill!

YEAH YOU GOTTA GET UP ON YOUR Z-RO MAN. THAT GUY IS DEEP...HE IS REALLY DEEP.
He got this song I like that I always play. It goes (busts out into song), “Haters gooot me wroooongs.” I be playing the shit outta that song, but yeah I like people that are not the most obvious. I don’t want the obvious 'go to' guys you know like Jeezy. (He) is the obvious. He’s great, and I do want to do a song with Jeezy, but it's like everybody got a Jeezy song.

6. SO WHEN IS YOUR ALBUM DROPPING? THE J. COLE ALBUM?
It’ll be like early summer...late April early May. But I'm not gon rush it. If it's not ready to go, then it’ll be later.

7. WHAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR FANS TO KEEP UP WITH YOU?
Ummm...best way for fans to keep up with me is (by) these girls (that) got this fansite man. It's so good that it's what my mom checks to keep up with me and that’s how good they are. It's jcolefans.com. Like they even knew about this Texas tour and I don’t even be telling them...they just be knowing. They know everything...it's even better than my own website.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR TWITTER? YOU DON’T BE ON THERE?
I don’t really just be on there, but you can still follow me (@JColeNC) because occasionally every couple days I'll say some random shit.

8. WHAT OTHER FORMS OF ART ARE YOU INSPIRED BY?
I would say maybe film, even though I don’t watch as many movies as I wish I did. But yeah sometimes I might watch a movie and come up with a concept or an idea. Just because certain emotions and thoughts will pop up and inspire me. And I'd probably say movies are the other form that inspire me the most. And I'ma start reading more books.

9. SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU? WHAT YOU GOT GOING ON?
I got finishing the album of course. And I got like this great little marketing scheme (that) I'm not even gonna let it out. (It's) like a plan and a strategy of how I'ma come out with the album and I'm not gonna even say the name of the album yet.  And people be like, "Oh this nigga not gon say the name of the album," but shit it's small to y'all, but it's major to me. I don’t wanna get on Twitter and just tell the name of the album because it just fucking ruins it.

10. SO HOW YOU LIKE THE H SO FAR?
Well, I mean I ain't been here but like a couple days.

AND YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING AND DONE NOTHING?
I mean naw. I came here when I was like 16 because I got family here and it was fun! I went to this lil teen club and shit...lol...it was fun.

MAN YOU GOTTA COME BACK. H-TOWN IS A REAL REAL NICE PLACE.
I mean yeah I like what I see. Just by looking at how the city looks and mingling with the people...it's pretty dope.

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT J. COLE'S SITE THAT WAS LISTED IN THE INTERVIEW (JCOLEFANS.COM) AND FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER (TWIITER.COM/JCOLENC) TO KEEP UP WITH AS WELL. IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, DOWNLOAD THIS GUY'S MIXTAPE ("THE WARM UP"). YOU WON'T BE SORRY!