Four Entrepreneurial Takeaways From J. Cole's 'Forest Hills Drive' HBO Special

J Cole

Rapper Jermaine LaMarr Cole, or simply J. Cole, wrapped up a five-part HBO special on January 9 that gave his fans a behind-the-scenes look into his life on the road and the days leading up to the release of his third, now RIAA-certified platinum, album 2014 Forest Hills Drive 

Shortly after graduating from St. John’s University, J. Cole inked a record deal with Jay-Z’s newly formed label, Roc Nation. The deal was finalized in 2009 and even though Cole was the first artist on the label’s roster, it would take a number of years for them and their artist to find common ground. Nonetheless, in 2014 it was evident that the North Carolina native had finally found a way to prove that major-label affiliated acts do not need a formal marketing plan that consists of radio singles, constant social media presence, and press 

Though Cole has achieved a high level of commercial success, he knows what it’s like to be an artist hoping to get his shot (he once stood in the rain for hours to hand Jay Z a CD of his beats, only to be turned away by Jiggaman). If one pays close attention to each episode, Cole serves up a few tips for the up and comers