Jermaine Cole was born in Germany in 1985 and grew up in North Carolina. He started rapping at age 12 and joined his first rap group at 15. He attained a college degree before pursuing a music career. His 2013 album "Born Sinner" sold nearly 600,000 copies in its first week. His most recent album "2014 Forest Hills Drive" from 2014 sold over 900,000 copies in the U.S. The author is a big fan of J. Cole and appreciates that he prioritizes his faith and maintains a high musical standard.