J. Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and record executive who was born in Frankfurt, Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He developed an interest in music at a young age and began writing and producing his own songs before eventually moving to New York to pursue his career. After gaining recognition through his early mixtapes, he became the first artist signed to JAY-Z’s Roc Nation and released his debut studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, in 2011. He went on to become one of the most influential artists in modern hip hop, known for his introspective lyrics and themes of ambition, self belief, discipline, growth, and staying true to his vision. In this video, J. Cole explains how imagining his future helped keep him hungry before he had achieved the success he envisioned. Sitting in an interview, he reflects on seeing a version of his life in his mind and using that vision as motivation to continue working toward ...