Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
Fri 20 Oct
After catching the eye of Jay Z with his first three mixtapes, rapper and producer J. Cole was signed to Mr Z’s Roc Nation label in 2009 and released his first album Cole: The Sideline Story, a year later. The album was an instant smash, shooting straight to number one in the US, and a star was born.
Managing to avoid all the stereotypes usually associated with hip-hop, his humility and sincerity stand out on all his work and he has never forgotten his roots. Check out the track False Prophets where Cole allegedly calls out certain rappers on their lifestyle; indeed, this is a man who bought his childhood home to open up as a centre for single mothers and children to live rent-free. His record company Dreamsville Records was set up in 2011, as non-profit organisation to support upcoming artists from his hometown, many of which end up touring with him.
On his latest album 4 Your Eyez Only, another US chart topper, Cole’s smart rhymes about faith, humanity and social justice are laid over smooth beats, proving you don’t need aggression to make a point. The 4 Your Eyez Only World Tour hits Cardiff on Fri 20, so don’t see miss this chance to witness one of rap’s great storytellers at the Motorpoint in what promises to be a great show.
Tickets: £45. Info: 029 2022 4488 (CA)