By Kim Anderson  |  Send to Friend

J. Cole débuted with the mixtape “The Come Up” in late 2007. After Jay-Z heard Cole’s hit, “Lights Please," he signed him to his new ROC Nation label and has also seen fit to include him on such hits as “A Star Is Born.” J. Cole has also released a more recent mixtape, “The Warm Up," this past June and is featured on Wale’s debut album after working with him on his mixtape. Currently, he's joined Jay-Z's mammoth world wide tour while prepping for his first album release.?

Do you feel a lot of pressure being the first artist signed to ROC Nation??
Any pressure that I do feel is positive. I just feel good that someone like that would invest in me and put a stamp on me like that. I try not to think about things too much. I don’t sit around and think 'Man, I’m signed to Jay-Z.' When you get caught up in that is when you start to feel that negative pressure.

You graduated Magna Cum Laude but claim to have only gone to school to pursue a record career. How do you feel about educated hip-hop artists?
The only reason I really went was to buy myself some more time and to get closer to the music industry. I was always good in school. I knew I wasn’t going to end up with a 9-to-5 career using my degree in communications. College is not for everybody. It gives you more opportunities and more time to experience life and meet new people.

How do you feel about the quality of the hip-hop scene now?
It’s exciting. I think there’s a lot of new talent. A lot of real music is coming back: [with] myself, Wale, Drake and B.O.B, hip-hop is getting a lot more real. A lot less persona going on. I think it’s turning that corner now.

How do you feel about Lil Wayne’s "Pill Poppin’ Animal" track? ?
I think there’s a place for everything. We all indulge in some way, shape or form in all types of music, we all indulge in some sort of ignorance. Life is like that, too. That’s an extreme, but also something Lil Wayne lives. Someone out there enjoys it even if they aren’t poppin’ pills.

Inspirations?
My favorite rappers: Tu Pac, Nas, Jay-Z, Eminem and Andre 3000. I’m a producer. I produce. I spend a large majority of my time just diggin' through old music. Even if I’m not sampling it, I’m just enjoying it.

You started as a producer??
I’ve been producing since I was 15. That’s when I got my beat machine. I was tired of not having beats for myself and rapping over other people’s instrumentals. My cousin came from Louisiana to North Carolina and spent a summer with us. I looked up to him for a lot of different things and he used to freestyle. He taught me how to freestyle and from there I just started writing.

Most surreal moment to date??
Just standing on stage with Jay and doing our song in front of 20,000 people. That was just an incredible moment.