Big Sean started rapping when he was 12, a talent that came easily to him thanks to his artistic background. “I was really into the whole Bad Boy era,” he remembers. “That’s what really made me want to rap because girls liked Mase and Puff Daddy. But when I started hearing people like Jay-Z and 2Pac, that’s when I really started to gain a love for music.”

After rapping for multi-platinum superstar Kanye West in a radio station hallway, Big Sean eventually signed to Island Def Jam through G.O.O.D. Music in March of 2008. In 2007 he released his first solo mixtape, Finally Famous, Vol. 1 which included an intro from Sean’s new label boss. With over 60,000 downloads, Finally Famous was a huge success. The following Spring, Sean released his second mixtape, You Know Big Sean, which was named the second best mixtape of 2009 by BET. Now, he is gearing up to release his debut album which not only includes features from some of today’s most highly respected artists but also gives listeners an in-depth look into the life of a MC who is so committed to his craft, he puts everything he has into each and every rhyme.

Soulful and strong, J. Cole’s lyrics touch on everything from his upbringing in North Carolina to the poverty and homelessness that affect his community. J. Cole was the first artist signed to Jay-Z’s new Roc Nation label and had a coveted guest verse on Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 with “A Star is Born.” Determined to follow in the footsteps of the greats, J. Cole has dedicated “100% of my energies to making a classic album, something that is going to stand with the test of time.”