J. Cole sparks retirement rumors despite upcoming album release
J. Cole has fueled retirement speculation after being spotted wearing a hoodie that reads, 'I'm Retired (This is as dressed up as I get).'
However, with his highly anticipated album The Fall Off on the way, it seems the North Carolina rapper is far from finished.
According to Hot New Hip-Hop, a fan photo recently surfaced showing Cole sporting the hoodie, leading to speculation about his future in music. Despite the playful retirement tease, fans are eagerly awaiting his next project.
The rumors come a year after J. Cole stepped back from a heated rap feud involving Kendrick Lamar and Drake. The beef ignited when Kendrick dissed both artists on Future and Metro Boomin's track 'Like That.' Cole briefly responded with a diss track of his own but later removed it, stating he had no interest in continuing the feud.
Meanwhile, Kendrick and Drake exchanged multiple diss tracks, with Lamar emerging victorious through his chart-topping hit 'Not Like Us.'
Not everyone supported J. Cole's decision to back out. Rap icon 50 Cent recently criticized the move during an interview on Big Boy Radio, saying Cole should have stayed in the battle. 'That's how we gonna find out who really got it,' 50 said, arguing that hip-hop thrives on competition.
While J. Cole's hoodie message has fans speculating about retirement, the upcoming release of The Fall Off suggests he's still active in the rap game. Whether this is truly the end for Cole or just clever marketing remains to be seen.
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