"I feel like the reason people feel like they know me is because I'm giving you myself in the music."

• Born Jermaine Lamarr Cole on Jan. 28, 1985, in Frankfurt, West Germany

• Cole's first major label release, Cole World: The Sideline Story, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album featured the Hot Rap Songs chart hits "Nobody's Perfect" with Missy Elliott, "Work Out" and "Can't Get Enough" featuring Trey Songz.

• Cole received his first GRAMMY nomination for Best New Artist at the 54th GRAMMY Awards.

• Did you know? Prior to becoming a recording artist, Cole once worked a part-time job as a costumed kangaroo mascot for a skating rink in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

• J. Cole founded the Dreamville Foundation in 2011 to help disadvantaged urban youth, particularly in his childhood community of Fayetteville.