Nothing like hometown love. In his local newspaper, the Fayetteville Observer, J. Cole has officially become the talk of the town.

When Jermaine Cole left his home in Fayetteville to move to New York, he knew he would get signed to a record label. The 24-year-old rapper, who goes by the name J. Cole, relied on his lyrical skills and hard work to help him stand out in a sea of aspiring artists. Eventually, one of his songs landed in the hands of Jay-Z, the rapper and music mogul. By February, Jay-Z signed Cole to his new record label, Roc Nation, which is an offshoot of mega concert promoter Live Nation. Since then, the graduate of Terry Sanford High School has gone from a virtual unknown to become one of the faces of Jay-Z’s nascent music venture. He is the first rap artist signed to Roc Nation, said Rich Kleiman, vice president of Roc Nation, in an interview. He’s teetering on the cusp of stardom, but he hasn’t allowed the excitement to sink in yet. “It’s an honor, but I try not to think about it too much or get caught up with the pressure,” he said in a phone interview. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed about. I’m grateful. But now that I have the opportunity, it’s time to work.”

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