J. Cole announces new album and fans are ready. See release date.
- - J. Cole announces new album and fans are ready. See release date.
Greta Cross, USA TODAYJanuary 15, 2026 at 10:04 PM
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Five years after his last album, J. Cole is releasing his seventh studio album, "The Fall-Out", next month.
The rapper, known for hits like "No Role Modelz" and "Middle Child," took to social media on Jan. 14 to announce the release of "The Fall-Off" on Friday, Feb. 6. A video promoting the album shows J. Cole conducting menial tasks – washing his car, eating at Waffle House – while a narrator speaks overtop seems to explain the reasoning behind the album's name.
"Everything is supposed to go away eventually," the video starts. "You see this especially in, like, show business with famous actors or like musicians, and it’s like, 'Oh, this guy used to be famous and then he fell off. What happened?' And they want to point to, 'They did this and this and they made some sort of mistake,' instead of thinking that, look, it’s kind of crazy they got famous in the first place. So few people reach that level. That yes, of course it’s not going to last forever because somebody else has to take that spot and that’s how show business has been since forever. But no, they always want to say, 'Nah, that guy fell off.' They want to look down on him for just going through the natural cycle of rising and falling."
In addition to the release date, the rapper shared the music video for a new single titled "Disc 2 Track 2," which has left many fans speechless.
J. Cole has largely been quiet since his involvement in the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef in 2024. During the height of the industry drama, J. Cole released "7-Minute Drill," a Lamar diss track, in which the rapper said Lamar was past his prime, criticizing his latest work. But not long after, J. Cole publicly apologize for the track, calling it "lame" and "goofy."
Ready to listen? Here's what to know about J. Cole's upcoming album.
When is the release date for J. Cole's new album, 'The Fall-Off'?
Rapper J. Cole performs onstage during The Meadows Music & Arts Festival on Oct. 1, 2016 in New York City.
"The Fall-Off" releases on Friday, Feb. 6.
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Watch 'Disc 2 Track 2' music video
The music video for "Disc 2 Track 2" depicts the rapper working in a wood-paneled studio, running through his life in reverse, from his death, music career, marriage, son's birth and own childhood.
"For the past 10 years, this album has been hand crafted with one intention: A personal challenge to myself to create my best work. To do on my last what I was unable to do on my first," an intro statement reads in the video. "I had no way of knowing how much time, focus and energy it would eventually take to achieve this, but despite the countless challenges along the way, I know in my heart I would one day get to the finish line. I owed it first and foremost to myself. And secondly, I owed it to hip hop."
The music video was directed by Ryan Doubiago. Watch below.
What are fans saying?
Judging the album on a single track so far, fans are excited about what is next from J. Cole.
"Thank you, Jesus. It's been a drought out here," one Instagram user commented on the rapper's announcement post. "I fear this is about to be his best work and we're not ready," another said.
In a TikTok video breaking down the lyrics in "Disc 2 Track 2," content creator Caleb Colossus said he is in "awe."
"You hear certain verses sometimes and you're like, 'Wow, that guy has a gift.' J. Cole, I am floored. I'm moved. That's phenomenal, man," the content creator said.
Others are saying the album release is harkening back to 2016, a year currently trending among nostalgic Gen Z, when J. Cole's album "Forest Hills Drive" – notably "No Role Modelz" – was popularly played on radio stations.
Though the majority of feedback is positive, not everyone is so sure about "Disc 2 Track 2."
In a TikTok video, content creator Butter Timbs criticized the single, claiming it sounds like a fake apology with easily rhymable lyrics.
When was J. Cole's last album release?
J. Cole's last studio album was "The Off-Season" in 2021.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: J. Cole announces new album, 'The Fall-Off.' See release date.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
