J. Cole Ends His Eight Year Wait With New Album, 'The Fall Off'

Eight years after first planting the idea, J. Cole has finally released 'The Fall Off', closing a chapter he has been teasing for most of his career. The album arrived on Friday, February 6, marking the long-awaited release of a project that fans have tracked through hints, false starts, and shifting timelines since 2016.

'The Fall Off' is Cole’s seventh studio album and his first double album, spanning 24 tracks across two discs, with two additional bonus songs. Released through Dreamville and Interscope Records, the project is executive produced by Cole himself alongside Ibrahim Hamad, T-Minus, and the wider Dreamville team. From a technical standpoint alone, it is his most expansive release yet, both in length and in scope.

The road here has been unusually long, even by J. Cole's standards. The album’s title was first introduced on 'KOD' in 2018, where the closing track, “1985 (Intro to ‘The Fall Off’),” positioned the project as a looming endpoint. That same year, Cole confirmed The Fall Off was in progress and later revealed that “Everybody Dies” and “False Prophets” were originally intended for the album. By 2019, during his Day N Night Festival performance, he strongly suggested the project would arrive in 2020. It did not.

For More Context, Read: J. Cole's The Fall Off: The Definitive Guide to the Final Masterpiece

Instead, Cole took several detours that, in hindsight, feel like necessary chapters rather than delays. The 'Off-Season' arrived in 2021 as a technically sharp, competition-driven album. In 2022, he followed with 'D-Day, a Gangsta Grillz' mixtape that leaned into raw energy and tradition.

Early 2024 brought another Fall Off tease, quickly followed by the surprise release of 'Might Delete Later', an introspective project that many read as a clearing of the hard drive. When Cole officially announced 'The Fall Off' last month, scepticism arose, shaped by nearly a decade of waiting. This time, however, he delivered.

Accompanying the album’s artwork, Cole released a statement that adds emotional weight to the project. He revealed that some verses were written when he was 19, during his earliest attempts to break into the industry and leave home.

He also confirmed what fans had long suspected: The Fall Off was designed as a double album and intended to be his final studio release, completing a conceptual arc that stretches back to his debut.

After spending the last decade delivering standout verses on other artists’ records, Cole also made space for select collaborators on his own terms.

The rapper teamed up with artists from America's hip hop scene and international stars in what captures his calculated approach to collaboration.

The project features guest verses from American rappers Westside Gunn and Grammy winner Future. The famous queen of Neo-soul, Erykah Badu, also made a rare appearance.

Cole called on previous collaborators, Nigerian Grammy winners Tems and Burna Boy, who brought their distinct artistry to an album on which the rapper has a lot to prove.

At 41 years old, J Cole, the North Carolina rapper, is still at the peak of his powers even as he’s embracing his status as an elder statesman in American hip hop. However, a burning burning question for the Dreamville faithful involves whether this truly marks the end. 

If ‘The Fall Off’ indeed acts as his swan song, it could see the rapper bow out with a loud cheer or make a disappointed exit, depending on how listeners receive the album. At the moment, the verdict is still out.