Before American rapper J. Cole wraps up 2024, he is packing on the nostalgia for fans and music lovers.
For the first time ever, the Dreamville boss has released his 2009 powerhouse mixtape ‘The Warm Up’ to digital and streaming services. The project arrived on Friday the 22nd of November 2024.
Playing an integral part in developing Cole’s career, ‘The Warm Up’ caught the attention of Jay Z and earned J. Cole a Roc Nation deal. The mixtape was originally released in June 2009 and its newly released streaming version houses 22 songs. Standouts from the project include the Kanye West-produced “Just to Get By,” “Dreams and “Lights Please” which garnered enough momentum to even land on Jermaine’s Cole World: The Sideline Story debut album in 2011.
Commenting on the project in a post-release statement on X, J. Cole’s manager Ibrahim “IB” Hamad wrote ” The Warm Up out now everywhere, Took us 15 years but I’m so happy we’re able to get this up. This project is very special to me, shit really put Cole in the game and we ain’t look back since. Forever Grateful for this project, legit changed n—-z lives forever.”
The Warm Up’s arrival coincides with the release of the third episode of J. Cole’s Inevitable audio series, which finds him reminiscing on his rise to fame. This episode specifically focuses on the tape’s rollout after manifesting his deal with HOV.
Fans can purchase access to the entire series for $10 with two-hour episodes being released every few days to a week. The final of the season will cover through 2014 Forest Hills Drive.
