The surprise news came as a new project, '4 Your Eyez Only', briefly appeared as a pre-order on iTunes
J. Cole will release a surprise new album next week.
The North Carolina hip-hop artist last released an album, ‘2014 Forest Hills Drive’, in December 2014. That third studio album followed 2013’s ‘Born Sinner’ and his 2011 debut ‘Cole World: The Sideline Story’. ‘2014 Forest Hills Drive’ achieved great success upon its release, selling over two million copies in the US alone.
After a period of inactivity, Cole appears to have signaled his return after a new album, ‘4 Your Eyez Only’, briefly appeared as a pre-order on iTunes, as XXL reports. The release date on the listing was December 9, but, as Billboard points out, the pre-order has now been removed from the online music store.
The news comes as a big surprise to Cole’s fans, after the artist revealed on stage at October’s Meadows Festival in New York City that that show would be his last “for a very long time.” While Cole’s representatives have not confirmed that authenticity of that iTunes listing, fans of the 31-year-old have posted screengrabs of the now-deleted pre-order.
J. Cole about to save 2016… pic.twitter.com/OwB9dwi1xt
— R.J Glosson (@RJthaDon89) December 1, 2016
See also ‘4 Your Eyez Only”s artwork below.
J. Cole dropping his new album 4 Your Eyez Only on Dec. 9th THIS IS NOT A DRILL 😩 😩 😩 pic.twitter.com/0fHaR0ZvZs
— Genius (@Genius) December 1, 2016
Back in March, President Barack Obama revealed his admiration for Cole’s music, saying that he “loved” the artist.
“I love J. Cole,” he told the crowd at a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee. “You know, this is the benefit of having teenage daughters. I actually keep up. I got a chance to see J. Cole’s mum and grandma.”