J. Cole is dedicated to exploring and documenting the black experience, not only through his own music, but by elevating the stories of others. Back in 2017, J. Cole co-produced PBS docuseries, Raising Bertie, which followed three young men over the course of six years to capture how much of a struggle it is for black boys to get by when their communities offer poor education and job prospects.
J. Cole is returning to this coming-of-age theme and hoping to drive the message home even further by executive producing another documentary, Out of Omaha. This film follows twin brothers, Darcell and Darrell Trotter, for eight years to show their efforts to not fall into the transgenerational trap of drugs and violence, despite the historically-rooted inequality of the Midwest. Director, Clay Tweel told AllHipHopNews:
"Making [the film] forced me to deepen my understanding of generational poverty, race relations, and the lottery of birth in this country. I want Out Of Omaha to evoke empathy, offer validation, and ultimately be a moving portrait of hope in the face of oppression. Darcell and Darrell have my gratitude and respect for life. I cannot wait to introduce them to the world through the film."
Out of Omaha premieres September 9 on Starz. Watch the trailer below, which features the song "Meditate" by Dreamville artists, EARTHGANG and J.I.D.