J. Cole and Dale Earnhart Jr. seemed an unlikely duo for the cover of ESPN, but they do have a strange and hilarious connection. Beside the fact that both men hail from North Carolina, Earnhart Jr. actually got a shoutout on Cole's album, one that perplexed even the racecar driver himself.
Apparently, Cole wanted to throw a random name in the mix of his extended thank you list, and opted for Dale, who he'd seen cite "Power Trip" as one of his favorite songs in an interview. ESPN decided to bring them together for a cover and a joint interview, and today we're treated to the BTS of the shoot, where the two hang out in rural NC together.