J. Cole Shares "The Fall Off Era" Timeline, Fans Believe He's Hinting At Retiring

BY Erika Marie 15.1K Views
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J. Cole, The Fall Off, Instagram, Dreamville
The Dreamville rapper has two "goals" to complete before "The Fall Off" is released.

He's not an artist who posts his day-to-day activities to social media or, like many others, engages in arguments with trolls online. So, when J. Cole surfaces with something music-related, his millions of followers take notice, and he's caused hype in the rap world with his latest revelation. Last year, Jermaine Cole hinted that his forthcoming album, The Fall Off, would arrive sometime in 2020. We're fast approaching the end of a pandemic-centered year and still, there hasn't been any news of the Dreamville mogul's anticipated project...until now.

Let us preface this by saying J. Cole hasn't divulged a tentative release date of any kind, but he has given us an enigmatic timeline sans the "time" portion. On Instagram, Cole posted a photo of "The Fall Off Era," where he documented what needed to happen prior to the album reaching fruition. Crossed out on the list are the words "Features" and "ROTD3"—the latter, of course, is his label's Grammy-nominated collaborative project, Return of the Dreamers III.

The next three on the list aren't crossed off, suggesting they are still on the way. J. Cole hasn't offered up an explanation for what they mean, but Dreamville artists have hopped in his comments to share their excitement. "The Off-Season," "It's a Boy," and "The Fall Off" are all in line, but it's his caption that caught fans' attention.

"I still got some goals I gotta check off for’ I scram...," the rapper wrote, leaving many to suggest that he may be planning retirement or at the very least, a well-deserved hiatus. Check out Cole's post and let us know if you're looking forward to The Fall Off.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.