J. Cole

"I feel like this: Whatever is in your path and in your heart, you need to do. " (J. Cole). There are so many celebrities in this world who we think are greedy, but there are also so many who do amazing things with the money they have and J. Cole (Jermaine Cole) just so happens to be one of the many celebrities who help families that don't have enough. Jermaine Cole also known as J. Cole who is a rapper had been raised in a way where nothing turned into everything. J. Cole was born January 28, in Frankfurt, Germany but after 8 months relocated to Fayetteville, North Carolina. His father left him and his mother behind with little to no money. His mother raised him and his siblings alone in a trailer park. She was soon able to afford a house, that move, changed J. Cole's life forever. That houses is the name of his most recent album (2014 Forest hills Dr). After graduating High School, Jermaine attended St. John's University and was soon discovered by someone that would help get him everything he ever wanted. A hero must be selfless and giving; they should want to care for others without the attention from the public. Heroes do good things out of the love in their heart and not just because someone told them they have to help someone else. A hero is someone who gives back to the community and helps those who need it the most. J. Cole grew up in a place where he didn't have everything he wanted, he had to work hard for everything he has. When he was younger he told some of his friends that when he grows up he wants to help the kids who don't have a lot, he doesn't want them to go through what he had to go through to just make a little bit of money. J. Cole gives so much to kids and he helps gives opportunities to families that are struggling and helps them get back on their feet.

J. Cole never had a lot when he was young, so now he does so much to give back to kids all around the country. J. Cole gladly helps kids succeed in their dreams. In October of 2011 J. Cole announced that he is starting a new foundation called "Dreamville Foundation."  He wants to help kids all over, but it is mainly based in Fayetteville, North Carolina. "The Dreamville Foundation would like to give these youth the opportunity to be "Set-up for Success", providing them with essentials tools in preparation for a successful school year"(Dreamville Foundation).  J. Cole is all about giving back to kids who are struggling because he was once in that position and he doesn't want them to go through the same thing. J.Cole wants kids to be able to grow up and follow their dreams without having their parents struggling to help their kids. Melissa Heholt, the foundation's executive director had an interview with the Fayetteville Observer, talking about why J. Cole wanted to start this foundation to help the community. "He always stresses that the important thing is that they're getting what they need to succeed in school."  ( Carbo).  When Cole was a kid he didn't have many things as he grew up, so now with his foundation he is able to help kids.  J. Cole always thought that school was very important and when kids don't have the supplies they need, they aren't able to learn as well as others, so he helps provide school supplies for kids who can't afford the supplies they need. J. Cole spends so much time and effort to give back to the youth in his community and a huge part of that is making sure they succeed in school so he helps many kids and gives supplies so they can work hard and follow their dreams.

J. Cole  has been given so many opportunities to show off his talent and now that he has made it to the rich and famous life he has the chance to give multiple opportunities to people in his hometown community and around the country. After J. Cole's album "2014 Forest Hills Dr" came out, he has been working to have his childhood house be a "heaven" to large families who don't have a lot. "J. Cole announced plans this week to turn his childhood home, and arguably Fayetteville's most famous address, into a place for single mothers to get a fresh start."( Carr).  Recently J. Cole announced that he is turning his childhood home into a place where single moms and their kids can have a fresh start and to help them get back on their feet without paying rent for two years.  J. Cole is giving families time to really get back on their feet and focus on their family and raise enough money so when the two years are up they won't be struggling anymore. The kids will grow up to appreciate everything that has been given to them. J. Cole has announced on multiple occasions that he is going to have a "Dollar and a Dream" concert where tickets are only a dollar to this first people who show up. "He's embarked on two "Dollar And A Dream" tours where he plays smaller venues, and only charges fans $1 for entry". Cole gave many many fans a chance to see him in concert, since he has already raised so much money he had a couple shows where tickets only cost a dollar. Normally musicians travel to the big cities in the states but the first part of J . Cole's most recent tour went to many of the smaller cities so the people who couldn't travel we able to see him in concert. This concert is also for those who aren't able to afford the high prices of concerts but it is first come first serve so you can only imagine how many fans showed up to give J. Cole some love at his concerts. J. Cole has spent so much time trying to give back to his fans whether it's letting them go to one of his concerts or to live in a house rent free for two years but it doesn't stop there. J. Cole has done so much for his fans and has given them so many opportunities to move forward in their life.

We all work hard but sometimes we don't have enough to give back to those who have helped support us through a tough journey. J. Cole gives so much to kids and he helps gives opportunities to families that are struggling and helps them get back on their feet. He has done so much to give back to his fans and that makes us love him even more. All J. Cole wants to do is make music and give back to his fans, and so far that's what he has accomplished. He has helped underprivileged kids get the supplies they need in order to succeed in school and to expand their minds. J. Cole has also turned his childhood house into a place where single mom with kids can live without paying rent, to help them get back on their feet. He doesn't wants kids to have to go through what he went through. J. Cole inspires me and others more ways then I can count on my two hands. "Cole was one of a handful of rappers to actually show face and march in Ferguson, Mo. during the brunt of the Mike Brown protests"(Masai). After Ferguson, Cole showed up at the march along with a few other famous people and helped inspire people to stand up for what they believed in. He gave hope to those who gave up and needed something to believe in. "I grew up in the city and though some times we had less / Compared to some of my [friends] down the block, man we were blessed." (J. Cole). This song teaches us something that we don't realize on a daily basis and that is to be thankful for what you have because not everyone is as fortunate as you are. As Phonte once said, "even the three-legged dog's still got three good legs to lose". "I grew up with nothing, it hurt me to see my mother poor / The only pops a [boy] ever seen around was Huxtable" (J. Cole). Cole helps us understand how important it is for being there for your kids and the value of helping your parents through their struggles, because sometime we take them for granted and we need to appreciate all the things our parents do for us. "I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people" -Maya Angelou. Being a hero shouldn't just be for the attention, or fame but simply just to do the right thing. J. Cole didn't need the attention and he didn't want it. He gave back to the community out of the love in his heart. There are many heroes out there in the world who haven't gotten the attention they deserve but if they were truly heroes they wouldn't need the attention, just knowing they changed something for the better should be enough. I strive to be someone who helps change lives for the better, I want to be able to help people in this world not struggle from things that they don't deserve like diseases and to help find a way to cure that would be amazing. I would be able to live knowing that I helped changed lives because I wanted to and not just for the attention. J. Cole has helped me  realize that where I start doesn't have to be where I finish, I need to work for what I want even though it may be hard but in the end I can say that I earned everything and nothing was just given to me.

Work Cited

"J. Cole." Contemporary Black Biography. Vol. 97. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Biography in Context. Web. 6 May 2016.

"J. Cole." Contemporary Musicians. Vol. 75. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Biography in Context. Web. 6 May 2016.

"J. Cole." Newsmakers. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 2014. Biography in Context. Web. 6 May 2016.

Cole, Jermaine. "Bridging the Gap between the World of Opportunity and the Urban Youth." The Dreamville Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2016.

Carr, Nicole. "J. Cole to Turn Childhood Home into Single-mother Safe Haven." ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. N.p., 28 Jan. 2015. Web. 06 May 2016.

Carbo, Brooke. "J. Cole Gives Back to Fayetteville Community." Fayetteville Observer. N.p., 25 Aug. 2015. Web. 06 May 2016.

Masai, Cine. "8 Ways J. Cole Proved He's Truly Down For His Fans." The Urban Daily RSS. N.p., 27 Apr. 2015. Web. 15 May 2016.