By Cameron Lee
June 12, 2026
Photo: Kent Smith / Spectrum Center
The last time Jermaine Cole made an official tour stop in Charlotte was in 2017, following the release of his fourth studio album, 4 Your Eyez Only. A departure from the triumphant tone of 2014 Forest Hills Drive, the project traded the pursuit of commercial success for deeply personal storytelling. Through the perspective of a young Black man navigating poverty, fatherhood, violence, and systemic barriers, Cole crafted an intimate narrative that explored generational struggles.
Since that tour stop, Cole has released three No. 1 solo albums (not including 2019’s compilation Revenge of the Dreamers III), won two Grammy Awards, founded and headlined five sold-out Dreamville Festivals, and expanded Dreamville Records into one of hip-hop’s most respected labels with artists like J.I.D, Ari Lennox, EarthGang, Bas, and Charlotte’s own Lute.
On Friday night at Spectrum Center, following a DJ set by Nitrane hosted by Bas and performances by Greensboro’s PJ and Fayetteville’s PFG (Prettyface Gangsta), Cole brought fans back home to Fayetteville, opening The Fall-Off Tour in Charlotte with back-to-back nights supporting what has been widely publicized as his final studio album.
With downtown Fayetteville’s historic Market House serving as the backdrop and the Honda Civic — where he famously once sold CDs out of the trunk — serving as the centerpiece, Cole surprised fans by opening the set seated among the crowd, illuminated by a single spotlight. Singing the first half of “39 Intro,” a reflective track that ponders his legacy, mortality, and place in hip-hop history, Cole made his way down during the rousing second half of the song, weaving through a sea of fans and around the corner before stepping onto the stage. In typical J. Cole fashion, he kept his attire understated for the evening: a black hoodie with no logos, baggy sweat shorts, and a pair of his own unreleased Dreamer x Indie 5000 sneakers.
Leaning against the black Honda Civic and soaking in the capacity crowd, Cole transitioned into “Two-Six,” the Fayetteville anthem that represents his hometown pride, tied to Cumberland County’s “026” identification code. With white beams raining down from the massive lighting structure above, the crowd was already waving the commemorative tour towels placed on each fan’s seat.
During his performance of “Safety,” a track that plays like a letter from a hometown friend updating Cole on what has happened in his absence, Cole paid tribute to a fallen mentor. An image of rapper and producer Carlos Brown (Filthe Ritch), one half of the Fayetteville hip-hop duo Bomm Sheltuh, appeared on the LED screens wrapped around the stage alongside the words “In Loving Memory 1977-2023.” Brown, who was murdered in 2023, was one of the early architects of Fayetteville’s hip-hop scene and a formative influence during Cole’s early years as an artist. The tribute carried added weight within the context of The Fall-Off, an album that examines the passage of time, the people left behind, and Cole’s evolving relationship with the hometown that shaped him.
Cole made his way to the second story of the Market House structure for “Poor Things” before turning the lights toward the crowd and acknowledging every section of the sold-out arena. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the very first night of The Fall-Off Tour,” he exclaimed. “You know we had to do the first night in Carolina,” he added, calling Charlotte the “big bros of the state.”
He then performed the first tracks from 2014 Forest Hills Drive with “A Tale of 2 Citiez” and “Fire Squad” before returning to highlights from The Fall-Off with “WHO TF IZ U” and “Old Dog.” The latter, a prideful Carolina anthem featuring Petey Pablo, extends the legacy of the classic “Raise Up” with its hook, “Carolina shit, don’t you forget / take your f*cking shirt off and just swing it ’round this b*tch.” With nearly the entire crowd waving white towels, the DJ played a snippet of “Raise Up” before transitioning into “Middle Child,” the 2019 hit that Cole last performed in Charlotte at Spectrum Center during the NBA All-Star Game halftime show.
Cole brought out no special guests, and unlike many arena-level rap tours, the production wasn’t driven by spectacle. There were no elaborate stunts or intricate stage designs, but the towering Market House backdrop, triangular LED screens wrapped around the stage, and expansive overhead lighting rig created several visually striking moments throughout the night. The only collaboration of the evening came when Cole picked out a fan named Patrick to perform his verse from “Johnny P’s Caddy.” Spotlighted and projected onto the massive screens, the concertgoer confidently and heartfeltly delivered Cole’s verse from the Benny the Butcher feature on Tana Talk 4, bar for bar.
Cole then turned back the clock, revisiting his debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, with “Lights Please” before dipping into his acclaimed 2010 mixtape, Friday Night Lights, for “2Face” and “In the Morning.” He followed with a medley of Cole World: The Sideline Story favorites, including “Nobody’s Perfect,” “Work Out,” and “Can’t Get Enough,” a nostalgic stretch that resonated heavily with longtime fans.
Born Sinner lovers may have been left wanting more, as Cole performed just two songs from the 2013 album — “She Knows” and the hit “Power Trip.” By comparison, 2014 Forest Hills Drive received the bulk of the retrospective spotlight, with seven songs making the setlist. Highlights included an illuminating performance of “Love Yourz,” as thousands of phone lights swayed throughout the arena, and the crowd favorite “No Role Modelz,” which Cole introduced by asking fans to point toward the rafters at Dell Curry’s retired Hornets jersey.
The opening night of The Fall-Off Tour felt less like a victory lap and more like a homecoming — unlikely to be the final chapter of his career, but who knows? Cole has been unpredictable in recent years. Bridging longtime fans who have followed his evolution with a new generation discovering his more recent work, Cole traced the arc of one of hip-hop’s most accomplished catalogs while returning to the North Carolina roots that shaped him. Much like The Fall-Off itself, the performance unfolded as a conversation between multiple versions of himself: a younger Cole chasing greatness and an older Cole measuring it not through accolades or achievements, but through the people, places, and stories that defined the journey.
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