PHOTOS: J. Cole in Fayetteville through the years

Fayetteville native rapper J. Cole after a talk at his alma mate Terry Sanford. He received a proclamation from the county declaring March 1st 2012 J. Cole day.

J. Cole in concert at Fayetteville State University for Homecoming celebrations on Oct. 19, 2010.

J. Cole in concert at Fayetteville State University for Homecoming celebrations on Oct. 19, 2010.

J Cole concert at Fayetteville State University for Homecoming celebrations in 2010.

J Cole concert at Fayetteville State University for Homecoming celebrations.

J Cole concert at Fayetteville State University for Homecoming celebrations.

Fayetteville native, rapper J. Cole was in Fayetteville shooting a video for one of his songs. His real name is Jermaine Cole.

Fayetteville native rapper J. Cole was in Fayetteville shooting a video for one of his songs. His real name is Jermaine Cole.

J. Cole, Fayetteville native, performs at Foxy Summer Jam 2010 at Crown Coliseum.

Rapper and Fayetteville native J. Cole gives a high five to a fan during an album signing at Sports USA on Fort Bragg.

J. Cole performs at the FSU homecoming concert at Capel Arena Tuesday night Jan. 4, 2011.

J. Cole, Fayetteville native, performs at Foxy Summer Jam 2010 at Crown Coliseum.

J. Cole talks to fans on the air while visiting Foxy 99 Radio station.

J. Cole performs at the FSU homecoming concert at Capel Arena.

J. Cole performs at the FSU homecoming concert at Capel Arena Tuesday night, Jan. 4, 2011.

J. Cole leaves the Foxy 99 Radio station on a visit to Fayetteville.

J. Cole concert at Fayetteville State University for Homecoming celebrations.

Fans start taking pictures of rapper and Fayetteville native J. Cole as they wait in during an album signing Wednesday at Sports USA on Fort Bragg.

.J Cole concert at Fayetteville State University for Homecoming celebrations in 2010.

The FSU homecoming concert at Capel Arena. Featuring J. Cole, Fabolous and Miguel.

Contributed childhood photo of J. Cole from his mother.

Rapper and Fayetteville native J. Cole during an album signing at Sports USA on Fort Bragg.

Contributed childhood photo of J. Cole from his mother.

Contributed childhood photo of J. Cole from his mother

Rapper and Fayetteville native J. Cole signs one of his albums during an album signing Wednesday at Sports USA on Fort Bragg.

Contributed childhood photo of J. Cole from his mother

J Cole performs Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 at the Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville.

Terry Sanford High student Jermaine Cole, 15, answers the teen Q and A question.

This is Jermaine Cole, age 14, on an open mic after a Bomm Sheltuh show at Duh Skate Zone in 1999.

J. Cole and his mentor, Brion Unger.

J. Cole in concert at Fayetteville State University for Homecoming celebrations on Oct. 19, 2010.

J. Cole visits Foxy 99 Radio station on a visit to Fayetteville.

J. Cole gets his picture taken with fans on a visit to Foxy 99 Radio station.

J. Cole leaves Foxy 99 Radio station on a visit to Fayetteville.

J. Cole performs Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 at the Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville.

John Griffin Middle School student Cavaris Richardson, 12, gets school supplies from Grammy-nominated rapper and former Fayetteville resident J. Cole at E.E. Smith High School on Saturday August 24, 2013. Cole and his team distributed supplies in the gymnasium. The back-to-school giveaway was held through Cole's Dreamville Foundation. The nonprofit foundation was founded by Cole in 2011 to encourage local youths to succeed in life.

Terry Sanford's Jermaine Cole drives by Pine Forest's Robert Dowdy during the first half on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2003, in Fayetteville, N.C.

J. Cole, right, participates in a discussion of the book "Make It Happen" by Kevin Liles with male students from Westover and E.E. Smith during a Dreamville Book Club discussion in the Media Center at Westover High School on Thursday, March 7, 2013.

Fans at the J. Cole concert Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 at the Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville.

The last stop on J. Cole's tour Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 at the Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville.

J. Cole smiles as he looks at photos taken in a photo booth at Round-A-About skating rink, where he used to work as a teen, during the Dreamville weekend in Fayettevile on Friday, March 8, 2013.

J. Cole at Westover High School on March 7, 2013.

J. Cole, center, smiles as he participates in a discussion of the book "Make It Happen" by Kevin Liles with male students from Westover and E.E. Smith during a Dreamville Book Club discussion in the Media Center at Westover High School on Thursday, March 7, 2013.

Jaheim W., 11, right, looks admiringly at J. Cole as he signs an autograph for him at Find-A-Friend at Fayetteville Urban Ministry before heading to a skating rink on Friday, March 8, 2013.

J. Cole signs autographs after a conference for E.E. Smith juniors Dejiah Crbett,17, Precious Kebreau,17, and Tardaysha Westbrook,17. He leads a youth conference at the Crown Theatre on Saturday March 8, 2014. Pre-selected high school juniors and seniors of Cumberland County High Schools attend the Career Day presentation, and movie viewing of Fruitvale Station, and participate in a open discussion about the film and injustices in today's society.

Fayetteville native rapper J.Cole high fives Miya Humphrey as he visits with kids at the Find A Friend program on March 1, 2012.

J. Cole performs Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 at the Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville.

J. Cole at Westover High School 3/7/13.

J. Cole at Westover High School on March 7, 2013.

J. Cole performs Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 at the Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville.

J. Cole opens his show sitting a roof top on the stage, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 at the Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville.

J. Cole performs Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 at the Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville.

A fence has been built around the house rapper J. Cole owns on Forest Hills Drive, off of Cain Road. Fans had been climbing on top of the house to get pictures taken, to imitate a pose Cole did on the cover of his latest album.

Jaheim W., 11, right, looks admiringly at J. Cole as he signs an autograph for him at Find-A-Friend at Fayetteville Urban Ministry before heading to a skating rink on Friday, March 8, 2013.

Fayetteville native rapper J. Cole does a little dance in the gym of his alma mater Terry Sanford as he listens to county commissioner Charles Evans, right, makes a proclamation declaring March 1, 2012 J. Cole Day. Holding the mike is Thaddeus Jenkins.

Terry Sanford's Jermaine Cole (15) goes up for a rebound with a teammate during a game Seventy-First High School on Feb. 24, 2003, in Fayetteville, N.C.