Rapper J. Cole concludes his stint in China following participation in one professional basketball game.
Rap icon J. Cole announced on Tuesday that his stint in professional basketball in China has concluded after just one game.
“The work visa process took significantly longer than anticipated, so I was only able to participate in one game before returning,” Cole stated.
Earlier in April, the multi-Grammy Award-winning and multi-Platinum artist inked a contract with the Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association. He was expected to compete in a minimum of three games for the team.
“I want to express my gratitude to the Nanjing club and to the CBA for providing me with that remarkable opportunity,” Cole remarked in his statement.
This marked the third occasion Cole, whose full name is Jermaine Cole, participated in a professional sports league. He previously played with the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League in 2021 and with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2022.
He also played high school basketball in North Carolina.
Cole received a Grammy in 2020 for Best Rap Song (“A Lot” by 21 Savage featuring J. Cole) and has earned multiple BET Hip Hop Awards. He has six Platinum albums and has produced tracks for artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, and Young Thug.
His most recent album, “The Fall-Off,” was released in February.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
