Rapper J. Cole joins Nanjing Monkey Kings in Chinese basketball league
Rap icon J. Cole has officially signed a deal to compete in the Chinese Basketball Association with the Nanjing Monkey Kings, sources informed ESPN on Wednesday.
The multi-Grammy Award-winning and multi-Platinum musician had previously pledged to participate in several games for the Chinese team last year and is now fulfilling that commitment.
This marks the third occasion Cole, whose full name is Jermaine Cole, has engaged in a professional sports league. He played for the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League in 2021 and for the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2022.
Additionally, he played basketball during his high school years 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 also released six platinum albums and produced tracks for artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, and Young Thug.
His most recent album, “The Fall-Off,” was launched in February.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
