Nanjing, China — Grammy-winning rapper J. Cole has signed a playing contract with the Chinese Basketball Association’s Nanjing Monkey Kings, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
Cole, whose full name is Jermaine Cole, had promised last year to appear in several games for the club and is now set to honor that commitment. The agreement marks his third stint in a professional basketball league.
Previous basketball experience
The North Carolina native suited up for the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League in 2021 and for the Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2022. Before his music career took off, he played high school basketball in North Carolina.
Music accolades
Cole captured a Grammy in 2020 for Best Rap Song with “A Lot,” his collaboration with 21 Savage, and holds multiple BET Hip Hop Awards. He has six platinum albums and production credits for artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson and Young Thug. His most recent album, “The Fall-Off,” dropped in February.
Further details of Cole’s CBA debut, including the date of his first game with Nanjing, were not immediately disclosed.
Source: ESPN
