Cole World: The Sideline Story (commonly shortened to Cole World or The Sideline Story; stylized as Cole World - The Sideline Story) is the debut studio album by American rapper J. Cole. It was released on September 27, 2011, by Roc Nation and Columbia Records, with distribution from Sony Music. The album is his first studio release, following three successful mixtapes. In 2007, the album was first recorded and ended, and then began to take place from 2009 to early 2011, featuring the production that was handled mainly by Cole himself, with some production from high-profile producer No I.D. It includes four guest appearances from Trey Songz, Drake, Jay-Z and Missy Elliott.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, with 218,000 copies sold in the first week following its release. The album has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As of December 2016, it sold 855,000 copies in the United States. The album was supported by three official singles: Work Out, Can't Get Enough and Nobody's Perfect.
The album was one of the most anticipated releases of 2011 due to the sharp rise in Cole's popularity and mainstream fan base. Cole's lyrics perhaps most strikingly deal with issues such as abortion and the consequences of growing up in a fatherless household. However, these themes are incorporated alongside more introspective issues such as relationships, family problems, fame and attempting to be successful – an area which very much links in with the subtitle of the album 'The Sideline Story'. Upon its release, the album was generally well received by critics, who praised the wholesomeness of the album.
Background
On April 25, 2011, Vibe listed him at number five on their Vibe's list of Greatest Rappers Alive 30 Under 30. J. Cole was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2011 BET Awards. On May 3, 2011, Cole stated on Twitter, "All singles done. Album ridiculous. Title Perfect. Music incredible. Thank you for your patience. Let's change the game." On June 21, 2011, Cole tweeted, "Cole World: The Sideline Story," the album's title. He then tweeted "9/27," the release date. In June 2011, he announced that the recording of the album was finished, and that the release date is set for September later that year.
Cole said several of the tracks are songs that he held onto before he was signed. He said they were too good to give away on mixtapes. Cole stated that he had 16 tracks on the album, 12 of which he has produced himself. He also revealed that he would not release a pre-album mixtape like he previously stated. Instead, every Sunday until the album he released songs that did not make the album. The bundles of songs released are called Any Given Sundays. Cole said that the reason for the subtitle "The Sideline Story" is because he feels since being signed to Jay-Z it has been like someone being on the sidelines for their favorite basketball team, and they're just waiting until the coach puts them in.
Recording and production
"Cole World" includes production from the rapper himself, alongside Brian Kidd, No I.D. and L&X Music. Prior to the album's publication, Cole expressed his desire for his fans to expect a different sound, while lyrically he said he tried to explore topics that are not frequent in mainstream hip hop music. The Source magazine said that Cole's "evolution as a producer solely enhances the product" and that "Outside of co-production from No I.D., this album is all Cole at his rawest. The album also features live Orchestra and Musical Sections arranged and produced by Larrance Dopson of 1500 or Nothin', with violin recorded by Ginny Luke on them songs, such as "Rise and Shine," "Lost Ones" and "Breakdown." During the final moments of working on his album, when Cole had lost hope for his dream collaboration with Jay-Z, he explained to Vibe how the collaboration came to fruition, "He was in L.A. and I got [there] that day around the VMAs or whatever. He actually pushed back the mastering, we went to mastering with no Jay-Z verse. I was like 'oh okay cool, I guess he can't do it.' They were mastering the last song, and this is such a Jay-Z move, he called in and stopped the mastering and pushed it back like a week. Only he can do that."