I used to have big buck teeth. I used to have an overbite so wide you could fit a whole finger in between my upper and lower teeth. I used to wear headgear, forcing me to sleep on my back so I wouldn’t mess up my teeth any more than they already looked. I used to be incredibly embarrassed about my smile—until I heard a song.

I had always known about J. Cole. He was one of the many artists my brothers added to our iPod Nano, popping up on shuffle from time to time. I enjoyed his raspy voice and storytelling, but the first time I heard Crooked Smile, that was the moment it all clicked for me. This was in middle school—an age when you watch every YouTube video about your favorite artist and do deep dives into every unreleased song or mixtape that wasn’t available on iTunes (more on this later).

To break the fourth wall a bit, I’m writing this on December 9th, the ten-year anniversary of my favorite album ever, 2014 Forest Hills Drive. I’m also writing this one week before I head to Madison Square Garden to see my first J. Cole show, where he’ll perform the aforementioned GOAT album front to back. But, before I dive into what happened during that show, I want to reflect on the past year of Jermaine.

He started on a high. It seemed like he had taken the torch from Andre 3K and Lil Wayne, officially staking his claim as one of, if not the greatest feature rappers ever. After this long, it’s not even a “feature run” anymore—it’s a lifestyle. Riding the success of his feature on First Person Shooter with fellow Big 3 member Drake, he joined him on the It’s All A Blur tour. On the road, he teased new songs like Crocodile Tears and 3001, alongside a mini-documentary that showed Cole as hungry as ever.

Then, in an instant, it all seemed to come crashing down. You know the story. Kendrick Lamar dropped a wild feature on Future and Metro Boomin’s Like That, taking shots at Cole’s lyrics on FPS. Feeling the pressure from the hip-hop world, Cole knew he had to respond.

So, he surprised-dropped a new album, Might Delete Later, which got completely overshadowed by a song he eventually deleted: 7 Minute Drill. In my opinion, aside from calling To Pimp A Butterfly boring, this was a solid first-round diss track—nothing too crazy. But then, Cole went on the most J. Cole rant ever during his headlining set at Dreamville Fest, apologizing for the diss and admitting it didn’t sit right with him.

Did Cole know what kind of smear campaign he was getting caught in with the Kendrick-Drake feud? Did Kendrick or Drake warn him to duck for cover before he caught a stray? Who knows. What I will say is that, although he messed up from a battle rap perspective by apologizing, in hindsight, Cole may have saved himself. What frustrates me most, though, is that MDL is now completely slept on. Personally, it’s my album of the year, and it features some of Cole’s best songs ever, like Huntin’ Wabbitz and Trae the Truth in Ibiza.

I’ve always thought J. Cole was ahead of the curve in how he interacts with his fans. Throughout his career, he’s built a ride-or-die fanbase that supports him through everything. Moments like selling tickets for just one dollar on the Dollar and a Dream tour, having fans listen to 2014 Forest Hills Drive in his childhood bedroom, or creating full-length documentaries for each album release show Cole and his team’s commitment to understanding what it’s like to be a fan. His next move might have been his best yet.

Cole and his long-time manager and friend, Ibrahim Hamad, launched a ten-episode podcast, diving deep into the stories behind each album in Cole’s early discography. It’s honestly the coolest thing I’ve ever listened to. Along with each release, they re-released every mixtape that had yet to hit streaming services due to sample clearances. Seeing an official version of Friday Night Lights in my library still feels like a dream. All of these moments culminated in what I’m about to discuss: the 10-year 2014 Forest Hills Drive anniversary show.

So… How was it?

Two words: Religious experience.

The Ticketmaster presale queue for this show had over 100,000 people in line, all hoping for a chance to see this legendary performance. My goal was to buy two tickets and bring a friend, but due to my spot in line, it turned into a solo mission. No fear, though. I’ve had plenty of experience seeing shows on my own, and for a concert like this? It was easy to strike up a conversation with the person next to me about their journey to NYC for the night.

The energy in the room was palpable. As soon as the curtain dropped, revealing the famous roof design Cole used on his 2014 FHD world tour and the opening line of “Do you wanna, do you wanna be, free?”—the crowd went wild. We knew we were in for a journey. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a show where every single fan knew every word, bar for bar. Cole was in his element, performing lock-step with his band.

Of course, Cole performed every song from his classic album. It was incredible to hear deeper cuts like Hello and St. Tropez live. For songs like 03 Adolescence and GOMD, you couldn’t even hear yourself think—the crowd was that loud. Then there were touching moments with songs like Apparently and Love Yourz, that were just like I’d always imagined after watching countless J. Cole Live YouTube videos over the years.

He also made sure to include some classics from his entire catalog. Of course, he did Workout and Power Trip, but he even pulled out mixtape tracks like 2 Face and Grown Simba—songs I never thought I’d hear live. I loved hearing Cole talk about making those tracks at the famous Muhammad’s crib and how much it meant for him to perform them in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden. You could tell he didn’t take this show lightly.

My favorite part of the night came at the end when Cole performed Note For Self. He had the audience put their arms around each other and reflect on how wild 2024 had been. Amidst all the chaos, there we were, having the time of our lives, listening to one of our favorite albums ever, live. For about two hours, the real was back, the Ville was back, and I couldn’t have been any happier.