J. Cole Counts It Up With ‘ATM’ & More Hits During NBA All-Star Game Halftime Performance

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Charlotte just became the capital of hip-hop, if only for one night, courtesy of J. Cole. The 2019 NBA All-Star Game Halftime Show performer proved why he’s one of the best players in the game. As Team LeBron and Team Giannis took a break from the All-Star NBA action, J. Cole, 34, hit the court to turn it up in his fly throwback Hornets jacket. And turn it up he did, as he started off with everyone’s favorite, ‘Middle Child,’ before jamming through a handful of his jams. J even gave fellow troubled rapper 21 Savage a shoutout before ripping through his verse in ‘A Lot,’ a track J features in alongside 21 who has been struggling with immigration issues.

.@JColeNC putting on for his state 🎤🎶#NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/XcMT64Ystx

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 18, 2019

J also found time in the short set for everyone’s favorite, ‘count it up track,’ ‘ATM.’ Those who did not have to get out of their seats to go to the bathroom, were hoppin’ and boppin’ to smooth sounds of the North Carolina native. Rocking his signature dreads, J sat down and turned down the vibe with his mellow hit ‘Love Yours.’ Finally, J closed with mad style and his biggest hit, ‘Don’t Save Her.’

First things first…

The people love @JColeNC.#NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/iDBWm3cq9D

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 18, 2019

People who slept on J. Cole in the past were given a rude awakening in April 2018, when he dropped K.O.D. J. Cole’s fifth studio album went to No. 1 immediately, breaking both Spotify and Apple music streaming records for most stream in a day, which knocked out Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” from the top spot, per Vulture. It also reinserted him back in the “best rapper” conversations, despite the album’s divisive nature among the hip-hop community.

In addition to discussing mental health and trauma, the album covers a variety of addictions, from drugs (“KOD”) to money (“ATM”) to sex (“Kevin’s Heart”) to being addicted to social media (“Photograph”). The album paints these indulgences in a negative light, which seemingly put J. Cole at odds with the new generation of SoundCloud rappers who revel in drug use, flaunt their money, and engage in excessive sex — all while posting it to the ‘gram. J. Cole didn’t use K.O.D. to call out a particular rapper. Instead, addressed this entire generation of young up-and-comers directly with K.O.D.’s closing track, “1985 (Intro to “The Fall Off)”.

It was an epic halftime performance hopefully the whole world, including 21 Savage, was watching.

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