J. Cole fans have a new reason to celebrate. Following the recent release of his debut mixtape The Come Up, Vol. 1 on digital streaming platforms, the rapper has now made his sophomore mixtape, 2009’s The Warm Up, available for streaming across Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal as of November 22.
Widely regarded as the project that catapulted Cole to mainstream recognition, The Warm Up is a cornerstone of his discography. Its standout track, “Lights Please,” famously caught the attention of Jay-Z, leading to J. Cole’s signing with Roc Nation—a pivotal moment in his career that cemented his place in hip-hop history.
Ibrahim ‘Ib’ Hamad, J. Cole’s longtime friend, manager, and business partner, reflected on the release in a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter). “Took us 15 years, but I’m so happy we’re able to get this up,” Hamad wrote. “This project is very special to me, [it] really put Cole in the game, and we ain’t look back since. Forever grateful for this project; it legit changed lives forever.”
Fans and hip-hop enthusiasts can now revisit the mixtape that marked the beginning of Cole’s rise to stardom, offering a nostalgic glimpse into the early days of his career.
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