J. Cole’s upcoming album will be titled “It’s A Boy.”
There has been speculation that J. Cole’s next album will be titled “It’s A Boy,” but this has not been officially confirmed. The name came up after Cole discussed his “The Fall Off Era”, which includes titles such as “The Off-Season” and “It’s A Boy,” and concluded with “The Fall Off.” This theory is further supported by Cole mentioning the project by name during his appearance on Kevin Durant’s podcast, “The ETCs,” when discussing his current work. In the episode, Cole stated, “You want to go into [the studio] when you miss it for real…I just started chipping away” on “The Off-Season,” “The Fall Off,” and “It’s A Boy.” The release of this episode was closely timed with the release of “The Off-Season,” suggesting that Cole may have been working on all three albums in the “Fall Off Era” from the start.
The Meaning Behind the Title
One possibility for the alleged title “It’s A Boy” is that it refers to the birth of one of J. Cole’s sons. In a 2018 interview with Angie Martinez, the rapper disclosed that he had his first child, a baby boy. He also mentioned in his song “Sacrifices” from the album “Revenge of the Dreamer 3” that he is expecting a second son. These references suggest that the concept of “It’s A Boy” could be an album about Cole’s experience as a father, a topic he has not often discussed publicly due to his desire to keep his personal life private. Given his current stage in life and career, it is possible that he is now ready to release an album centered on his role as a father.
“It’s A Boy” will be centered around themes of family, as the title may be a reference to Cole’s first son.
J. Cole has a history of making music about being a family man, as demonstrated in the song “Foldin Clothes” from his album “4 Your Eyez Only.” His upcoming album, rumored to be titled “It’s A Boy,” may be his most personal release yet. The 2016 concept album “4 Your Eyez Only” explored themes of fatherhood through the perspective of a childhood friend who passed away, and Cole dedicated the album to his friend’s daughter. With the rumored title “It’s A Boy,” it is possible that Cole will address similar topics, but from his own perspective this time. Smino, a rapper, mentioned that Cole wanted to include the song “90 Proof” on his next album, and the lyrics in Cole’s verse on the track seem to fit with the theme of family life. Cole rarely speaks about his children, so the fact that he opens his verse on “90 Proof” with references to his kids and being a young father may be a hint at the subject matter of his upcoming album.
“It’s A Boy” will include a variety of collaborations with different artists, based on Cole’s recent trend of seeking out new and diverse partnerships.
In 2022, J. Cole was active in collaborating with various artists, similar to his work in 2018-2019. This past year, he worked with artists such as Smino, Bia, YG, and Benny the Butcher, in addition to his contributions to projects by other members of his label Dreamville, such as EarthGang and JID. This trend of seeking out new and diverse collaborations could suggest that “It’s A Boy” will feature a variety of artists. In a documentary about “Revenge of the Dreamers 3,” Cole mentioned that he wanted to work with more artists and not be known as an artist who never collaborates with others, partly in response to the memes about his album “2014 Forest Hills Drive” going triple platinum without any features. The 2021 album “The Off-Season” includes features from Lil Baby, Morray, 21 Savage, 6lack, and others, indicating that the upcoming project “It’s A Boy” may also involve a range of collaborations.
J. Cole’s album “It’s A Boy” will be released on his birthday, January 28th.
There is a theory among some fans on Dreamville Reddit forums that “It’s A Boy” may be released on J. Cole’s birthday, January 28th. While the majority of people believe that the title refers to Cole’s first son, others think that it may be a reference to Cole’s own birth and therefore the album would be centered on his own upbringing. While this theory is somewhat speculative, it has gained some traction due to the timing of Cole’s social media blackout. Previously, when Cole cleared his Instagram account in May 2021, he announced the release of “The Off-Season” just two weeks later. The fact that he has gone silent on social media at the start of his birthday month has led some to speculate that he may be preparing for a January 28th release date for “It’s A Boy,” regardless of whether the date has any significance to the album’s concept.