tour: The Fall Off Tour

rec-rated: 10/10

comments: Definitely one of my top concert experiences! I bought my ticket last minute and somehow ended up with a great seat for a great price—$80 for a seat that originally retailed for $120—and I could not have asked for a better group of people around me. The girls next to me were so much fun, recording themselves and rapping along the whole night, and the guy to my right, who also came solo, looked like he was having the time of his life. I’m really glad I got to chat with them before the show because it honestly added to the whole experience. J. Cole came on around 9:20pm and played a full set until about 11:15pm, and what I loved most was how genuine and live the performance felt. He had an actual band behind the scenes, was incredibly interactive with the crowd, and seemed genuinely grateful that everyone was there. He even made a point of saying that he appreciates everyone—from the people who know every song bar for bar to those who might only know one or none—which I thought was such a humble and refreshing thing to hear. I knew a good amount of his songs, but definitely not every lyric (with the exception of “No Role Modelz” lol), so hearing him say that made me feel even more comfortable just enjoying the experience without feeling like I had to know every word. One of the songs I especially loved hearing live was “Life Sentence.” Before performing it, he talked about how it was some of the realest shit he’s written, basically about doing life with a special someone. He said he hopes everyone is able to find their person, even if they haven’t found them yet, and that if you already have your person, you should appreciate them, be grateful for them, and make it work—even in a world where it can feel so easy to cheat or move on. That really stuck with me. I think that’s one of the things I appreciate most about J. Cole: it’s refreshing to hear a rapper talk about love, relationships, growth, reflection, and real life instead of everything always being about getting with multiple women, doing drugs, getting money, or buying material things. During the concert, I found myself paying much closer attention to his lyrics than I normally do, and hearing the songs live made me realize just how much meaning and substance there is behind his music. His songs actually have something to say. He also just seems like a genuinely good person, which made the whole experience even better. The towel with the tour name printed on it was such a fun bonus, too. Everyone in the venue got one and started spinning them around during his performance, which was such a vibe. I’ve never experienced an artist giving everyone free merch like that before. I also got the red shirt and absolutely love it. Overall, such an incredible concert experience—great seat, great people, amazing performance, meaningful music, and an artist who seemed genuinely grateful to be there. I’d see him again in a heartbeat.