Grammy award-winning rapper J. Cole made a surprise visit to USC on Tuesday, selling signed CDs straight from his Honda Civic.
Fans lined up on West Adams Boulevard, packing sidewalks all the way down to Troy Hall, where Cole spent two hours signing albums.
USC was the 17th and final stop on his “Trunk Sale Tour,” a rollout designed to promote his new album, “The Fall-Off,” by mimicking moments from the early days of his career.
In a promotional video, Cole said he wanted to deliver the album to fans personally through “hand to hand interaction, like how it used to be when we dropped a mix tape.”
He purposefully showed up unannounced and on short notice, allowing him to connect with fans deeply impacted by his work.
For many, Cole is more than just an artist. Fans brought CDs, vinyl records, skateboards, shirts and shoes for him to sign-- items that meant something important.
One fan handed Cole a shirt from the “For Your Eyez Only” tour and told him his first date with his now-wife had been at a J. Cole concert nearly a decade ago.
Now, they were set to celebrate their ten-year anniversary at his upcoming show in Vegas.
Another fan handed Cole his mixtape, describing Cole as the inspiration for his work. Cole accepted it and promised to give it a listen.
During the signing, Cole kept the focus on the album itself, respectfully declining to sign any merchandise not associated with his official releases or pose for extended photo-ops.
However, every person who showed up with his work left with a signed copy in hand.
Cole will return to L.A. in September for “The Fall-Off Tour” with shows at the KIA Forum and the Crypto Arena, giving Trojans and locals another chance at seeing him live.