J.Cole Revealed That Visa Issues Have Kept Him From Playing Basketball Overseas

Rapper J. Cole is living the dream. Not only have all of his albums — six to be exact — been RIAA-certified platinum or higher, but the MC has also built a solid fanbase that continues to grow. In hip-hop, he’s often cited as one of the greatest rappers of his generation, thanks to his introspective lyrics, undeniable flow, cadence, and storytelling talent.

For most folks, excelling in their primary field of work gives them the green light to explore other endeavors. For example, Grammy-winning songstress Victoria Monet is currently in culinary school after releasing a children’s book. And while J. Cole is known as the MC who pops in the game to release music and retreats to his private life. He has been making his basketball dreams come true by playing overseas and beyond.

On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, reports revealed that J. Cole had signed a contract with the Nanjing Monkey Kings, a team in the Chinese Basketball Association. This follows his 2025 commitment to play a few games in the league. And while fans expected the MC to play a few games with the team, that is no longer in the cards due to his visa issues.

“The work visa process took way longer than expected, so I was only able to play in one before heading back,” the rapper shared in a blog post.

The blog shares that J. Cole was supposed to play in at least three games for the team. However, his visa issues have held him back. And while he only played eight minutes during his debut game with the team, he’s taking the experience in stride.

“I got a few good looks but wasn't able to hit one,” the rapper said in the blog post. “A couple more games and maybe those shots would have started to fall! Either way, I'm fulfilled and grateful! S--t, I feel like I dropped 20. And my knees felt like I played 40 minutes!”

J. Cole, who’s known for his humble personality, made a point to thank the organization for the opportunity.

“I want to say thank you to the Nanjing club and to the CBA for allowing me to have that incredible experience,” he shared via the blog post. “Also, to my teammates who were mad cool, and who really wanted me to get a bucket.”

J. Cole is not new to basketball; he’s true to it. Fans know that the rapper was quite the basketball star at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, N.C. According to the Fayetteville Observer, he secured a walk-on spot at St. John's University after playing two years as a varsity player for the Sanford Bulldogs.

And while he’s been focused on his music career, he has carved out time to satisfy his sports fix. The outlet shares that J. Cole has played for two professional basketball leagues.

In 2021, the rapper played for the Rwanda Patriots in the Africa Basketball League. And a year later, he joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League, playing for the Scarborough Shooting Stars.

Although his chapter with the CBA is closed for now, we expect the rapper to pop up playing for another league in no time.