The speculation is over. J. Cole closed the North American leg of The Fall-Off Tour Wednesday night in front of a sold-out Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville. After a week of guest-list theories, Cole brought out one surprise guest: North Carolina’s own Petey Pablo.
No Jay-Z, no Drake, no Dreamville parade. Going in, the 2015 Forest Hills Drive: Homecoming night was the benchmark, and Cole didn’t try to repeat it. He handed the moment to another Carolina rapper instead, and that fit the night better than a big-name cameo would have.
Petey Pablo gets the hometown moment
Petey Pablo, the Greenville native behind “Raise Up,” is about as North Carolina as a guest can get. For a building full of people who grew up on that record, it landed as a state-pride moment. The one guest was from home, not from the charts.
Greensboro R&B artist PJ, who’s featured on Cole’s “Legacy,” also took the stage. By CityView’s count, Cole ran through a 32-song set.
The scene outside
The day started early. Before the show, fans stopped by Cole’s childhood home on Forest Hills Drive to pay their respects. By the evening, traffic had backed up around the Coliseum. WRAL reported that Owen Drive was jammed, parking was tight, and extra security slowed the lines at the doors. People came in from all over the East Coast, and ABC11 talked to parents who let their kids go to a concert on a school night for this one.
“This is his hometown. Fayetteville. I had to come here,” eighth grader Camden Powell told ABC11.
9Dime Clothing reps the Ville
The crowd was dressed for the occasion. Forest Hills jerseys and Fall-Off tour tees were everywhere, and so was 9Dime Clothing. The brand was started by a Westover High alum, and former Westover students wore it into the building.
A local brand showing up on local people fit the whole week, from Cole’s return to the 910 Cypher to the Fall-Off conversation at Fayetteville State. Before any brand gets on a big-name artist, it gets worn by its own people in the places that matter. You can follow 9Dime at @9dimeclothingco.
What’s next
It was Cole’s first Fayetteville show in 11 years. Now The Fall-Off Tour heads overseas, starting in Berlin on October 7. After our week of Fall-Off Tour coverage, the takeaway is simple. Cole didn’t need a superstar cameo to make the finale feel big. He played his hometown, brought out a Carolina legend, and let the city be the headliner.
Were you at Crown Coliseum? Tag @iamhiphopmagtice so we can see the fits.
