The Off-Season (Album)

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    J. Cole, Triumphant (at His Own Pace)

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    Of hip-hop’s current superstar elite, no one has had a path to the top as curious or unexpected as J. Cole. A decade ago, he had his eye on becoming one of rap’s biggest stars in the mold of Jay-Z and Nas. But when he found the path to the top riddled with compromises, he peeled off to follow his own happiness, resulting in some of the most popular and successful music of his career. He just released his sixth album, “The Off-Season,” which debuted at the top of the Billboard album chart, just like the five that preceded it.And where is Cole now that he’s No. 1? Playing in the Basketball Africa League, for the Rwanda Patriots. Once more, he is following an unconventional muse, choosing a route that prioritizes internal fulfillment over immediate gain and acclaim.On this week’s Popcast, a conversation about Cole’s music career, from aspirant to confused victor to triumphant cult hero. Plus, an analysis of his basketball sojourn, and the long and curious exchange between hip-hop and basketball — rappers with hoop dreams and players with rap ambitions alike.Guests:Elena Bergeron, The New York Times’s assistant sports editorYoh Phillips, who writes about music for Complex and others, and a founder of Rap Portraits More

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      ‘The Off-Season’ Is J. Cole’s Sixth Straight No. 1 Album

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      The rapper’s latest LP opens with the year’s biggest streaming total, and Olivia Rodrigo, projected to top the album chart next week, has the No. 1 song.Two big new hits top the Billboard charts this week: J. Cole’s “The Off-Season” is the No. 1 album, with the year’s most robust streaming number so far, while Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U” is the top single.“The Off-Season” had the equivalent of 282,000 sales in the United States last week, according to MRC Data. That is the second-best opening of the year, after Taylor Swift’s “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” which had 291,000 a month ago. But “The Off-Season” — a nod to Cole’s second career as a basketball player with the Rwanda-based Patriots, part of the new Basketball Africa League —  had by far the biggest streaming number of the year, with 325 million clicks. That beat the 240 million opening for Morgan Wallen’s “Dangerous: The Double Album” in January, and was the highest for any album since Juice WRLD’s posthumous “Legends Never Die,” which had 423 million in July 2020.In addition to its streams, “The Off-Season” sold 37,000 copies as a complete package. It is J. Cole’s sixth studio album, each of which has gone to No. 1.Also this week, a reissue of Nicki Minaj’s 12-year-old mixtape “Beam Me Up Scotty” — she has not released a new album in three years — opens at No. 2 with the equivalent of 80,000 sales, including 86 million streams.Moneybagg Yo’s “A Gangsta’s Pain,” last week’s top seller, falls to No. 3, and Wallen’s “Dangerous” is No. 4. Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia” is No. 5. The Black Keys’ new “Delta Kream” opens at No. 6.Rodrigo’s song “Good 4 U” reaches the top of the singles chart just as her debut album, “Sour,” looks like a safe bet for the peak position on next week’s chart. Her debut single, “Drivers License,” held No. 1 for eight weeks earlier this year. More