J. Cole Reflects on Art & Life in Jamaica for New Short Film (Video)

Currently on his Forest Hills Drive Tour, J. Cole is a busy man; in addition to promoting his latest album, the MC and producer is turning heads for his collaboration with the one and only Janet Jackson on her much-anticipated return to airwaves, “No Sleeep.” Also featured on Houston rapper Trae da Truth’s “Children of Men,” J. Cole remains one of the most in-demand lyricists both in and out of Hip-Hop, and now his demand has spilled over into the world of fashion.

In a collaboration with Bally, a Swiss company specializing in luxury shoes and accessories, Cole has been made the star of a short film in which he dons Bally’s hiking boots and a backpack, and explores Jamaica. The five-minute video follows Cole as he goes “off the grid,” tinkering on a piano in Kingston’s legendary Tuff Gong Studios, strumming a guitar in Strawberry Hill, driving through town into the jungle, and conversing with the vibrant locals. Directed by Maxim Bohichik of BBGUN films, the short film is more than just an advertisement for Bally’s products; it is an homage to artistic inspiration, reflections on determination, and it carries an all-J. Cole soundtrack. Check it out.