In an era dominated by instant streaming, J. Cole is taking a nostalgic U-turn. According to vice.com, to celebrate the release of his latest album, The Fall-Off, the North Carolina rapper has shunned digital-only promotion in favour of a “Trunk Sale Tour,” selling physical CDs directly to fans from his old Honda Civic.
The move marks a deliberate return to Cole’s roots, echoing the days when independent artists relied on grit and hand-to-hand sales rather than algorithms. Writing on social media, the “4 Your Eyez Only” artist revealed he has fitted his pre-fame vehicle with a brand-new engine to traverse the United States.
“I had the desire to go feel that feeling again,” Cole shared. “Trunk Sale Tour ’26!! I don’t know where we’re driving to, but catch me outside. Cop a CD from me or just show love.”
The campaign began with a symbolic stop at North Carolina A&T. It was on this campus during Homecoming years ago that Cole first sold his mixtape, The Come Up, for just $1. Returning to Greensboro to sell The Fall-Off brings his career “full circle” – a central theme of the new record.
While most listeners now pay a monthly subscription for unlimited access to music, Cole is betting on the “physical experience” and the personal connection of a car-park encounter. He recalled his early days as a teenager, pitching albums to strangers at petrol stations with the simple hook: “Yo, you like hip-hop?”
Fans looking to snag a copy of The Fall-Off – and perhaps a selfie with the man himself – should keep a sharp eye out for a modest Honda Civic surrounded by a very large crowd.
