For the first time in more than a decade, rap artist J. Cole returned to Fayetteville on Wednesday and performed for a sold-out crowd, closing the North American leg of his tour.
The concert, which had built up immense anticipation in the days leading up to it, caused some traffic delays as thousands of people flocked to the Crown Coliseum. Many fans, both local and out-of-state, did their best to show up on time.
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“I’m glad I came when I did. But I’m old; that’s what we do. We get in early, and then I have to go take a nap,” said Dwayne Collock, a concertgoer.
Some J. Cole fans, like Tiana Santos, even arrived from outside of North Carolina to support their favorite rapper.
“I’ve been following him since, like, high school; he’s gotten me through a lot of tough times,” Santos said. “Honestly, I don’t really listen to any other artist.”
Star power like J. Cole’s meant enhanced security for the show, which venue officials said contributed to the longer wait times to get inside.
While traffic was at the forefront of attendees’ minds, the sold-out show meant that parking also became an issue for some.
“We might have to park very far, but it’s worth it for J. Cole,” one concertgoer said.
One problem spot for concertgoers was Owen’s Drive, and many who were caught on that road had trouble finding parking and arrived late to the start of the show at 8 p.m. Prior to the concert, officials posted pick-up and drop-off locations for those using rideshare services and offered tips for people to avoid traffic jams.
J. Cole’s Fayetteville concert marked the last of the North American leg of his Fall-Off World Tour. His next concert will be overseas in Berlin, Germany, on October 7.