J.Cole sits down with the New York Daily News to discuss the start of his rap career. He also has an article written…snippets from the article after the jump.

Now J.Cole, pegged as the next big thing in the rap game, is just a few touches from finishing his first solo album. And he’s quick to give props to his alma mater, St. John’s University.

“St. John’s, it allowed me to be a little better prepared for the career that I chose,” the 6-foot-4 rapper told the Daily News at the Quad Recording Studio in midtown.

“Even though I’m not working a 9-to-5, I’m still really aware of P.R. and your brand, and how you’re represented in the public light.”

J.Cole attended St. John’s on a partial scholarship. Few classmates would have even known he was honing his skills. He wasn’t rapping outside of campus buildings and he wasn’t the first to sign up for talent shows

Via: RapRadar /NY Daily News