It’s quite intriguing that a celebrity as popular as J Cole would have a relationship shut out of the public for as long as he did. There are few bigger rappers in the industry who can boast of more visibility than the North Carolina native. In a country were musicians of his stature are hounded daily by the paparazzi, J Cole surely could share a thing or two with younger artistes on how to maintain a private life shrouded in secrecy.
In a genre reputable for baby mamas and broken relationships, J Cole and Melissa Heholt’s relationship has been a beacon of hope and shining light. Embedded in his lyrics are words that affirm the extent to which he values her and her contribution to his success.
Melissa Heholt And J Cole Met In College
Tracking down Melissa and J Cole’s relationship timeline can be an uphill task simply because for a long time he kept his private life off the public. The couple met as students at St. John’s University in New York.
After high school, Cole who had graduated with a 4.2 GPA – as an outstanding student in high school – was granted a scholarship to study at St. John’s University. Cole moved to New York to further his career in music but also with an eye on his academics. Initially enrolling for a degree in Computer Science, he later switched to Communication and Business. It was at this point he met Melissa Heholt who at the time was studying for a degree in Health Administration. Given that J Cole graduated from college around 2007, it is safe to say they started dating sometime between 2004 and 2007.
J Cole later took up odd jobs as an ad salesman for a newspaper and later a bill collector, while Melissa started working as a teacher. These were some of the most difficult times in J Cole’s life, he owed huge sums in rent and was barely making enough money to survive. In most of his lyrics, Cole credits Melissa for putting up with him, taking him in sometimes when he was homeless and standing by him until he found his feet.
There were rumors of an engagement between the two in 2010, however, no one saw a ring. Melissa and Cole are one of the most private celebrity couples. In terms of popularity, commercial success, and respectability, Cole is one of the biggest rappers in the US, which makes it even more intriguing how he has managed to keep his love life under the radar.
No One Knew When They Got Married
It was director Ryan Coogler who accidentally revealed that Cole was married during an interview in 2016. The news came as a shock to many, who thought this was just another young, wild and free rapper. The fact that he was a father all along and no one had caught wind of it was simply astonishing. Not one journalist, not one blog, not even a photographer has caught a glimpse of this side of J Cole’s life.
Melissa Heholt hardly talks about her husband and family, even after Ryan Coogler unwittingly let the cat out of the bag. The only giveaways are some lyrics from J Cole’s music and some odd interviews here and there.
At the moment, the exact time Melissa Heholt and J Cole got married is unknown, however, it was revealed that they were married in 2016 by J Cole himself, who uncharacteristically confirmed information about this in an interview. Since they have been together, the couple has had several beautiful moments, including the welcoming of a son, whose name, like many things about the couple, is unknown.
In mid-2019, J Cole disclosed in the closing tracks of his album Revenge of the Dreamers III that he and Melissa Heholt will be welcoming her second child. And as is typical of them, the couple has not also giving away the name of this second child.
Melissa Runs An Events Management Company – Statice Events
Born on the 10th of October, 1987, Mellissa holds a first degree in Health Administration from St. John’s University. Initially, Melissa enrolled with the intent to major in Business and after changing her major a few times, she eventually graduated with a degree in Health Administration. Right after college, she bounced around a few jobs only to quit when she wasn’t getting job satisfaction. She went back to graduate school for a Masters in Elementary Education.
After graduate school, she took up a job as a teacher but after a few years, she had to reevaluate her options. In a rare interview, Melissa reveals how after a summer break of pondering and self-reflecting, she quit her job as a teacher due to job dissatisfaction yet again.
She decided to try her hand at something she had always loved – event planning. She had to get over being constantly told she was a bit too old to intern in at Event Companies. She stuck to her guns, knuckled down, learned the ropes at Team Epiphany – a lifestyle and marketing agency.
After a few months, she set up Statice Events, an independent events planning company operating out of the tri-state area, Maryland, and North Carolina.
She Also Serves As Executive Director Of J Cole’s Dreamville Foundation
While she continues to manage her successful private business, she also serves as the executive director of Dreamville Foundation, which was established by her husband, J Cole and designed to help challenged youths reach their potential through several programs and creation of positive experiences. The foundation was established in 2011 and is currently based in North Carolina.
The foundation is the brain behind the annual “Back To School Supply Giveaway”. This initiative aims to provide supplies to school children.
It also created “The Nobody’s Perfect Writing Contest and Mother’s Day Brunch” for students. This book club is dedicated to helping young men improve their literary skills. The foundation also organizes the annual “Dreamville Weekend” where it hosts young people and connects them with African-American professionals from various fields in a bid to inspire and motivate them to succeed. The foundation also has plans to turn J Cole’s childhood home into a home for single mothers to live rent-free with their kids.