On the second anniversary of his mixtape The Warm Up, J. Cole unleashes “Work Out,” the long-awaited first single from his debut, due later this summer. The Roc Nation rapper, who is currently opening for Rihanna on her “LOUD” tour, wonders if a fleeting relationship will last as he raps over a sample of Kanye West’s “New Workout Plan” and sings lyrics from Paula Abdul’s 1988 hit “Straight Up.” After generating heat with his mixtapes, will the summertime record help Cole cross over? Work up a sweat below.
Download: J. Cole – “Work Out”