Listen: J. Cole has a ‘Work Out’ before long-awaited debut album release

Like I said in my Bonnaroo review of his set, J. Cole is an earner. And it’s about time he’s earned a debut album, release date and title.

“Cole World: The Sideline Story” will finally drop on Sept. 27 on Jay-Z’s Roc Nation imprint. It comes on the heels of other game-themed mixtape titles like “The Warm Up” and the impressive collection “Friday Night Lights.” And it’s only natural, then, that his first single is called “Work Out.”

The single dropped last week and it’s a shame it didn’t arrive in time for our 2010 summer jams list. This party track borrows from Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” and tips its hat (ball?) to Kanye West’s “The New Workout Plan” off of “The College Dropout.” We’ll just have to wait and see if the video has just as many celebrity cameos as that track.

Hov is skedded to appear on one of “Cole World’s” tracks, and producers like West collaborator No I.D., Danjahandz and Brian Kidd are helming.

The North Carolinian MC Tweeted much of the news above, so if you’re a convert like me, I’d recommend a quick follow. Another new track, “Cheer Up” has been making the rounds, but it may warn against my former advice. “You lookin’ for a man like you need somebody / get your *ss off Twitter, you could be somebody.” Whoops. Either way, proceed with caution.

[Jump…]