Some might not think that J. Cole is deserving to be this high up on the list especially being such a new act but, he hasn't dropped a single project that has been lackluster as of yet. Before making his way to the limelight, J. Cole was determined to produce a song for Jay Z and after many failed attempts, the North Carolinian hip-hop act finally got on the hip-hop mogul's radar and soon was signed to his Roc Nation imprint.
His 2011 debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story instantaneously gained a cult-like following and ever since then, the rapper has released his official studio projects with little to no promotion and went platinum every time. J. Cole also doesn't allow features on his projects and fully produces his own albums. There's no denying that he's extremely talented and could be a potential legend in the future if he continues with his insanely tenacious work ethic.