J. Cole, who plays Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on August 11, 2018. Credit: By Kee1992 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

J. Cole, who plays Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on August 11, 2018. Credit: By Kee1992 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

J. Cole's new record-breaking, Drake-toppling album, KOD, is on track to be one of the best releases of the year, and on August 11 the 33-year-old rapper will bring it to Tampa Bay.

On Tuesday, J. Cole announced a date at Amalie Arena. The announcement comes nearly a year after he played Orlando's Amway Center, and the show is the second date on a 35-date tour that kicks off on August 9 in Miami.

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We believe this is J. Cole's first headlining show in the area since a 2013 show with Wale at The Straz Center.

Tickets for the show go on sale Saturday, May 12 at 10 a.m. and will cost fans $49.50-$149.50. Atlanta's Young Thug will open the show.

More information and a stream of the album is available below.

J. Cole w/Young Thug
Sat. Aug 11, 7:30 p.m.,  $49.50-$149.50.
Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Dr., Tampa.

This article appears in May 3-10, 2018.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...