North Carolina has been around since the beginning of the United States. It has also seen incredible innovations such as Orville and Wilbur Wright’s first successful airplane flight in the state’s Outer Banks. What the state is less known for is music, which is surprising, considering some of the best jazz musicians to have ever played were born in the state. As such, let’s explore the 10 biggest musicians from North Carolina.
To compile a list of the 10 biggest musicians from North Carolina, 24/7 Tempo consulted a range of musical and celebrity publications and websites including Hello Music Theory, Singers Room, and NC State University News. Next, we selected artists from a range of genres with the biggest cultural impact. After that, we confirmed biographical details using sites like Biography and Britannica.
J. Cole
Source: Robin Marchant / Getty Images
- Hometown: Fayetteville
One of the biggest musicians from North Carolina is rapper and producer J. Cole. Born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, he first rose to musical prominence with the release of his debut mixtape “The Come Up.” From there, Cole released a string of successful albums including “Born Sinner,” “2014 Forest Hills Drive,” and “The Off-Season.”