J. Cole sent shockwaves through hip-hop this week when he officially announced The Fall-Off, releasing a thought-provoking trailer that reflects on fame, longevity, and the idea of “falling off.” The teaser, which dropped Wednesday, January 14, features a calm but piercing narration about the natural rise and decline that comes with success in entertainment.
In the trailer, the narrator challenges how people frame relevance and failure. He explains that fame isn’t meant to last forever, and that instead of celebrating how rare success is, audiences often rush to criticize artists once their moment fades. The message struck a chord with fans, sparking conversation not just about J. Cole’s career—but about creativity itself.
Since the trailer’s release, listeners have been curious about the voice delivering that message. Now, the mystery has been solved. The narrator is YouTuber and comedian Dan Harumi, who recently stepped forward and explained how the collaboration came together.
According to Harumi, the opportunity traces back to a video he uploaded to YouTube in March titled “How Long Is America Supposed To Last?” The video explored shifting power, relevance, and the temporary nature of success across celebrities, businesses, and even nations. At the time, the video had minimal traction—but someone from Dreamville noticed it.
Harumi says a Dreamville representative who followed him on Instagram saw the video, shared it internally, and ultimately passed it along to J. Cole. From there, the words found new life as the philosophical backbone of The Fall-Off trailer.
Before wrapping up his explanation, Harumi offered a piece of advice that resonated just as strongly as the trailer itself:
“Let this be a lesson. To anybody out there—if you make content, just post the video. You never know who’s watching. That video had like 300 views, and one of those 300 views was J. Cole.”
Now, Harumi’s voice is permanently tied to what could become one of the most important albums of J. Cole’s career. Long rumored to be a potential final chapter, The Fall-Off is set to release on February 6, with its lead single, “Disc 2 Track 2,” already out as of January 14.
Whether or not it marks the end of Cole’s run, the rollout has already delivered a powerful reminder: impact doesn’t always start loud—but it always starts honest.
