J. Cole’s “4 Your Eyez Only” World Tour stops in Baton Rouge during the first week of summer school, easing the pain of returning to the books for many students.

When the rapper’s return to the Varsity Theatre was announced in February, tickets sold out within five minutes, with multitudes of dismayed fans scrambling to find tickets at the smaller venue.

As one of the most anticipated local shows of the year, audiences hold high expectations.

Engineering senior and J. Cole fanatic Rashad Payne described his first experience attending a J. Cole’s 2014 “Forest Hills Drive” tour as “amazing.”

“I’m hoping with the shorter album he expands his set to a couple of tracks from some of his earlier projects like ‘The Warm Up’ and ‘Friday Night Lights,’” Payne said.

The artist consistently finds a way to connect with crowds through high-energy performances, which are usually in more intimate venues.  Given the musician’s widespread following, his tendency to perform in smaller locales can be seen as surprising to some. His world tour began with a string of 13 concerts in smaller settings throughout the South and Midwest.

J. Cole’s approach to his latest studio release has been different from his last album, “Forest Hills Drive.” Prior to “4 Your Eyez Only,” “Forest Hills Drive” illustrated J. Cole as a hometown hero through his ability to overcome barriers to become a successful musician. 

J. Cole’s fourth full-length album is dedicated to the daughter of his close friend who was killed. In a sense, the album makes a connection with “Forest Hills Drive” because of the backstory. With J. Cole coming from the same background as his friend who ultimately suffered a tragic death, he found a way to overcome his circumstances and become a successful artist.

In comparison to past shows, media critics agree this run has the potential to be more emotional with the level of meaning behind the album.

The concert will be held at The Varsity Theatre tonight at 8 p.m.