After a few teases, the official release date for The Off-Season — J. Cole’s highly anticipated project — was announced on Tuesday (May 4). The star returned from a months-long hiatus to give fans the update they’ve been waiting for.

“Is this thing on,” Cole teased before sharing the news. “Just know this was years in the making,” his follow-up tweet read. “My new album The Off-Season available everywhere 5/14.”

The announcement was met with an onslaught of reactions, but fans reveled in the fact that new music from Cole was on the way.

“Damn I’ve missed J. Cole’s presence so much,” wrote user @BlackySpeakz. “Can’t wait to hear this album.”

Twitter user @Quenzi_Emmanuel predicted that the forthcoming project will be one of the best rap albums of 2021. “J cole about to drop the biggest rap album this year,” he said. “No one come close.”

Cole fans have been longing to hear The Off-Season since the “G.O.M.D.” emcee teased the project in 2018, the same year he dropped his last album, KOD. Then last week, nearly three years later, Dreamville’s Bas informed fans that the album — which was initially billed as a mixtape — would come out in two weeks. The post was later deleted, but supporters have been on edge since. Now with an official date to look forward to, Cole lovers are warning their friends and followers of what should be expected from them on May 14.

“There will be no talking in my car when that new J. Cole is on,” wrote Twitter user @__benrussel_. “I waited too damn long for this!”

“A bunch of niggas gon be tweeting J.Cole lyrics for weeks, and ima be right there wit em,” added user @GoamarRuach.”

If things go according to Cole’s initial plans, The Off-Season is the first of a few projects that he has in store for fans. “It’s A Boy” will come next succeeded by the release of his forthcoming album, The Fall Off. His retirement may possibly follow.

Look below to see how Cole fans reacted to the The Off-Season release date.