J. Cole is already back  United States after visa issues cut his time in the Chinese Basketball Association short. The Grammy-winning artist announced Tuesday that his stint with the Nanjing Monkey Kings ended after just one professional game due to the lengthy processing time for his work documentation.

Originally signing with the organization on April 1, the North Carolina native intended to compete in at least three contests. He explained via his personal blog  that he traveled to Hong Kong to await the processing of his visa for mainland China, but the timeline exceeded the window he had available before resuming his music commitments.

The delay restricted his participation to just one game, a 95-81 loss to the Long-Lions this past Saturday. During his eight minutes of action off the bench, he finished scoreless after attempting five field goals. Despite the lack of points, he recorded one rebound and one assist.

In a personal update to fans, the artist maintained a positive outlook on the performance, noting he felt fulfilled by the experience and grateful for the opportunity to test himself in one of the premier international leagues. He expressed gratitude toward the Nanjing organization and his teammates, whom he described as supportive of his efforts to score during his brief time on the court.

This appearance marked the first time he has played professional basketball in nearly four years. He previously played for the Patriots Basketball Club in the Basketball Africa League in 2021 and later joined the Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2022. Each of these appearances has highlighted his dedication to balancing a high-profile music career with his long-standing athletic ambitions.