Raleigh, North Carolina – J. Cole shocked fans with the release of a new single that sample's a track off Drake's latest album.

Hip-hop fans are living after J. Cole did the unexpected by dropping a brand-new single with a music video to match.

On Tuesday, the North Carolina native released a fresh track titled Heaven's EP. The song itself samples a beat from Pipe Down, a single off Drake's latest album, Certified Lover Boy.

Given that J. Cole, born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, dropped his sixth studio album, The Off-Season, four months ago, it's safe to say fans were not expecting new music from the rapper anytime soon.

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But J. Cole seldom subscribes to the norms of the music industry, which is part of what makes him such a legendary artist.

The track itself is lyrically hard-hitting, with J. Cole maneuvering through verses in such a manner that makes the track sound and feel like that of a freestyle.

"The thought of showing too much of my day is repugnant. I be keeping my kids away from the gaze of the public, 'cause these days, it feels like hate is [their] favorite subject," he raps, addressing the dark side of fame and its effect on those he loves.

The video appears to take place in different areas of Las Vegas, Nevada, with casinos and palm trees appearing in the backdrop of various scenes as J. Cole cruises down the strip in the back of a limousine.

In one verse, the 36-year-old rapper calls out, and agrees with, those who say he comes in "third place" behind Drake and Dot – a nickname for Kendrick Lamar – labelling the two rappers as "superstars."

Will J. Cole throw more curveballs in the form of unannounced new music before 2021 comes to an end?