The Warm Up is J. Cole’s second mixtape and the leading factor in his being signed to Roc Nation, which significantly is home to “Lights Please,” the song that convinced Jay-Z to sign him. It is also the first basketball-themed project in his early discography.
Cole named the project The Warm Up because he’s practicing even harder than he did in his debut mixtape, The Come Up to make sure that when he tries out for the team again, he’ll be the top pick, as he explained in an interview with Complex:
"It’s based on this story from when I was in high school and I got cut from the team. A lot of people get cut from the team, but it’s really about how people handle the shit. Some people quit. They get spiteful, say fuck the coach and they won't try out no more, some people will just go harder and use it for motivation to make sure that next year it’s undeniable."
Cole first met Jay-Z in front of his studio and had a beat CD to give to him. Eventually, he arrives at the studio and Cole introduces himself and attempts to give him the CD, but was overlooked by him harshly. With the release of this mixtape, it was then shared with Jay-Z by a close worker, to which he then listened to the sixth track, “Lights Please” and decided to meet him. .