757 Rapper KELO SOUL, Co-Signed by J. Cole, Aims High

The up-and-coming artist is determined to put Hampton Roads on the map for music.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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KELO SOUL, a rapper from the 757 area of Virginia, recently went viral after a chance encounter with Grammy-winning artist J. Cole at Norfolk's Waterside. KELO SOUL, whose real name is Marckel Bonds, has been a longtime fan of Cole and was able to showcase his freestyle skills in front of the Dreamville Records co-founder. With the newfound attention, KELO SOUL is gearing up to push his music and shine a light on the thriving creative scene in Hampton Roads.

Why it matters

KELO SOUL's viral moment with J. Cole highlights the wealth of musical talent coming out of the 757 region, an area that has produced Grammy-winning artists like Pharrell Williams. KELO SOUL wants to use this opportunity to bring more attention to the local creative community and inspire other aspiring artists in the area.

The details

After a friend tipped him off that J. Cole was in the area, KELO SOUL happened upon Cole and Dreamville co-founder Ibrahim Hamad at Waterside. KELO SOUL seized the moment to freestyle his lyrics for Cole, who acknowledged KELO SOUL's talent by pointing to the camera. The video quickly went viral, leading to a surge of new social media followers and coverage from outlets like Genius and XXL magazine.

  • KELO SOUL encountered J. Cole and Ibrahim Hamad at Waterside earlier this month.
  • KELO SOUL first came to Hampton Roads in 2015 to play football at Christian Newport University.

The players

KELO SOUL

A rapper from the 757 area of Virginia whose real name is Marckel Bonds. He gained attention after a viral video of him freestyling for J. Cole.

J. Cole

A Grammy-winning rapper and producer who is the co-founder of Dreamville Records.

Ibrahim Hamad

The co-founder of Dreamville Records, who was with J. Cole at the Waterside encounter.

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What they’re saying

“The thing about freestyling, and I think writing music, is that I have so many songs in my head that I don't necessarily know that I have, until maybe I smell something. Or like I hear a word or a beat plays and I'm like, oh, I have this thing that I created.”

— KELO SOUL (wtkr.com)

“And even in the video, you'll see at the end I'm like, yeah, I'm Kelo, blah blah blah, and J. Cole points to the camera. And I'm talking to him, and I can tell as I watch it back, he's like, no, this is like your moment for the world. You know, like, I see you. Now they're going to see you.”

— KELO SOUL (wtkr.com)

“In the 757, we have so many artists who just are coming off the heels of winning Grammys, and I think Virginia is the most talented place in the world. And if anything, we all deserve the light and the eyes to be on us.”

— KELO SOUL (wtkr.com)

The takeaway

KELO SOUL's viral moment with J. Cole has shone a spotlight on the thriving music scene in Hampton Roads, Virginia, a region that has produced numerous Grammy-winning artists. KELO SOUL hopes to use this opportunity to inspire other local creatives and bring more attention to the wealth of talent in the 757 area.