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In "School Daze," from The Come Up, Cole relates the everykid dream that for him has become a reality: "Living life in the fast lane, but ain't passing. They dreaming, tryin' to be the next Jay-Z and Damon Dashes. I ain't even open my book and it's time to change classes." He ups the ante on the same disc in "Carolina on My Mind," rapping, "Fuck school, I'm finna sign a deal!"

Things have changed on the new disc. In "Can't Get Enough," Cole World's second single, he's already well into the game. Over a sample from a Guinean folk song, he raps, "Hey Globetrotter, Cole hotter, either way, out in London town hoes holla, 'cause they love my sound, and I got love for the underground ..."

Two days after Cole World's release, the rapper may be saying goodbye to the underground. After all, his life is now at warp speed. "Today might be the first time I've, like, sat down," he tells me. "I hadn't been on the Internet in days, so I haven't been able to keep up with press. I still got shows. I'm still on tour."