It was met with great critical acclaim and caught the attention of rap mogul Jay-Z.

[7] J. Cole was famously signed to Roc Nation after Jay-Z heard the track "Lights Please" prior to the release of the mixtape.

[8] In August 2010, J. Cole was awarded the UMA Male Artist of the Year thanks to his heralded The Warm Up mixtape.

[9] On June 26, 2013, J. Cole announced that he would be re-releasing The Warm Up and Friday Night Lights for retail sale, in order to give them the push they deserved.

[10] In his review for MSN Music, music critic Robert Christgau gave the mixtape a two-star honorable mention,[1] indicating a "likable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well enjoy.