J. Cole taking an extended break from touring

Rapper J. Cole is taking a break from the road after declaring his appearance at a New York City festival on Saturday (01Oct16) was his "last show" for a while.

The Lights Please star was recruited as a last-minute replacement for headliner The Weeknd at the inaugural The Meadows Festival in Queens, after the Can't Feel My Face singer pulled out to perform on U.S. comedy show Saturday Night Live instead.

J. Cole delighted fans with a hits-packed set, but as the night drew to a close, he revealed he would be bowing out of live gigs for some time.

"Before I get out of here, listen," he said to the crowd. "This is my last show for a very long time."

The rapper did not reveal a specific reason for the break, but he has been a constant presence on the touring circuit since the release of his last album, 2014's Forest Hills Drive.

The Meadows Festival also featured performances from Damian Marley, Grimes, Chance the Rapper, Mac Miller, and Kanye West, who had to cut short his headlining slot on Sunday night (02Oct16) due to a "family emergency". It was later revealed his wife Kim Kardashian had been held at gunpoint in a robbery in her Paris hotel room.