Topline
Months after the dust on the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud finally settled, J. Cole surprised by dropping a new song early Thursday with lyrics that address his decision to disavow a diss track he had dropped in April as part of the highly dramatic beef earlier this year.
J. Cole backed down from the Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud in April. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty … [+]
Key Facts
In his new song “Port Antonio,” J. Cole addressed dropping out of the feud in its earliest days, rapping he “pulled the plug because I’ve seen where that was ’bout to go” and that “lines were crossed, perhaps regrettably,” appearing to suggest the feud became too personal.
“They wanted blood, they wanted clicks to make they pockets grow,” J. Cole raps, echoing comments he made in April that he felt pressured to release a diss track against Lamar because “the world wanna see blood,” but he raps in his new song that he still “walked away with all they blood on me.”
He said he understands “the thirst of being first that made them both swing,” referring to their clash over status—the feud began with Lamar dissing Drake and J. Cole over their suggestion that all three of them were the best rappers of this generation.
J. Cole also shut down rumors he had his own feud with Drake, giving him a shoutout by name in “Port Antonio” and rapping he “did a lot for me.”
He declares he wouldn’t have lost the beef had he stayed in it, but says he dropped out to not sour his relationships with other rappers: “I wouldn’t have lost a battle, dawg, I woulda lost a bro.”
What Was J. Cole’s Role In The Drake-Kendrick Lamar Beef?
J. Cole’s lyrics sparked the months-long, highly dramatic feud between Drake and Lamar last year when he rapped in his song with Drake, “First Person Shooter,” that he, Drake and Lamar were the “big three” of modern rap. Lamar did not take kindly to this remark, dissing both Drake and J. Cole on his featured verse on Metro Boomin and Future’s song, “Like That,” in March. J. Cole dropped his own diss track aimed at Lamar on April 5, “7 Minute Drill,” in which he slammed Lamar’s latest music releases as “tragic” and accused him of seeking attention with his disses on “Like That.” Two days later, J. Cole backed out of the feud, telling fans onstage at a North Carolina show the diss track was the “lamest, goofiest sh*t” and that he respects Lamar. His decision to stand down was met with a mixed response from fans and other rappers. Rapper Mick Jenkins said he was “disgusted” and “disappointed,” while singer Ari Lennox said she admires J. Cole’s “self awareness and your self reflection.”
Key Background
Without J. Cole in the mix, the feud only intensified and became increasingly personal as Drake and Lamar traded wild accusations back and forth. Across several diss tracks released between April and May, including “Euphoria,” “Not Like Us” and “Meet the Grahams,” Lamar accused Drake of pursuing minors and having a secret daughter, both of which Drake denied. Drake released his own disses, including “Push Ups,” “Family Matters” and “Taylor Made Freestyle,” in which he accused Lamar of abusing his wife and claimed he planted false information in the hopes Lamar would use it in diss tracks. Lamar was widely perceived to be the winner, as his diss tracks were more critically praised and commercially successful. “Not Like Us” became one of the rapper’s biggest hits and topped the Billboard Hot 100.
What To Watch For
Whether Drake or Lamar respond to J. Cole’s latest song. Speculation has also mounted over whether Lamar will address the feud or play his diss tracks at the Super Bowl halftime show in February, which he is slated to headline.
Further Reading
Drake-Kendrick Lamar Feud Timeline: Lamar Performs Diss Tracks At Star-Studded ‘Pop Out’ Show (Forbes)
Kendrick Lamar Is Winning His Rap Battle With Drake—At Least On The Charts (Forbes)
Kendrick Lamar Headlining Super Bowl Halftime Show—After Busy Year And Drake Feud (Forbes)
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