J. Cole in October 2021, Kendrick Lamar in May 2023.Photo:Arturo Holmes/Getty; Arturo Holmes/MG23/Getty
Arturo Holmes/Getty; Arturo Holmes/MG23/Getty
Just two days after hereleased a song dissing Kendrick Lamar’s discography,J. Colehas apologized, calling his own track the “lamest, goofiest s—.”
Cole, 39, told the crowd at his Dreamville Festival in North Carolina on Sunday, April 7 that having criticized Lamar, 36, so publicly “disrupts my f—ing peace,” and didn’t “sit right with my spirit.”
Cole also expressed regret at having “downplayed” Lamar’s catalog and “his greatness,” and encouraged the crowd to express their love for the star.
Kendrick Lamar performing in London in July 2016.Simone Joyner/Getty
Simone Joyner/Getty
“How many people think Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest motherf—ers to ever touch a f—ing microphone? Y’all love Kendrick Lamar, correct?” he said. “As do I…. I pray that my n—- really didn’t feel no way, and if he did, my n—-, I got my chin out. Take your best shot, I’mma take that s— on the chin boy, do what you do. All good. It’s like.”
Cole then asked Lamar to forgive him “for the misstep,” and said he has “felt terrible” for the past two days.
The two-time Grammy winner then takes aim at Lamar’s discography, insulting 2022’sMr. Morale & The Big Steppersand calling it “tragic” and implyingTo Pimp a Butterflywas boring.
“He still doin’ shows, but fell off like the Simpsons/ Your first s— was classic, your last s— was tragic/ Your second s— put n—– to sleep, but they gassed it/ Your third s— was massive and that was your prime/ I was trailing right behind and I just now hit mine/ Now I’m front of the line with a comfortable lead/ How ironic, soon as I got it, now he want somethin’ with me,” Cole sings.
J Cole performing in London in July 2022.Joseph Okpako/WireImage
Joseph Okpako/WireImage
The star then describes his words as a “warning shot,” promising he can take things further with Lamar if he wanted to.
“He averagin’ one hard verse like every 30 months or somethin’/ If he wasn’t dissin’, then we wouldn’t be discussin’ ’em/ Lord, don’t make me have to smoke this n—- ’cause I f— with him/ But push come to shove, on this mic, I will humble him,” he declares.
Cole then takes aim at Lamar’s lack of releases, “Four albums in 12 years, n—-, I can divide.”
The beef between Cole and Lamar stretches back to last year, when Cole referred to himself, Drake and Lamar as the “big three” of modern rap on Drake’s song “First Person Shooter.”
Lamar, however, seemed to disagree with that claim, and on “Like That,” he referenced “First Person Shooter” and rapped, “it’s just big me” in reference to Cole’s line in the song.
Cole joined forces with Lamar for 2011 singles “Temptation” and “Shock the World,” and they dropped a joint track with 2015’s “Black Friday.” The two even oncehad plans to release a collab albumtogether.
source: people.com
