J. Cole issued a public apology on Sunday for his recent release of a diss track aimed at Kendrick Lamar, expressing regret and pledging to rectify the situation by either updating the song or removing it from streaming platforms.
The controversy stemmed from a series of exchanges that began last October when J. Cole, along with Drake, asserted themselves as part of the hip-hop “big three,” alongside Lamar, in the song “First Person Shooter.” However, in March, Lamar rebuffed this comparison in a guest verse on “Like That” by Future and Metro Boomin, asserting that there was no big three, only “big me.”
In response to Lamar’s dismissal, J. Cole dropped the diss track “7 Minute Drill” on his surprise album, “Might Delete Later,” on Friday. The song contained pointed lyrics, suggesting that someone was seeking attention and had fallen from grace akin to “The Simpsons.”
However, just two days after its release, J. Cole publicly expressed remorse for the track during his headlining performance at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina. He admitted that the response to the song did not sit well with him spiritually and sought to end any brewing conflict by addressing it onstage.
During his apology, J. Cole praised Lamar as one of the greatest microphone users and expressed hope for forgiveness.
Despite the apology, “7 Minute Drill” remained accessible on major streaming services as of early Monday afternoon.
The album “Might Delete Later” was released under J. Cole’s Dreamville Records label, a subsidiary of Interscope Records, which falls under the ownership of Universal Music Group.
Notably, Lamar has not publicly addressed the diss track or the subsequent apology, and representatives for Lamar did not immediately respond to inquiries.
Meanwhile, Drake seemingly responded to Lamar’s verse at a concert in Sunrise, Florida, in late March, projecting confidence amidst the ongoing discourse.
Lamar, Drake, and J. Cole have collaborated in the past and have each received accolades for their contributions to music, including Grammy Awards and nominations. Lamar notably received the Pulitzer Prize in music for his album “DAMN.” in 2018.
