J. Cole Regrets Kendrick Lamar Diss, Calls Him One of the Greatest

In a surprising turn of events, rapper J. Cole has publicly apologized for releasing a diss track aimed at fellow hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar. The New York Times reported that the apology came just two days after the release of “7 Minute Drill,” a song from J. Cole’s surprise album “Might Delete Later,” which aimed Lamar’s recent dismissal of being part of the “big three” in hip-hop alongside J. Cole and Drake.

A Change of Heart

During his headlining performance at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., J. Cole expressed his regret over the diss track, stating that the response to the song didn’t “sit right with [his] spirit.” He praised Lamar as one of the greatest rappers ever and expressed his hope for forgiveness.

J.Cole speaks on his response to Kendrick and says it hasn’t felt good or right with his spirit, calling his own response “corny” and telling Kendrick to return his best shot if he feels a way pic.twitter.com/jan2jctfk9

— Glock Topickz (@Glock_Topickz) April 8, 2024

The apology marks a significant shift in tone from the initial exchange of verses between the two artists, which began in October when J. Cole and Drake ranked themselves alongside Lamar as the “big three” in hip-hop. Lamar later dismissed this comparison in a guest verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” asserting that there was no “big three,” only “big me.”

Interestingly, in a recent interview with Nardwuar, J. Cole revealed that he had encouraged Dr. Dre to sign Kendrick Lamar when the Compton rapper was still an up-and-coming artist. Cole admitted to telling Dr. Dre, “Yo, you gotta sign this kid from Compton,” while working on Dre’s Detox album.

The Future of the Diss Track

Despite J. Cole’s public apology, “7 Minute Drill” remains available on major streaming services as of Monday afternoon. The rapper’s label, Dreamville Records, an imprint of Interscope Records owned by Universal Music Group, has not yet commented on the situation or the potential removal of the track.

Kendrick Lamar has not publicly addressed the diss track or J. Cole’s apology, and his representatives have not responded to requests for comment. Meanwhile, Drake seemingly responded to Lamar’s initial verse during a concert in late March, affirming his confidence and asserting that no one could mess with him.

Moving Forward

J. Cole’s public apology reminds us of the complex relationships and dynamics within the hip-hop community. As three of the most acclaimed and awarded artists in the genre, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake have collaborated in the past and each made significant contributions to the world of music.

It remains to be seen how this incident will impact the future of their relationships and the hip-hop landscape. However, J. Cole’s willingness to acknowledge his mistake and apologize publicly demonstrates a level of maturity and self-reflection often lacking in celebrity feuds and diss tracks. Additionally, the revelation of J. Cole’s role in Kendrick Lamar’s signing to Aftermath Records adds an intriguing layer to their long-standing relationship and the history of their musical collaborations.