J. Cole Regrets His Kendrick Lamar Diss & Calls It ‘the Lamest S–t’ During Dreamville Fest: Watch
J. Cole is throwing up the white flag in his feud with Kendrick Lamar. Cole expressed regret for dissing K. Dot on “7 Minute Drill” off April 5’s surprise project Might Delete Later during his headlining set at his Dreamville Fest on Sunday night (April 7).
Ahead of performing “Love Yourz,” Cole apologized for sending shots about Lamar’s discography that he didn’t mean, and referred to the diss as some of the “lamest s–t” he’s done in his entire life.
Going after Kendrick didn’t sit well with his spirit, and he said the two days between the track’s arrival and him performing were “terrible.”
“I’m so proud of [Might Delete Later], except for one part. It’s one part of that s–t that makes me feel like, man that’s the lamest s–t I did in my f–king life, right? And I know this is not what a lot of people want to hear,” he began.
“I was conflicted because, one, I know my heart and I know how I feel about my peers, these two n—as that I just been blessed to even stand beside in this game, let alone chase they greatness. So I felt conflicted ’cause I’m like, bruh I don’t even feel no way. But the world wanna see blood. I don’t know if y’all can feel that, but the world wanna see blood.”
J. Cole then gave Lamar his props and asked the crowd what they thought of Kendrick as an MC, which drew a loud ovation. He also said that even if the Compton legend responds with shots at him, the Dreamville boss will take it “on the chin” and keep it moving.
“That s–t don’t sit right with my spirit,” he added. “That s–t disrupts my f–king peace. So what I want to say right here tonight is in the midst of me doing that and in that s–t, trying to find a little angle and downplay this n—-a’s fucking catalog and his greatness, I want to say right now tonight, how many people think Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest motherf–kers to ever touch a f–king microphone? Dreamville, y’all love Kendrick Lamar, correct? As do I.”
The North Carolina rapper continued: “I just want to come up here and publicly be like, bruh, that was the lamest, goofiest s–t. I say all that to say it made me feel like 10 years ago when I was moving incorrectly. And I pray that god will line me back up on my purpose and on my path, I pray that my n—a really didn’t feel no way and if he did, my n—a, I got my chin out. Take your best shot, I’ma take that s–t on the chin boy, do what you do. All good. It’s love.”
“And I pray that y’all are like, forgive a n—a for the misstep and I can get back to my true path. Because I ain’t gonna lie to y’all. The past two days felt terrible. It let me know how good I’ve been sleeping for the past 10 years.”
Cole also relayed that he wants to have “7 Minute Drill” taken off streaming services altogether.
In March, Kendrick Lamar nuked the rap game with his scintillating verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” which saw him take aim at his “Big Three” running mates Drake and J. Cole on the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit.
“Like That” was seen as a response to Drake and Cole’s “First Person Shooter,” in which Jermaine puffed his chest out and referred to himself as Muhammad Ali.
Two weeks after “Like That” lit the fuse, Cole returned fire with his Might Delete Later project closer that saw him take aim at K. Dot’s discography by calling 2022’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers “tragic” and claiming that the Grammy-winning To Pimp a Butterfly had listeners snoozing.
“He still doin’ shows, but fell off like the Simpsons/ Your first s–t was classic, your last s–t was tragic/ Your second s–t put n—as to sleep, but they gassed it/ Your third s–t 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,” he spews.
Watch J. Cole’s full Dreamville Fest message below.
Michael Saponara
Billboard
