J. Cole Reflects on Drake and Kendrick Lamar Feud, Explains Apology to Kendrick

J. Cole has spoken candidly about the recent and highly publicized rap feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, and his own involvement—and subsequent apology—during the conflict. In a rare interview with Apple Music on Friday, March 20, Cole discussed his latest album, The Fall-Off, and his feelings about the situation, emphasizing his respect for both artists.

Genuine Respect for Both Artists

Cole stated he holds “genuine love for these dudes,” expressing his frustration with the divisive reactions to the feud. “I hate to see the world sh*t on either one of them in defense of the other,” he said during the hour-long interview with journalist Nadeska Alexis.

Apology to Kendrick Lamar

The interview also covered Cole’s decision to apologize to Kendrick Lamar at Dreamville Fest in April 2024, shortly before the feud escalated. Cole revealed the apology stemmed from a realization just an hour before taking the stage that his diss track, “7 Minute Drill,” didn’t align with his true feelings about Lamar.

“It hit me an hour before…because, like, two or three days before that, it was it was like, ‘Oh nah, this was terrible’ because I felt like I misrepresented myself,” Cole explained. He continued, “It’s like all of a sudden I’m giving life to division and to a negative to negative, uh storylines, or negative perceptions on somebody that I f**k with and got love for. Somebody that I like cared about.”

A Moment of Clarity

Cole described the moment as a chance to publicly correct a misstep. “So an hour before it was like, ‘A-ha!’ Like yo, in a very loud manner, you know, on a very public forum on your album, you said some s**t you didn’t believe in. Now you got an opportunity to move on a bigger forum…and say something that you believe in. And in that moment, I’m like, ‘Thank you, God,’” he added.

Background of the Feud

The Drake–Kendrick Lamar feud has been ongoing since 2013, initially sparked by Kendrick Lamar’s verse on Big Sean’s song “Control.” The conflict saw a significant escalation in March 2024 with Lamar’s lyrics in “Like That,” challenging the notion of a “big three” in hip-hop. Drake responded with tracks like “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle,” while Lamar countered with “Euphoria” and “6:16 in LA.” The feud continued with further diss tracks from both artists, including Drake’s “Family Matters,” which included accusations against Lamar. According to Wikipedia, many consider Lamar to have emerged victorious from the 2024 escalation of the feud.

See J. Cole Talk About Drake and Kendrick Lamar and Why He Apologized to Kendrick

See J. Cole’s Full Apple Music Interview

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