Meek Mill and Mick Jenkins are among the many Hip Hop figures who have shared their thoughts about J. Cole‘s apology to Kendrick Lamar for his diss track “7 Minute Drill.”
On Sunday (April 8), Cole said he was sorry for the aforementioned song while performing at Dreamville Festival. He also claimed he would take the track off of streaming services, though that has not happened as of this writing.
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A number of the culture’s participants have since expressed their disappointment in the North Carolina native for backing down from his own diss record. Among that crew is Jenkins, who said he was “surprised” and “disappointed” at the turn of events.
Check out his tweet below:
As a. rappers rapper. As a competitor. I am surprised. I am disgusted. I am disappointed.
— Mick (@mickjenkins) April 8, 2024
Also expressing his feelings about how the 39-year-old let the rap world down was comedian Lil Duval, who asked: “How you give up in a rap beef…?”
How you give up in a rap beef you guaranteed not to die from? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— lil duval (@lilduval) April 8, 2024
Hot 97 co-host Ebro Darden looked back a few decades and even cited a comparable moment, namely when JAY-Z apologized for his graphic Nas diss, “Super Ugly,” though he also claimed that his mother forced him to do it.
“Jay Z apologized too and lost that battle,” the media personality wrote. “And look where he ended up.”
Jay Z apologized too and lost that battle.
And look where he ended up.
Hmmmm
— the Old Man Ebro (@oldmanebro) April 8, 2024
His radio compatriot Peter Rosenberg had a similarly positive outlook, saying that Cole “turned an L into a W” with his apology.
I'm proud of @JColeNC … that was some grown ass sh^t he did tonight .. turned an L into W
— Peter Rosenberg (@Rosenbergradio) April 8, 2024
The “Wet Dreamz” hitmaker’s labelmate Ari Lennox is on his side as well, saying that she admired her peer’s “self awareness” and “self reflection.”
“You made history tonight,” she commented. “I love you brother.”
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IDK, for his part, was caught up in the drama of the whole thing as he subsequently wrote: “This is the craziest moment in hip hop.”
R.A. the Rugged Man gave himself some credit for prescience, resharing his own observation from before the aforementioned apology that reads: “right now Cole and Kendrick rapping at each other like they wanna make sure they’re still friends after the battle.”
— R.A. the Rugged Man (@RAtheRuggedMan) April 8, 2024
Taking a different approach to the ordeal, Meek Mill even suggested turning the beef into a collaboration album since “it’s only words.”
I rather Cole and Kendrick do the historic album throw shots on the same album and eat off it … it’s only words! They smart it won’t be violent … why everybody pushing beef but when you on that they say you crazy “ the burning house” https://t.co/bNWmdjvf8C
— MeekMill (@MeekMill) April 8, 2024
As for K.Dot’s affiliates, Top Dawg Entertainment president Terrence “Punch” Henderson went back on his succinct “lol” response to the drama and eventually re-thought his position.
“Cole is a very genuine guy. I respect it,” he wrote. “We often give in to external pressures and outside influences and act out of our own character. It’s rare to have enough heart to make the correction. It didn’t align with HIM so he fixed it in the same manner he engaged. Salute.”
Cole is a very genuine guy. I respect it. We often give in to external pressures and outside influences and act out of our own character. It’s rare to have enough heart to make the correction. It didn’t align with HIM so he fixed it in the same manner he engaged. Salute 🙏🏽
— Punch TDE (@iamstillpunch) April 8, 2024
“I’m so proud of [Might Delete Later], except for one part,” Cole said during his headlining set at his own festival last week. “It’s one part of that shit that makes me feel like, man that’s the lamest shit I did in my fuckin’ life, right? And I know this is not what a lot of people want to hear.
“I was conflicted because: one, I know my heart and I know how I feel about my peers. These two n-ggas 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.”
He went on to praise Kendrick: “That shit disrupts my fucking peace. So what I want to say right here tonight is in the midst of me doing that, trying to find a little angle and downplay this n-gga’s fucking catalog and his greatness, I want to say right now tonight, how many people think Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest motherfuckers to ever touch a fucking microphone? Dreamville, y’all love Kendrick Lamar, correct? As do I.
“I just want to come up here and publicly be like, bruh, that was the lamest, goofiest shit. 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-gga really didn’t feel no way and if he did, my n-gga, I got my chin out. Take your best shot. I’ma take that shit on the chin, boy. Do what you do.
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He concluded: “All good. It’s love. And I pray that y’all forgive a n-gga 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.”
