Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) President Terrence “Punch” Henderson Jr. publicly acknowledges and commends J. Cole for his decision to step back from his recent rap feud with Kendrick Lamar.
Joe Budden believes Kendrick Lamar came out on top in the latest rap beef with J. Cole. According to Budden, Cole’s response was “too nice and too soft.”
For years, the two rappers have been competing for the title of Best Rapper Alive, exchanging subtle jabs over time. However, tensions escalated when K. Dot joined forces with Metro Boomin’ and Future on their track “Like That.” K. Dot took shots at J. Cole and Drake, prompting Cole to release a surprise project titled “Might Delete Later,” featuring his warning shot to K. Dot, “7 Minute Drill.”
J. Cole recently opened up about his beef with Kendrick Lamar and shed light on the creative process behind the making of “7 Minute Drill” during his appearance at the Dreamville Fest. In a post on Hollywood Unlocked’s Instagram, Cole shared his thoughts on the matter.
During his performance, the rapper from North Carolina expressed his satisfaction, stating, “I have been happy and making progress on my own terms… now, why am I sharing all of this? I recently released a project called ‘Might Delete Later’ on Friday… I’m not sure how many people have checked it out so far (around 140-160K projected). But let me tell you, I am genuinely proud of this project. It’s just an EP that paves the way for something I have been diligently working on for a long time. I understand the effort it took to reach a certain level of skill… that means a great deal to me. I am incredibly proud of this project, except for one part.”
DJ Akademiks criticizes J. Cole for apologizing to Kendrick Lamar, claiming that he lacks passion for music.
Cole expressed his feelings about a recent incident, stating, “There’s a part of that situation that makes me feel like it’s the most regrettable thing I’ve ever done in my life.” He acknowledged that his perspective might not be popular, saying, “I know this isn’t what a lot of people want to hear.” Despite potential criticism, he felt compelled to be honest, admitting, “I almost had a relapse.” He referred to a specific event that occurred a few weeks ago, describing it as a significant blow to the industry.
Cole explained that during the period when he was taking independent action for the first time, he felt tested. He questioned why he was being tested and felt the pressure of having the world watching his every move. He received numerous missed calls and flooded texts, but couldn’t respond to them all. It felt like a wartime situation, as people wanted to see conflict and drama unfold. However, Cole was conflicted because he knew his true feelings towards his peers. He respected and admired the two individuals he had the privilege of standing alongside in the music industry, and he was driven to match their greatness. Despite not harboring any ill will, Cole recognized that the world craved controversy and desired to witness conflict.
J. Cole faces allegations of promoting transphobic lyrics on his latest track “Pi” from his album “Might Delete Later”.
Cole expressed his thoughts on Kendrick Lamar, stating, “Y’all love Kendrick Lamar, right? As do I. So, I just want to publicly acknowledge that what he did was disappointing and foolish. And I say all that to admit that it reminded me of a time when I made mistakes in the past. I hope that God will guide me back to my purpose and path. If my friend felt any type of way about my comments, I’m here, ready to take whatever criticism comes my way. I’ll take it on the chin. Do what you need to do. It’s all good. There’s love between us. I hope you all can forgive me for this misstep, so I can continue on my true path. I won’t lie, the past two days have been tough.”
J. Cole’s decision to publicly express remorse for dissing Kendrick Lamar has garnered a response from Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) President, Punch. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Punch reacted with a light-hearted “lol.” He further commented on Cole’s genuineness, acknowledging the rarity of individuals who have the courage to correct their actions when they don’t align with their character. Punch commended Cole for his heartfelt approach in rectifying the situation, stating, “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.”
In response to a tweet from TDE President Punch, a social media user expressed their surprise, saying, “It’s wild to me that you’re still succumbing to outside pressures in your late 30s.” Punch, however, replied with a laugh, saying, “The pressure in that position might be a bit different than most people.” In another tweet, Punch playfully added, “P.S. I always knew ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ was a great album! lol.”
