Recently, J. Cole surprised the hip-hop community with a new project titled “Might Delete Later,” which notably included a diss track aimed at Kendrick Lamar called “7 Minute Drill.” This diss track received mixed reviews, with some criticizing its effectiveness while others appreciated its critique of Kendrick’s work. However, Cole has since expressed regret over the diss. At the Dreamville Festival on Sunday night, Cole publicly apologized to Kendrick, admitting that writing the diss track left him feeling awful.
“I’m so proud of that project except for one part,” Cole shared. “There’s one part of that sht that makes me feel like, ‘Man, that’s the lamest sht I ever did in my fcking life.’ And, I know this is not what a lot of people wanna hear. I can hear my n***s up there right now like, ‘Nah, don’t do that.’ But, I gotta keep it 100 with y’all. I damn near had a relapse.”
Following Cole’s apology, TDE members such as Reason and Punch have reacted, expressing his lack of amusement. Punch simply tweeted “lol,” while Reason commented, “idk man, i just…idk.”
Punch recently posted a separate tweet acknowledging Cole’s sincerity to the diss: “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 🙏🏽”
Ultimately, Cole’s decision to apologize rather than stand by his diss track could have significant implications for his legacy. Only time will tell how long it takes for fans to move past this incident and whether it will be forgotten.