On Sunday (April 7), J. Cole publicly apologized for “7 Minute Drill,” his recently released diss track aimed at Kendrick Lamar, during his headlining performance at the Dreamville Festival.
The record, which served as the final cut on Might Delete Later, came in response to Lamar’s verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That.” During the Compton emcee’s guest appearance on the song, he rejected Cole’s “big three” notion, which included himself, Drake, and the North Carolina native.
In front of the festival crowd, Cole shared, “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**kin’ life, right?’ And I know this is not what a lot of people want to hear.” He further detailed getting calls and texts pressuring him to respond to Lamar.
Cole continued, “That s**t disrupts my f**kin’ 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**ga’s f**king 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**kin’ microphone? Dreamville, y’all love Kendrick Lamar, correct? As do I.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KRMLBh3-N4\\&ab\\_channel=J.Cole
Elsewhere in his speech, the Born Sinner rapper revealed that he’s prepared to take what comes next, even if it includes Lamar issuing a response track. “I pray that my n**ga really didn’t feel no way, and if he did, my n**ga, I got my chin out. Take your best shot. I’ma take that s**t on the chin, boy. Do what you do,” he explained.
Although Cole may regret taking jabs at his “Forbidden Fruit” collaborator, fans speculated that Drake threw veiled shots at Lamar through several Instagram captions following the release of “Like That.” He also appeared to acknowledge the verse during the Sunrise, FL stop of his “It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What?”
“A lot of people asking me how I’m feeling. The way I’m feeling is the same way I want you to walk out of here feeling tonight about your f**king self,” the “Hotline Bling” artist said. “I got my head up high, my back straight, I’m 10 f**king toes down, and I know no matter what, there’s not a n**ga on this Earth that can ever f**k with me in my life.”