On Wednesday (Oct. 9) evening, J. Cole opened up about his decision to stay out of Drake and Kendrick Lamar's feud on “Port Antonio.” The surprise drop was shared exclusively to his Instagram and YouTube accounts, similar to what the other “big three” rappers have been doing in recent months.
“I pulled the plug because I've seen where that was 'bout to go/ They wanted blood, they wanted clicks to make they pockets grow/ They see this fire in my pen and think I'm dodgin' smoke/ I wouldn't have lost a battle, dawg, I would’ve lost a bro,” Cole admitted. “I would’ve gained a foe, and all for what? Just to attain some mo'/ Props from strangers that don't got a clue what I been aimin' for?”
Back in April, Cole waved the white flag and apologized for dropping “7 Minute Drill,” his response to Lamar's guest verse on "Like That." During 2024’s Dreamville Festival, the Born Sinner creator said, “I pray that my n**ga really didn’t feel no way, and if he did, my n**ga, I got my chin out.” The record, which appeared on Might Delete Later, was pulled from streaming services that same month.
Elsewhere in “Port Antonio,” the North Carolina native addressed his “First Person Shooter” collaborator directly. He spat, “They say I'm pickin' sides, aye, don't you lie on me, my n**ga/ Then start another war, aye, Drake, you'll always be my n**ga/ I ain't ashamed to say you did a lot for me, my n**ga/ F**k all the narratives.”
Cole teamed up with Metro Boomin and Future for April’s “Red Leather,” followed by him uniting with ASAP Rocky on “Ruby Rosary” in September. Drake sent shots at both the beatmaker and Harlem rapper on “Family Matters,” in which artists like The Weeknd, Rick Ross, and Lamar also caught jabs.
“Port Antonio” was preceded by a massive feature run from Cole, including collaborations like Tee Grizzley’s “Blow For Blow” and Tems’ “Free Fall.” See reactions to the new song below.