J. Cole Reflects on Apology and Rivalries with Drake and Kendrick Lamar

J. Cole has opened up about his recent experiences regarding the ongoing beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar in a series of interviews promoting his album The Fall-Off. During a conversation with Apple Music’s Nadeska Alexis, Cole revealed the motivation behind his apology to Kendrick for his previously released diss track “7 Minute Drill.”

He shared, “The idea hit me about an hour before I went out on stage at Dreamville Fest. In that moment, I felt lifted and I got light and I got excited. Because the two or three days before that, I was stressing the fuck out. I felt like I had misrepresented myself.” Cole expressed that he felt he had contributed to division and negativity towards Kendrick, someone he deeply respects.

Reflecting on the backlash he faced for his apology, Cole admitted it affected his confidence. “The world didn’t give a fuck about how great I felt after the apology,” he said. “It always felt like the right move, but there were times where I thought, ‘Damn, n*gga, you’re fucking done right now. It’s over!’” He humorously noted how friends reached out to check on him during the chaos.

In a conversation with Cam’ron, Cole discussed his current relationships with both Drake and Kendrick. “I genuinely love these n*ggas, but I’m not gonna act like we’ve been communicating and talking,” he stated. He acknowledged the intense division among their fanbases, likening it to political polarization, and expressed his disgust at the level of hate directed at Drake following the rivalry.

Despite the complications arising from the feud, Cole congratulated Kendrick on his achievements, recognizing his success while lamenting the backlash that Drake has faced. “When I saw Kendrick get the moment he had — the Pop Out, the stadium, the Super Bowl, the Grammys — I’m just as proud of this n*gga as I was when I knew him back then,” Cole commented.

Fans can catch snippets of J. Cole's conversation with Cam’ron, with the full interview airing on REVOLT and YouTube soon.