Hip-Hop Fans Can’t Decide If J. Cole Lost His Mind

J. Cole taking back his Kendrick Lamar diss track in a speech during his 2024 Dreamville Festival performance has fans wondering what's going on in Cole's mind. It looks like it might be grand opening, grand closing for the J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar beef that had hip-hop fans buzzing.

Cole surprisingly denounced his new K-Dot diss song "7 Minute Drill" during a monologue at his headlining Dreamville set, which took place at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, N.C. on Sunday night (April 7). The sudden change of heart came only three days after he released the track, which came in response to Kendrick's verse on Future and Metro Boomin's "Like That."

J. Cole Addresses "7 Minute Drill" at 2024 Dreamville Festival

"I'm so proud of [Might Delete Later] except for one part," Cole told the crowd before performing his last song for the night at the festival. "There's one part of that s**t that make me feel like, 'Man, that's the lamest s**t I ever did in my f***in' life,' right? And I know this is not what a lot of people wanna hear. I can hear my n***as up there being like, 'Nah, don't do that.' But I gotta keep it a hunnid with y'all."

He continued: "At the end of the day, when I listen to it...and I see the talk, that s**t don't sit right with my spirit. That s**t disrupts my f***ing peace...in the midst of me doing that...and trying to find a little angle and downplay this n***a's f***in' catalog and his greatness. I wanna say right now tonight, how many people think Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest muthaf**kas that ever touched a f***in' microphone? Dreamville, y'all love Kendrick Lamar, correct? As do I."

He also said the track would be removed from streaming services soon.

 Fans React to J. Cole Taking Back His K-Dot Diss

J. Cole's surprising about-face has drawn mixed reactions online. Responses on X, formerly known as Twitter, range from people thinking the moment is a mature move to people questioning if Cole has lost his mind.

"This man J Cole said he couldn’t sleep for 2 days, he seeing Kendrick Lamar screaming like he did on U in his dream," one tweet reads.

"J Cole on stage giving Kendrick praise and somewhat apologizing for the diss. He not built for this. Cole noooooooooooo not like this," someone else posted.

"J Cole i loved u bruh," another X user wrote. "There ain’t no coming back. Forefathers like Nas u looked up to must be seething rn. You disgrace."

Other people are going as far as saying J. Cole should be removed from the "Big Three," while many rap fans suggest his legacy is tarnished because of this move. Rappers themselves have been quiet on the matter, but there are a few who have weighed in.

Mick Jenkins is upset by Cole's decision. "Cmon bro. Can’t be rapping that nobody can f**k with you, and the only other n***a they compare you to consistently challenge you and expect everyone to be accepting your reasoning for bowing out? I’m not dense as a man I respect it. But Thats where it stops like …what???" he commenting on X.

Meek Mill has also chimed in with a tweet. The Philadelphia rapper thinks Cole and Kendrick should profit off the drama.

"I rather Cole and Kendrick do the historic album throw shots on the same album and eat off it … it’s only words!" Meek tweeted. "They smart it won’t be violent … why everybody pushing beef but when you on that they say you crazy 'the burning house.'"

Check out reactions to J. Cole saying dissing Kendrick Lamar is the lamest thing he's ever done below.

See Reactions to J. Cole Taking Back His Kendrick Lamar Diss