J. Cole Explains Why He Dropped Out Of The Drake-Kendrick Lamar Feud In New Track: ‘I Hate What Rap’s Become’

Rapper J. Cole returned to the spotlight with his latest track, “Port Antonio,” where he reflects on his decision to step away from the ongoing feud between two of rap’s biggest names, Drake and Kendrick Lamar.

The German-born, North Carolina-raised rapper’s surprise release, shared on Instagram, isn’t just about distancing himself from the conflict. Instead, Cole uses the track to critique the toxic dynamics that fuel the genre’s and fans’ fixation on drama.

“I can see hate in both of your eyes but the third’s blind / So you search lines / But you struggle, which explains the puzzled look on the dull face as the word finds,” Cole raps. He references the hostility between Drake and Lamar, noting that while they may be fueled by anger, they’re missing the higher wisdom symbolized by the third eye.

Cole says, “I hate what rap’s become, but like do-not-disturb signs / Can’t knock it if I see it’s ’bout the dough / They instigate the f—ery because it’s profitable.” He expresses frustration over the industry’s obsession with beefs, acknowledging that the desire for profit often drives these conflicts.

In “Port Antonio,” Cole explains why he chose to bow out. “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,” he rapped. 

Cole admits the potential cost of staying in the feud would have been too personal: “I wouldn’t have lost a battle, dawg, I woulda lost a bro / I woulda gained a foe.”

Earlier this year, Cole took shots at Lamar in the diss track “7 Minute Drill,” only to apologize soon after, calling it “the lamest s— I ever did.” In “Port Antonio,” he reflects on that moment and thanks Drake for supporting him during the ordeal. “Drake, you’ll always be my n—- / I ain’t ashamed to say you did a lot for me,” he raps.

The track ends with Cole refocusing on what he believes is the purpose of hip-hop: “Remindin’ these folks why we do it, it’s not for beefin’ / It’s for speakin’ our thoughts, pushin’ ourselves, reachin’ the charts.”

Beyond the feud, “Port Antonio” also showcases Cole’s deep love for classic hip-hop. It samples Lonnie Liston Smith’s “A Garden of Peace”—a track famously used in Jay-Z’s “Dead Presidents”—alongside Cleo Sol’s “Know That You Are Loved,” which was recently sampled by Big Sean.