J. Cole entered the rap game alongside close peers, but in 2024, things appeared to shift.
When Kendrick Lamar’s verse on “Like That” dropped, the so-called “Big 3” Cole, Drake, and Kendrick became divided. Drake responded by unloading a barrage of diss tracks aimed at Kenny, only for him to fire back with what many called the biggest diss record of the era. Cole briefly entered in on the fun and released “7 Minute Drill,” his response to Kendrick’s verse, before quickly backing out.
The record didn’t remain on streaming platforms for long and was soon removed by Cole. At the 2024 Dreamville Festival, the Fayetteville MC publicly addressed the situation and issued a heartfelt apology to Kendrick:
“In my spirit of trying to get this music out, I ain’t got lie to y’all, I moved in a way that felt like spiritually feel bad. I tried jabbing n*ggas back and be friendly. But at the end of the day, when I listen back, and I see the talk that sh* t don’t sit right in my spirit and disrupted my peace. How many people think Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest motherf*cker to ever touch a mic? Dreamville, y’all love Kendrick correct? I want to publicly say that was the lamest thing I’ve ever done. I pray my n*gga didn’t feel no way.”
Fans have been waiting patiently for The Fall Off, an album Cole has teased for a long time. According to the Rory & Mal Podcast, the delay may be connected to the Big 3 fallout. The hosts claimed both Drake and Kendrick allegedly had two songs each slated for the project, forcing Cole to rework the album entirely:
“Yes, Kendrick was on the album, and Drake was on the album. Which is why we didn’t get the album, cause now he gotta do his whole album over.”
As of now, J. Cole has not confirmed whether Drake or Kendrick were officially part of The Fall Off, nor has he shared an updated release date.
