J. Cole Addresses Kendrick Lamar & Drake Beef On New Song ‘Port Antonio’

image

J. Cole has unexpectedly addressed the beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, as well as his decision to bow out of it, on a new song called “Port Antonio.”

Released by surprise on Wednesday night (October 9), the five-minute track finds the Dreamville rapper defending his decision to step back from his brief battle with longtime friend and occasional collaborator Kendrick.

“I pulled the plug because I 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 woulda lost a bro / I woulda gained a foe,” he raps.

Cole then references the salacious accusations made by both Drake and Kendrick on their respective diss songs: “Jermaine is no king if that means I gotta dig up dirt and pay the whole team / Of algorithm bot n-ggas just to sway the whole thing / On social media, competing for your favorable memes to be considered best.”

He also suggests that both rappers went too far in their feud: “I understand the thirst of being first that made ’em both swing / Protecting legacies, so lines got crossed, perhaps regrettably / My friends went to war, I walked away with all they blood on me.”

Cole later addresses his “First Person Shooter” collaborator directly: “They say I’m pickin’ sides, aye, don’t you lie on me, my n-gga / To start another war / Aye, Drake, you’ll always be my n-gga / I ain’t ashamed to say you did a lot for me, my n-gga / Fuck all the narratives / Tapping back into your magic pen is what’s imperative.”

The North Carolina native closes out the song by making a wider plea to Hip Hop: “Reminding these folks why we do it / It’s not for beefing, it’s for speaking our thoughts / Pushing ourselves, reaching the charts / Reaching your minds, deep in your heart / Screaming to find emotions to touch / Somethin’ inside to open you up / Help you cope with the rough times and shit / I’m sending love, ’cause we ain’t promised shit.”

Away from the headline-grabbing bars about his “Big Three” contemporaries, “Port Antonio” samples

Lonnie Liston Smith’s “A Garden of Peace,” which rap heads will recognize from JAY-Z‘s “Dead Presidents,” as well as Cleo Sol‘s “Know That You Are Loved,” which was also recently sampled by Big Sean on “Boundaries.”

The song arrives almost exactly a year after J. Cole’s “First Person Shooter” collaboration with Drake ignited Hip Hop’s civil war.

After Kendrick Lamar fired back months later with a blistering verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” Cole engaged the Compton native by dropping the diss song “7 Minute Drill.”

Just days after its release, however, Cole controversially apologized to Kendrick onstage at his Dreamville Festival before removing the track from streaming services.

“That shit disrupts my fucking peace,” he said in part. “That was the lamest, goofiest shit […] I pray that y’all forgive a n-gga for the misstep and I can get back to my true path.”

COMMENTS

Leave a comment

Jay-Z & Meek Mill's REFORM Alliance Passes Global UN Resolution For People Leaving Prison

image

Jay-Z and Meek Mill launched the REFORM Alliance back in 2019, and since then, it's continued to advocate for prison reform and more protection for the human rights of those in the criminal justice system. The alliance's latest achievement was passing a global resolution with the United Nations to further ensure protected rights for people leaving prison, on probation, or on parole. According to a press release, REFORM worked with Costa Rica and 120 different organizations from 49 countries, and participants unanimously adopted the UN resolution advocating for the human rights of folks returning to society after jail time.

As far as what the United Nations resolution contains, it outlines concrete ideas for governments to ensure the safety and inclusion of communities everywhere. These particularly focus on re-entry support, combating the stigma of incarceration, and advocating for economic inclusion. Not only that, but this REFORM resolution has been in the works for over two years. It began publicly with a statement from 74 countries to the Human Rights Council last year. A study on effective practices followed this year, and subsequent negotiations assured its adoption.

Jay-Z & Meek Mill At REFORM Alliance Launch

Meek Mill, Michael Rubin, And CEO Van Jones Launch The Reform Alliance With Founding PartnersMeek Mill, Michael Rubin, And CEO Van Jones Launch The Reform Alliance With Founding Partners

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 23: Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter (L) and Meek Mill attend the launch of The Reform Alliance at John Jay College on January 23, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Reform Alliance)

 

"Too often, people coming out of prison or on supervision are treated as outcasts–their potential overlooked and their humanity ignored," Kim Kardashian expressed concerning the Alliance's statement. "This resolution, sponsored by Costa Rica and a diverse group of countries around the world, is a powerful declaration that no one is disposable and every person deserves human rights and a second chance. I’m proud to support REFORM Alliance and the coalition of advocates as they lead this global effort to ensure governments worldwide enact real change that lifts up those working to rebuild their lives."

Given all the wild allegations around Jay-Z and Meek Mill these days, hearing this REFORM Alliance news is very heartening. Sometimes, the typical social media antics obfuscate the beneficial work that artists and celebrities put in behind the scenes. In the case of two rappers as massive as Hov and Meek, this is less of an issue, but nonetheless one that many overlook. Furthermore, we hope we hear more of these stories and achievements moving forward.

COMMENTS

Leave a comment