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.”
-
Drake And Metro Boomin Will Attend 21 Savage Birthday Party Despite Beef
This should be interesting.
-
Taemin’s 2024 ‘Ephemeral Gaze’ world tour: Abu Dhabi date has been cancelled
Featuring shows in Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and more
-
Forrest Frank Talks GMA Dove Awards Nominations, Success of ‘Good Day,’ Finding His Voice as an Artist: ‘This Whole Journey Has Felt Like a Gift’
Forrest Frank tells Billboard about his Dove Awards nominations, his music's connection with a new generation of fans and more.
-
Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix on the Linkin Park reunion: “It’s awesome that their music can be celebrated”
"I know people are very polarised about this"
-
Watch Flavor Flav Ring the New York Stock Exchange’s Closing Bell & Send the Gavel Flying Into Crowd
The Public Enemy rapper joined the U.S. Women's Water Polo Team he sponsored at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
-
Remy Ma Goes Topless In Racy 'Outta Control' Video With Fat Joe
Remy Ma has debuted a risqué new look in her new “Outta Control” video with Fat Joe and Cool & Dre.
-
Jay-Z & Meek Mill's REFORM Alliance Passes Global UN Resolution For People Leaving Prison
The REFORM Alliance is still putting in work.
-
The Weeknd Breaks His Own Spotify Record And Creates New Ones
The only person who can beat The Weeknd is The Weeknd.
-
PARTYNEXTDOOR Reveals He & Drake Are Putting "Finishing Touches" On Collab Album
While fans are very excited, they also heard many hints like this in recent weeks, so they're getting even more desperate.
-
J. Cole Addresses Kendrick Lamar & Drake Beef On New Song ‘Port Antonio’
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.”
-
Cardi B Seemingly Responds To ‘Insane’ Stefon Diggs Cheating Rumors
Cardi B has seemingly responded to the recent rumors that she cheated on Offset with Houston Texans all-star wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
-
TakeOff & Quavo’s Mothers Talk Gun Violence With White House Official
TakeOff and Quavo‘s mothers joined forces once again with the White House to continue combating gun violence in the name of the late Migos rapper.
-
Future Promotes Healthier Habits In Music Video For "TEFLON DON"
One of the best from "MIXTAPE PLUTO" receives a fun twist on the visual side.
-
Denzel Curry (Feat. Maxo Kream) - 'SET IT'
-
The Kid LAROI feat. Gunna — “Baby I’m Back (Remix)”
-
The Alchemist (Feat. Havoc) - 'Scientology'
-
SleazyWorld Go - 'Olé Olé'
-
Mozzy (Feat. Celly Ru & E Mozzy) - 'JA MORANT'
-
Royal Deb displays her Jamaican roots new reggae single “Somebody For Everybody”
Since Royal Deb was just a child in St. Ann, Jamaica, she has been immersed in the reggae music scene.
-
FP Relly releases one-two punch of hip-hop songs in “Enjoy the Life/Fast Money” off his newest album Perseverance Vol. 1.
Atlanta based rapper FP Relly has just dropped a brand new one-two punch of songs, complete with a music video, that will show how he enjoys life and strives to get that bag.
-
Indie Singer-songwriter Lizz Pens a Song for Healing in Latest Single ‘There’s A Place’
Singaporean singer-songwriter Lizz shares her recent single, “There’s A Place,” an ode to healing in the face of suffering and war.
-
Petty Human Emotions releases crowd pleasing rocker “Sadness,” off their new album Outside
Petty Human Emotions has released a fan favorite new single, “Sadness,” that singer and guitar-ist James Nardiello said is always a banger at their shows, and translates well onto record.
-
ASTAR Shines Brightly with Pop-Afro Single ‘TTL TTR’
Singer and philanthropist Astou Sandra Smith—better known as ASTAR—is set to release her latest single, “TTL TTR.”
-
T'Myh B Makes Falling in Love Fun Again with Latest Single ‘Honey’
Singer and songwriter Tamiyah Alexis Brown—known as T'Myh B—is doubling down on love with an upbeat single about taking the first step.
COMMENTS
Leave a comment