The reason J Cole and Diddy almost had a wild brawl
J Cole is one of the most formidable lyricists in hip-hop and is known as a humble, honest artist. However, in 2013, while he was attending an A-List party, the K.O.D. creator got roped into a now-infamous feud.
In the 2010s, J Cole helped Diddy by writing some material for his 2010 Dirty Money album, Last Train To Paris album. However, in 2013, while at Combs’ house, the K.O.D. rapper had an uncomfortable experience with Diddy, which he later referenced in the 2021 track ‘Let Go My Hand’.
Outlets reporting on the incident at the time painted a blurry picture. However, it is known to have happened at a VMAs afterparty. Kendrick Lamar was also present, and that year, he had featured on a track where he shouted out every one of his rap peers and also crowned himself the ‘King of New York’, even though he’s from Los Angeles.
Diddy (real name Sean Combs) was unhappy with Lamar’s lyrics and allegedly attempted to pour a drink on Kendrick’s head. Fortunately, at this point, Cole inserted himself into the situation and tried to restrain the Bad Boy founder, putting himself in the firing line as a consequence.
Following this, a scuffle between Cole’s Dreamville team and Diddy’s entourage broke out. On his track ‘Let Go Of My Hand’, Cole vividly detailed the night, rhyming, “I kept a tough demeanour on the surface but was mostly just pretendin’ / And luckily my bluff was workin’ way more often than not.” He added, “But sometimes a n*gga pulled my card, tryna expose me for a fraud / And with my reputation at stake, I was scufflin’ just to save face.”
However, on the track, he also explains how, at one point, Diddy was his hero but also suggested that he didn’t really know him and insinuated his opinion of Diddy changed after the scuffle, rapping, “My last scrap was with Puff Daddy, who would’ve thought it? / I bought that n*gga album in seventh grade and played it so much / You would’ve thought my favourite rapper was Puff / Back then I ain’t know sh*t, now I know too much.”
Still, the Fayetteville lyricist has repeatedly insisted it wasn’t as bad as the hip-hop publications made it seem. However, it appeared to be a pattern of behaviour for Diddy afterwards, as he had a physical altercation with Drake outside of Miami’s club LIV.
Both Kendrick Lamar and Cole prospered following the incident. However, Diddy limply lurched from one disaster to the next, beefing with his former artist Ma$e and facing multiple lawsuits.
On his 2021 project, The Off-Season, Cole recalled the night lyrically on the song ‘Let Go My Hand’, where he raps, My last scrap was with Puff Daddy, who would’ve thought it? / I bought that nigga album in seventh grade and played it so much / You would’ve thought my favourite rapper was Puff / Back then I ain’t know shit, now I know too much.”
Lamar never really spoke on the matter.