Many cultural figures have taken to social media to mock and denounce J Cole for apologising to Kendrick Lamar after releasing a diss track aimed at him. During a performance at his Dreamville Fest in Raleigh, Cole told the crowd that he regretted recording the song ‘7 Minute Drill’ which hears the emcee fire several shots at the LA native.
While taking a break onstage, Cole explained to the crowd his feelings about his most recent mixtape, Might Delete Later, stating, “I’m so proud of that project except for one part [but] there’s one part of that sh*t that makes me feel like, ‘Man, that’s the lamest sh*t I ever did in my f*cking life.'”
However, amidst the backlash and condemnation, one rapper came out to defend J Cole, and that is Bronx emcee Canibus. Born in Jamaica and raised in the Bronx, the rapper (Germaine Williams) is an underappreciated yet artistically exceptional East Coast emcee whom Cole has cited as an influence.
As the Dreamville founder got lambasted by critics for apologising, Williams revealed that he once apologised for a diss track. More specifically, one aimed at Cole that he released in 2011.
In the early 2010s, when J Cole first entered the mainstream, he cited that Canibus had inspired him. However, his framing of the Bronx rapper as a currently irrelevant artist from the past infuriated Williams, who released a diss track named ‘J Clone’.
Canibus suggested that instead of stating that he was inspired by him and insinuating he was irrelevant, Cole should have collaborated with him. On ‘J Clone’ Williams rapped, “If it ain’t a threat, then it must be a promise / You said my name so much, they think you being honest / It’s more than that, we could’ve recorded a track / You could give me a stack for a verse just like that.”
However, merely two days after the track’s release, Williams apologised to Cole in a similar manner to how he is now apologising to Kendrick Lamar. Commenting about his regret in 2011, Canibus stated, “I’ve seen thousands and thousands of comments about this J Cole track and all of the negativity it’s stirring up. After 48 hours of it, I feel confident enough to say that it’s unanimous. Hip-hop has spoken up loud and clear.”
He concluded, “It’s a Cole world right now, and you’re reigning champ, J. I take full responsibility for my actions, and I apologise for stepping over the line. It comes off as tacky, unsophisticated, and it’s just not G. I love hip-hop too much to further justify my selfish behaviour.”
Although Canibus has come out to defend Cole, many figures such as DJ Akademiks and Joe Budden are still blasting J Cole for what they perceive as a weak manoeuvre to avoid a rap battle. You can hear Canibus’ ‘J Clone’ below.
