J. Cole just dropped his surprise “Might Delete Later” project on Friday, April 5th. While the entire 12-track mixtape has generated a lot of buzz, it’s the potent closing song “7 Minute Drill” that has people talking the most.
The track appears to be Cole’s direct response to the scathing verse Kendrick Lamar delivered on Future and Metro Boomin’s recent album “We Don’t Trust You.” On that guest appearance, Lamar dismissed the idea of a “big three” with Cole and Drake, declaring it’s just “big me.”
Kendrick Lamar also took aim at the quality of J. Cole’s recent work, calling his best output a “light pack” and threatening to put all of Drake and Cole’s “dogs” in the “pet sematary” – a menacing reference to the Stephen King horror novel.
Now, Cole has fired back. On “7 Minute Drill,” he addresses the diss head-on, rapping:
“I got a phone call, they say that somebody dissing / You want some attention, it comes with extensions.”
The North Carolina native then proceeds to critique Lamar’s discography, disparaging specific albums. He calls 2022’s “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” “tragic” and claims that the acclaimed “To Pimp a Butterfly” put “n****s to sleep.”
J. Cole also takes issue with the infrequency of Lamar’s revered “Heart” series of songs, quipping:
“He averaging one hard verse like every thirty months or something.”
While acknowledging his respect for Lamar, Cole warns that he’s willing to “humble him” if the insults continue. “Push come to shove, on this mic, I will humble him,” he declares.
The surprise release of “Might Delete Later” comes just days before the rapper is set to headline his fourth annual Dreamville Festival in his hometown. The project kicks off what promises to be a busy weekend for the Dreamville CEO as he continues to solidify his status as one of the preeminent voices in contemporary hip-hop.
With the gauntlet thrown down, all eyes now turn to how Kendrick Lamar may choose to respond, as this high-stakes lyrical clash between two of rap’s titans shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
