Joe Budden has announced that he’s not impressed with J. Cole‘s diss of Kendrick Lamar, “7 Minute Drill,” off of his surprise Might Delete Later mixtape.
On the latest episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, which dropped on Saturday (April 6), the rapper-turned-podcaster shared his grievances about the hit freestyle.
“The tone,” he said about his main issue with the track. “This is my issue with this fucking narcoleptic sounding shit. This sounds like… if I was actively looking to cop fentanyl this is what I would put on. I want to hear him sound alive.”
Check out the clip from the podcast below.
Joe Budden unimpressed by J. Cole’s Kendrick Lamar diss: “I want to hear him sound alive”
via @JoeBuddenPodpic.twitter.com/I15cbL9Zgd
— HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) April 7, 2024
While many rappers have appeared to take sides in the debate between J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, one rapper who is steering clear of the controversy is Russ.
On Friday (April 5th), when a fan asked, “Are you picking a side?” — a nod to Metro Boomin’s now-famous message, “Once you pick a side stay there…” in reference to the dispute — the “What They Want” rapper seized the chance to inject some humor into the situation.
“I’m 31,” he responded, taking to X (formerly Twitter). The reply sparked mixed reactions from fans, with some agreeing, and others questioning the relevance of Russ’ age to expressing his allegiance.
“LOL good answer,” wrote one fan. “That’s a good answer, like I’m too old for this. Lmao! Cheers to your new age [birthday emoji],” a second comment reads.
“And? I’m 48 years young and firmly planted on Team Kendrick,” another wrote.
On the mixtape’s closing track, “7 Minute Drill,” Cole appears to reference K. Dot’s recent disses at him and Drake, and returns fire with some scathing bars of his own.
Taking aim at the perceived quality of his friend-turned-foe’s catalog, he raps: “Your first shit was classic, your last shit was tragic/ Your second shit put n-ggas to sleep, but they gassed it/ Your third shit was massive and that was your prime/ I was trailin’ right behind and I just now hit mine.”
He continues: “Now I’m front of the line with a comfortable lead/ How ironic, soon as I got it, now he want somethin’ with me/ Well, he caught me at the perfect time, jump up and see.”
Joey Bada$$ Wades Into J. Cole Vs. Kendrick Lamar Battle With Diss Song Reminder
In a nod to JAY-Z’s “Takeover” track aimed at Nas, Cole implies the Illmatic MC wouldn’t be relevant had he not provoked Hov. He then likens his feud with Kendrick to a scene from New Jack City where one character, Nino, reluctantly kills his own brother.
Expressing conflicted feelings toward Kendrick, Cole admits he’s reluctant to engage in conflict but maintains he’s ready to hop in the mic to defend his title if necessary. Cole closes with a caution to fellow rappers and a teaser for his forthcoming album, The Fall Off.
“7 Minute Drill” arrives just two weeks after Kendrick Lamar took aim at J. Cole and Drake in his guest verse on Future and Metro Boomin‘s “Like That,” from their collaborative album We Don’t Trust You.
Referencing the pair’s chart-topping single “First Person Shooter,” he rapped: “Fuck sneak dissin’, first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches/ I crash out like, ‘Fuck rap,’ diss Melle Mel if I had to.”
