We’re two years removed from the Kendrick Lamar-Drake beef, and yet it remains a relevant topic of discussion. Ahead of the release of Street Fighter, 50 Cent joined The Crew Has It podcast alongside Andrew Schulz, where he shared his thoughts on who actually lost in the massive rap beef. In his view, it wasn’t Drake or Kendrick Lamar but J. Cole, who continues to face backlash for apologizing and backing out of the feud.
“I think it’s a part of hip-hop culture to compete,” Fif said, explaining how the narratives surrounding both Drake and Kendrick Lamar are largely kept alive by their respective fanbases.
“The mistake is when you opt out of the competition. I think J. Cole paid the most. He’s one of the coolest people to grace hip-hop culture, and he’s been able to do things that show you his confidence is not connected to the little things.”
He added, “There’s no jewelry. J. Cole would ride a bike to the studio. So there’s nothing to rob from him.”
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50 Cent Discusses J. Cole’s Diss Track
Cole certainly faced a lot of backlash for his decision to withdraw from the beef. As things began heating up between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole released “7 Minute Drill” on Might Delete Later, and then rescinded the diss track when he apologized to Kendrick at Dreamville Festival just days later. Although it’s unclear where he stands with Kendrick Lamar these days, Drake has suggested that they aren’t on good terms anymore.
In an interview with Apple Music, he said he told his wife about his decision to apologize before his set.
"I told my wife. She's the only one I told; I ain't tell nobody else. I’m like, 'Yo, this what I'm about to go do.’ She starts crying because she knows [how] I feel about him," Cole said. "And she saw how it was weighing on me the two, three days before that."
Check out the clip above with 50 Cent discussing the feud around the one-hour-fifteen-minute mark.
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