DJ Akademiks Calls J. Cole Pathetic, Claims TDE Warned Cole About Kendrick Lamar Diss

BY Alexander Cole Published on March 25, 2026

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 24: DJ Akademiks attends Complex's inaugural List[ed] event at Zaytinya on October 24, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for Complex)

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With J. Cole going on a media tour, DJ Akademiks went off on his livestream, claiming that the artist is pathetic for kowtowing to Kendrick.

J. Cole has been on a media tour of sorts as of late, and it is here where he has offered up some perspective on the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef. He is adamant that he is good with both men, regardless of how things went down. Furthermore, he has stayed firm on his decision to apologize.

However, there are plenty of fans on social media who aren't buying what Cole is selling right now. Instead, these fans feel betrayed by Cole. They feel as though he has broken the social contract by trying to play both sides.

In the eyes of DJ Akademiks, this is a pathetic move. At least, that is what he said on his live stream last night. Akademiks was firm on his position, noting that he can't respect Cole because of the way he has handled things. He also offered up some extra alleged context about why Cole apologized in the first place.

DJ Akademiks Rants About J. Cole

When "7 Minute Drill" dropped, Kendrick had not released "Euphoria." He also hadn't released "Meet The Grahams" or "Not Like Us." Akademiks claims someone from TDE was at Dreamville Fest and told Cole what was happening. In his view, this is what directly led to the subsequent apology.

It is certainly an interesting theory, and one that a lot of fans probably agree with to some extent. With that in mind, one can't help but feel as though Ak's anger is coming from Drake's behalf. Ak has always been a huge cheerleader for Drake, especially following the beef.

With Cole refusing to play to one side or the other, Ak sees it as a weak move. Especially when you consider how Cole and Drake went on tour together, and did First Person Shooter together.

Whatever the case may be, the Cole, Drake, and Kendrick situation is not going to go away anytime soon. Everyone has chosen their side, and as long as people are still talking about it, they are still going to let their opinions be known.

About The Author

Alexander Cole

Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!