J. Cole's press tour has been revealing, especially in regard to his friendships with Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Since his first interview with Apple Music's Nadeska Alexis, we have much more context as to why he bowed out of the battle nearly two years ago to the day. At the end of the day, it sounds like it simply came down to Cole having profound respect and love for these two.
Not just musically speaking, but on a personal level too. In his more recent sit-down with Cam'ron on Talk With Flee! the North Carolina spitter expressed just how much it hurt him to see the "culture" try to undermine Drake at every turn.
In general, J. Cole despises the concept "culture." He believes it's an "algorithm" and that it centers around "campaigns... positive or negative" with incentives.
Essentially, the Dreamville founder was praying for the culture to "fail" and is happy to see that it isn't working against Drizzy. While he reiterates that he's happy for Kendrick Lamar and the moments he seized, Cole agrees with Cam'ron that it was "f*cked up" to see the public bashing a "friend."
The "Bunce Road Blues" rapper also makes it a point to clarify that Drake did engage with Lamar and that it's not his place to "judge" how they handled things, though.
Is J. Cole Friends With Drake & Kendrick Lamar?
At the end of the day, Cole doesn't want to lose the friendships he has, and their beef has kept him in an awkward position whenever he's asked about it.
This is something that bothers Drake and Kendrick fans alike, but the former's camp even more so, it seems.
But it doesn't like he's going to budge on his stance any time soon. Elsewhere in this same interview, J. Cole said this: "The world became like politics, you either Democrat or Republican. You either Kendrick, or you Drake. I was disgusted both ways, damn near."
He also said this, regarding Drake specifically: "The 'out of hand' that to me is disgusting, how people try to use that opportunity to show how they really felt about Drake the whole time, or just to pile on and tear this dude down and create a narrative as if he's not great. It was a whole campaign."
