J. Cole recently dropped a new track, “Port Antonio,” offering a reflective and introspective take on the beef between two rap giants, Drake and Kendrick Lamar. The song marks J Cole’s first direct engagement with the feud between his fellow “big three” of mainstream rap, fueled by diss tracks, competitive verses, and underlying rivalries. In “Port Antonio,” Cole positions himself as a mediator, addressing the tension while distancing himself from the feud.
J Cole first referenced his connection with both rappers on Drake’s “First Person Shooter,” a collaboration that touted the trio as the dominant forces in contemporary rap, which prompted Lamar’s biting response in “Like That.” In that track, Lamar dismissed the idea of the “big three” altogether, boldly proclaiming, “Motherfuck the big three.… it’s just big me.” However, the balance started to tilt when Cole’s subsequent track, “7 Minute Drill,” appeared to critique Kendrick Lamar. A track which, in a sudden move, J Cole withdrew and announced he didn’t want negativity at the Dreamville festival. It was a move that got J Cole criticized for bowing out, something unacceptable in the rap culture.
Drake swiftly responded to Kendrick Lamar with a track of his own, “Push Ups,” and the tension continued to escalate. Cole, caught in the middle of this back-and-forth, later apologized for “7 Minute Drill.” Despite the public back-and-forth, the situation seemed to quiet down for a while—until J Cole revisited it in “Port Antonio.”
In “Port Antonio,” J. Cole candidly addresses the pressure of picking sides in the feud. “They say I’m pickin’ sides, don’t you lie on me,” he raps, making it clear that he refuses to be dragged into the drama between Drake and Lamar. He expresses gratitude for Drake’s role in his career, rapping, “Drake, you’ll always be my na/I ain’t ashamed to say you did a lot for me, my na.” Cole’s words suggest a deep respect for both Drake and Lamar, refusing to stoke the flames of competition that the public and media seem eager to keep alive.
J Cole also critiques the culture of rap feuds, especially in the age of social media. He addresses the toxic environment that drives artists to engage in public beefs for clicks and viral moments, stating, “They wanted blood, they wanted clicks to make they pockets grow.”His lyrics suggest disillusionment with how diss tracks and online feuds have evolved, where the battles are often less about artistic rivalry and more about fueling social media drama.
Ultimately, “Port Antonio” serves as J. Cole’s declaration of peace, where he opts out of the feud to avoid losing meaningful relationships. “I pulled the plug because I seen where that was ’bout to go,”he raps, emphasizing that the feud would ultimately result in emotional damage rather than artistic triumph.
With “Port Antonio,” J. Cole advocates for peace and respect rather than choosing sides, showcasing his maturity as an artist and a mediator in a world eager for rivalry. However, the culture thinks differently, and it appears J Cole still has a high price to pay with a vast base still not ready to accept his bowing out.
