Dame Dash Praises J. Cole's Business Smarts Despite 'Disappointing' Kendrick Lamar Apology

Dame Dash has praised J. Cole for his businss acumen but expressed disappointment over him apologizing to Kendrick Lamar.

Speaking on his America Nu Network, the former Roc-A-Fella Records boss offered his take on the ongoing rap feuds that involve Cole, Kendrick, Drake, Rick Ross, Future and more.

Of Cole’s controversial olive branch, Dame said: “As a fan, I’m disappointed […] No disrespect to J. Cole but as a fan, it seemed like he threw up the white flag.”

“I think he was smart on a business level to capitalize and put an album out with the retaliation [‘7 Minute Drill’] and that shit did well from [what] I saw. So for business, it was smart to put it out,” he added, referencing Cole’s surprise mixtape Might Delete Later.

“Personally, I wouldn’t have gave seven minutes — pause. I didn’t even hear the whole shit. I thought Kendrick assassinated them n-ggas with the lyrics and the beat was vicious.

“It seemed like it bugged him so much he that gave him seven minutes but it wasn’t a vicious seven minutes. I don’t want to hear The Simpsons and all that in rap […] Him apologizing was him saying, ‘You won, you the best. I can’t fuck with you.’

“I’m not mad at him. It’s great he can take the high road but what high road? They were fucking battling.”

Dame also thought the feud was not personal enough for Cole to bow out: “Nothing was said that was too disrespectful. I didn’t hear nothing about kids, n-ggas ain’t talking about wives so it wasn’t a beef. A beef is when n-ggas gonna kill each other.”

Dame Dash expresses disappointment in J. Cole for apologizing to Kendrick Lamar and says J. Cole took an L.

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— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) April 15, 2024

Despite Dame Dash praising his business “smarts,” J. Cole’s Might Delete Later failed to top the Billboard 200, debuting at No. 2 behind Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter.

It became Cole’s first project in over a decade not to debut atop the chart, though Born Sinner hit No. 1 in its third week of release.

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Might Delete Later moved 119,000 equivalent units in its first week, a career low for the Dreamville boss whose previous albums have all opened with more than 200,000 copies.

The 12-track effort also received mixed reviews while Cole was criticized for alleged transphobia on the song “Pi.”

On the track, Cole rapped: “Is you a demon or is that demeanor for the ‘Gram? Tell us/ They plead the fifth, I’m seeing hints of a trans fella/ In cancel culture’s vicinity, he’s no killer, trust me/ Beneath his chosen identity, there is still a pussy, period.”

The lyrics received backlash on social media, with one person writing: “Fuck J Cole for this transphobic ass bar btw this shit is not cool.”