J. Cole offered up his response to ducking the Kendrick Lamar and Drake feud with his "Port Antonio" track last week, which sparked plenty of debate on X and other social media platforms. One person not feeling Cole's reply was Joe Budden,

Months after apologizing to Lamar for making “7 Minute Drill,” the North Carolina MC claims, “I wouldn't have lost the battle, dog, I would've lost a bro.”

However, in Port Antonio, J. Cole expresses that he never intended to engage in a serious feud with Kendrick, clarifying that their beef wasn’t personal. Despite explaining that he prioritized friendship over competition, fans have criticized him for seemingly backing out of the competitive rap culture, which thrives on lyrical battles.

I pulled the plug because I’ve seen where that was ’bout to go / They wanted blood, they wanted clicks to make they pockets grow,” Cole raps.