J. Cole - Port Antonio | FIRST REACTION (EARLY ACCESS)
🕑 Added 2024-10-12 18:19:16 +0000 UTCTimestamps:
Reaction Starts: 0:54
Thoughts On The Song: 11:33
Closer Look At Lyrics: 13:48
J. Cole Discussion: 18:00
Comments
Miguel Sady
can't take j cole serious anymore
John
I don’t know… great track overall from Cole. Delivery was classic. But I don’t like how he glosses over the whole beef as some sort of unfortunate drama. IMO, the way Kendrick was talking wasn’t just some beef. Jury is still out on just how material some of that substance is, but if what Kendrick is saying is legit, you can’t just write that off. That has to be a line in the sand, especially for a substance-driven artist like Cole. Conversely, if Kendrick was just fabricating nonsense entirely for the sake of the beef, I think he crossed a line. So much of this response hinges on the weight of what Kendrick was saying, and Cole just doesn’t seem to acknowledge it at all.
SAM-WISE GAMGEE
So after this track, how that jcole losing sleep not me bars soundin now?
enzo
New Tyler next week!! Check out the latest album teaser on his youtube -eyeball- -eyeball- -eyeball-
Zion Scarlett
Me? Oh nothing just hoping that nxworries why lawd ? Album reaction is coming out soon
Luis
i can't take j cole serious anymore especially as a big fan. All we wanted you to do is rap. He spent his entire career saying verbatim " ill smoke your favorite rappers" and here comes our favorite rappers to test you and you back out?. Yes he can rap but if you don't get lost in his penmanship and pay attention to what he's actually saying. It's just a bunch of " i couldn't do it, i might of lost a friend" So then what were you thinking when you sent your verse on the song stick? what about middle child? and so many others. I love J cole but after hearing this song, yes its good but maybe you should of just stayed out the way and not addressed anything. p.s love you guys, thank you for the reaction
Johannsi Doermer
yall gotta checkout harry mack, would love seeing yous react to him
mattmattburr
theif next to jesus.
So Lao
Can we please get an analysis/afterthought of this song? I think it's much needed, given Cole has gotten more hate since it dropped than he did for the apology.
Nams
Gang, that new Deutsche Marks 4 from Willie The Kid is grimy as hell.
Alwande🇿🇦
I’m from south africa, a couple days ago i got too see mick jenkins live here in johannesburg that shit was crazy, and it was the first ever concert i’ve been to, now i wanna get new music from him🙆🏽♂️🔥🔥🔥
Luke
New Ab Soul freestyle on funk flex dropped
Munhem Mukhtar
Yo appreciate you guys for the realness I’m from Afghanistan and currently living in Istanbul so be aware that the work you putting in is getting somewhere In regards of k.dot and j.cole im really intrigued to when is dot going to drop the album. What if cole drops the fall of and Kendrick do the same thing that he did to drake’s family matter with meet the graham’s, and step on fall of. Keep up the work my guys ✋🏻
Emma
Rest in peace Ka💔
DONOTELLO
Rest in peace the greatest
DONOTELLO
I pray yall react to Ka
Ezra
His music holds a special place with so many its so unfortunate he will be missed😔🙏🏽🙏🏽
Dvd
The news broke my heart. One of the greatest writers of our time. Rest peacefully Ka, the art will live forever.
FigLeaf Bicarbonate
One of my favourites. RIP to one of the goats.
Quincy Beurskens
Bro, I also heard this news a few minutes ago. May he Rest In Paradise 🕊
Ezra
Hey did y’all hear that Ka passed away? His last release the thief next to Jesus is another great listen y’all should try to get to it soon🙏🏽
Helix
Completely agree, i thought i was going crazy watching their reaction to this track specifically, it's like they got amnesia this time. Just imagine if Kendrick pulled this stunt, he would have been clowned for ages but here it's fine cuz cole dropped 2 good features before this song
Pynnx
Yall gonna have to check out Ab-soul’s new song on YouTube he put up - Squeeze 1st 2 People sayin he sent shots out to Cole in it, and it dropped a day later after San Antonio did. Wanna hear yalls reaction to it
KuennBeats
Brother Tom Sos (new Griselda homie) got 3 songs out on his IG im guessing gonna be on his debut album and they're all crazy. One of them got a Benny feature too
SAM-WISE GAMGEE
Need yall to do a video for Ab Soul's new track Squeeze 1st 2
Soksonjr
In addition to this, Cole is making it seem like the audience insighted the beef. NO WE DID NOT SIR! Yes we wanted to see it but he been talking crazy for some time now and someone was bound to test him at some point. His excuse of seeing where the beef was going is also another cop out. Drake and kendrick went where it went because there is actual hatred between them. They do not like each other and even at that, it took drake dropping family matters before kdot went personal on him too. Euphoria and 6:16 weren't personal. So there is no reason to think that kdot and Cole couldn't have kept it rap. and it would have been a win for the culture cos they can both rap they asses off. If anything, Cole was the one trying to go personal in 7 minute drill especially with what he said about TPAB which is crazy because TPAB is the kind of album you would expect Cole to make.
Soksonjr
I rock with you guys a lot and on most takes but I disagree massively here. Cole is gaslighting and trying to act like he hasn't been the one calling for smoke on is feature run for the last 3-4 years and now he wanna act like a man of peace. Meanwhile, i'm okay with Cole wanting to take the high road BUT you don't get to take the high road and talk spicy like you the best so either he been lying in his raps the last few years or he was just scared of kendrick. Even now he still talking spicy.. "I wouldn't have lost the battle I would have lost a bro" FOH with that BS. He doesn't get to tell us he will beat anybody while telling us he isn't going to beef. That's hypocrisy. not to sound like a nerd or anything but in science, a theory is only a theory if its falsifiable or verifiable. Cole is making claims that we can't falsify or verify because he would talk spicy and refuse to compete. I also disagree with Darae saying Cole isn't saying he's the best with respect other rappers. The only way best makes sense is if its in comparison to other rappers. "find me a nigga rapping this incredibly." Well we found Kendrick and YOU RAN.
Dylan Courtney
Also - 7 minute drill…idk if you would’ve won the battle with that energy
Dylan Courtney
Can’t deny, disappointing angle from Cole. Kendrick wasn’t doing this for clicks, that was a by product because of his ability. His response was to someone who reaps the rewards of the culture but none of the difficulties. Cole feels like he’s missing Kendrick’s point, and the fact that he only calls out only Drake is sus
DoubleThink
Yea, it's fine to disagree with what Kendrick was trying to do, but the idea that he was out for clicks is an embarrassing reading of the tracks
Pablo Monroy
Really disappointing to be honest. After hearing all that shit about the clicks and money and shit, it kinda feels Cole did not understand ANYTHING Kendrick was saying, neither his reasoning or principles, specially after Watch the Party Die. Bah.
Jae Right
Cole acknowledged everything except for how reckless he’s been talking over the years, and low-key, even now. He can be an amazing rapper without being battle tested, but he can’t incite beef, then say that he’s not about beef. I would have wanted more from the growth lines, like actually state, “I used to be on some BS, but now I just want to uplift”. Don’t act like you’ve NEVER been a part of it, as recently as this year. Dope song, still.
Jae Right
Agree. I keep comparing Cole to Dre in this way. Andre 3000 is “Top Whatever”, but never had to battle. He simply displayed his skills on his tracks and other features.
Mmm
Cole is still the goat 🐐
Whitney Williams
After Euphoria most people were looking for a response from Cole but if he had stayed silent and let those two duke it out, the Cole response would have have been all but forgotten because SO MUCH was going on. This beef was DENSE. I feel like people wouldn't have been looking for Cole and wondering what happened on his side of things until after everything was over. Cole is an amazing artist and I'm not taking him lightly just because he apologized, but the general public, especially in rap, is going to see Cole as soft unfortunately. I still see it online whenever Cole is brought up. Personally, I see why Cole left the beef, but then I would have to question what line needs to be crossed for him to be apart of another beef. Like who wants beef with Cole? Diddy? Like we got to see the beef between Drake and Kendrick bubble up. I feel like this was the only moment for him to do something like this. He clearly doesn't want to battle his peers or his friends. Anybody else who wants smoke with him ain't even on his level so what would be the point of going toe-to-toe with them, so who's left? Unfortunately, it just feels like he's yapping at this point because how are you going to prove that what you're saying is real? How can you prove it?
LuLu
I feel as though Cole is looking to challenge his skill similar to what he did in Pi w/Daylyt and Absoul, and also on A plate of collard greens. He’s said many time before that he’ll hop on a song with anyone and challenge himself like he did with those two songs and elevated his pen to compete lyrically. For me personally that is what I wanted to see, not what we saw with Kendrick and Drake, Cole just didn’t need to be apart of that bc Kendrick had a message specifically for Drake and the industry. I’ve always wanted Kendrick and Cole to hop on a song together and compete with eachother, that’s what it’s about, like I’m tryna rap better than you and I’d like to see you try and rap better than me, not the beefin. Don’t get me wrong, that can be entertaining sometimes but that’s shouldn’t be the only way rappers challenge eachother, like they can do cyphers or hop on a song with multiple artist and compete, or 1on1
Snake Plisken
I loved that first verse - really Cole at his best. After listening to your breakdown, I also have grown to appreciate that second verse, but I still can’t hear Cole talking that talk after he put his chin out there for Kendrick. Also, he seems to be absolving himself of his responsibility in everything that happened leading up to Like That…I would have loved to have seen him address his part in all of this, as opposed to just washing his hands of it. Still, elite rapping on his part throughout. And great breakdown as always!
Chujelly
“he hasn’t lost” nah i remember grippy
Anthony
If it’s beef foreal he ain’t backing down. He said it himself. If he smoke a rapper it’s gone be legit on middle child and it’s just common sense how can you diss someone you don’t have ill feelings towards that’s why 7 min drill ain’t work. It was inauthentic. Props to him for just doing him tho if he at peace he is freee
Dylan Owen
Putting aside all of the beef talk, Cole was SKATING on this one, good god
Tanissha Harrell
It’s Cleo Sol
Sam Shaffer
Am I reaching by thinking he told future/metro/kendrick to not put out the song like that? “I seen lifelong friend turn to devilish opps. I was Mike in red leather trying to tell them to stop” he was on that song “red leather” in the 2nd metro future album 🤔
Darius Wideman
• Pi • Plate of Collard Greens • Johnny P Caddy • Sticks and Stones • Crocodile Tearz • Ready ✅✅✅✅✅✅🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Darius Wideman
These past 3 years nobody pen has been better than Cole the work should speak for itself in the music
Darius Wideman
Feel like when Kdot said F the big 3 it was showing Cole he doesn’t agree with him because he doesn’t F with Drake.
Darius Wideman
Feel like Cole apology out loud to Kdot to the public shows the respect he has for him and this is for Drake to show the same to show he sees them the same. I feel like Him and Kdot has enough respect to show there pen on a track together rather then beef.
T-minus
i think a big part of the way cole has been moving has been overlooked by almost everyone he named the album MIGHT DELETE LATER and he named the "diss" 7 minute drill cole has explained in the past that he would set a timer for 7 minutes and challenge himself to write the best song he could within that time limit. it was a way for him to put in the reps without worrying about quality. practicing daily, no judgement. quantity over quality he let you know in the title of the track (if you're familiar with his work flow) that he was not really dissing anyone before you heard a single word he let you know in the title of the album that he would be removing that track before you heard it, and then he did he gave the people a taste of what they wanted, but ultimately stuck to what he believed in, and made sure his legacy reflected that belief and if you listened to all of MIGHT DELETE LATER instead of just looking up 7MD after the apology to clown cole and call him soft, you'd know tracks like huntin' rabbitz and crocodile tears were on par with not like us everyone giving kendrick props for the immediate response to drake with meet the grahams, no one even recognize what cole was doing despite the fact he told you in advance with the name of the album and the name of the track
darius
yall do that chat room in there forsure !
Hyperaware
J Cole’s is still fire though He gets better with it every time
Ayanna
Kind of a menace? That's an understatement. 😂
Ayanna
It sounds to me like Cole feels he's best in a cypher type situation where there's "competition" or "a friendly fade" but not "beef" which is real life personal differences that can possibly end up out on the streets. However, culturally, (the hurt niggas hurt niggas type) in the words of Slim Charles from the Wire, "If it's a lie, we gotta fight on that lie." Which is why the apology (while really dope for Cole's personal growth) disqualified him from the Big 3 discussion. Because at that point, it was a friendly fade and he ducked out. The mistake was him putting out something he didn't believe in and couldn't stand 10 toes down on.
Darla
Like that wad a warning shot and it hit hard. So...
Kreative
I really like the song personally. I do understand why people seemed to beSUPER pissed about this song but I dont agree
Hyperaware
I can always appreciate when J Cole raps like this, and I still want people to just understand him better because despite him being in a competitive industry, he’s matured enough to see the bigger picture of it. It got pretty messy and he saw how it is, buttt no one died, it wasn’t a biggie and Tupac, nor was it as bad as 50 v Ja Rule, so there was no need to be scared. What I disagree with is how J Cole has boosted his reputation up for years calling himself the Grim Reaper, and that he’ll kill your favorite rapper, but when it comes to it, he doesnt follow up on his words. You cant be saying “show me someone better” cuz you just backed out of the battle with one of them. Its cheap at the end of the day, because if you weren’t gonna prove you’re the best, then you aren’t like that. And Drake been sneak dissing Cole since the beef started, and Cole still saying “Im still your bro!!” 🤦🏽♂️ Cole could’ve tried because it would’ve strictly been just about rap between him and KDot. I can’t take Cole serious now if he wants to talk the same way, like go ahead gas yourself up so you can back out of a fight until you battle someone you know you’re better than.
Larry Rodriguez
All I did was correct you lmao a diss is going full on in compared to a “warning shot”. How are you going to hate but be completely wrong on what you’re hating on lol
AZrambo44
So that makes it any less trash? Lol stop idolizing celebrities man it's not healthy
Brit
i liked the song at first but the more I thought about it the more I feel like Cole is lowkey subbin kdot and copping pleas with drake. with drake, hes like im still your guy forever! and with kdot he says he wouldnt have lost a battle, he woulda lost a bro. idk how kdot takes that. im way too paranoid for a threat.
Jouvanne Thomas
Cole's "beefing" is giving niggas sincere advice and shit. See Lil Pump... I think he can literally son every avid rapper in the game. Many will disagree but this could apply to Kendrick. I don't think there would be a clear winner. Kendrick isn't flawless. He's kind of a menace. It would be a Superman vs Batman type fight.
Jouvanne Thomas
Yo.... I coughed out my smoke at "Make sure he don't kill YOU!".
jaz
Dope lyrics..but let’s face the facts…he claims to be the best and made it clear he’s ready for any smoke..then runs when a situation is presented for him to stand on that..then he comes back months later acting as if he’s above the whole situation that he helped to create and that he inserted himself into when he made 7MD lol…I can’t believe y’all missed that. He’s wishy washy and contradicts himself.
Jouvanne Thomas
Hindsight is 20:20. Life is about how we pivot from our bad choices.
Kostia
I feel like everybody likes Cole, he aint gonna beef with no rapper. He’s close to 40 yo and he will only make moves to perfect his legacy as a wordsmith.
Larry Rodriguez
If your down syndrome ass mind actually paid attention to the lyrics in what Cole said on that joint, you would understand that it was a warning shot and not a diss lmaoo
Kostia
We are gonna get Kendrick’s new album roughly at the same time as Cole’s. What a time to be a hip hop head.
Aric Parkinson
So just a thought. Maybe cole really doesn’t want to engage in beefs that involve directly dissing people. That isn’t the energy he’s on, breaking down instead of building up. I think his competitive lane is strictly through features where his bragging/im him type bars still land. He does basically wash everyone he features with so that’s just my feeling on how he views competition.
Jordan Carboletti
Im with Blood in the Yankees Cap. This Mf Cole was the one who introduced the Big 3 Idea , Then steps away from the mic During the Beef. Does Bravado Talk but wants to turn the Other cheek. Lmaoo
Earnest Williams II
The issue with what he’s saying also is he’s friends with all the top pens in the industry so theres literally no one he could smack that’s even worth it
S.
This song was perfect J Cole, from the production to the lyrics to the delivery. I feel like there’s a difference between disrespectful/hate-filled beefing and friendly pressure-testing. I could see him on a track with daylyt or similar, going back and forth about who’s got the better pen/flow.
Silly_Billy
True, Stevie knight kept it real
takin
J Cole took a shot during the beef with 7 minutes drill (plus all the little jabs leading up to it) and then ran away, and now he’s acting tough on this track?? Come on 😂 Honestly, he should’ve just left this whole thing alone, or at least not come back with that phony condescending vibe. The flow and the beat were solid, though :)
Saiyan
Ya cuz he didn't want to make a diss track. I'm sure if he actually had beef and dropped one it wouldn't be weak
Fabio Lima
I feel like Kendrick is gonna diss that nigga before the Superbowl, just because he’s still talking that bravado talk 🤣🤣
Fabio Lima
can you guys react to the GMalone podcast (kendricks close friend), he was talking CRAZYYY on Cole. They gave some behind the scenes about the beef. Also when “Pi” was made, Absoul and Daylyt didn’t know cole was gonna take shots at Kendrick cuz he did his verse last. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on that, the podcast is on GMalone’s Twitter page
Lucas R
I think this was a good move to clear the air prior to the fall off. As a long time Cole fan I’ve been worried how this beef shit would tarnish an album that Cole fans have been looking forward to for so long. But I think this allows him to go into the fall off without having to mention it again
AZrambo44
We can't act like cole didn't drop a weak diss as well though. 7 min drill was not it
Kai Alpas
At this point we need Noname to diss him, see if he read some books since . Cole is double-speaking, hating on how things went by talking like he's above beef/battle rap while adopting it in his lyrical styling when that's just not his style--at least according to him . He gotta move on b/c he rapping too good to be mixing resentment/guilt in sending love . I wish better for him
Tre M
Cole is an elite rapper. Can’t deny that.
Josh Canale
Subbed on here to get this vid asap. Been a long time coming tho love yall reactions
Tre M
Prince made no sense towards the end of this…
Giovanny ramos
WE HERE
Zach
Haha I’m glad y’all mentioned how the only way you knew about Bono/U2 was from the time they forced it on everyone’s iTunes. I thought the exact same thing when I heard that line
WilliamT
LFG!!!!!
Maxx
Been waiting on this lfg
JTHOG
Let's mf gooooo
Sridatta Vamsi Gorugantula
We been waitinggggggg. Letsgooo