J Cole name-drops Michael Jordan, references LeBron James in Drake-Kendrick Lamar beef retrospective 'Port Antonio'
J. Cole has broken his silence on the Drake-Kendrick Lamar beef and used Michael Jordan and LeBron James, widely regarded as the best basketball players of all time, to do so. After initially releasing a diss track responding to Kendrick Lamar's attacks and then deleting it, Cole came back with a new song addressing the beef between the Toronto and Compton rappers.
On the track "Port Antonio," released on Thursday, the North Carolina-raised rapper references one of his hits with Metro Boomin and Future, "Red Leather," while name-dropping Jordan and James and reflecting on the battles that took place between March and May.
"I was Mike in red leather, tryna tell him to stop
You better beat it 'fore you see the heavy-metal get popped
He was a mean-a** wing with a hell of a shot
But if no team draft King, he gon' bet on the block
He wanna ball 'til he fall or 'til the federals knock
And sit his a** on a bench for movin' careless with rock," a screenshot shared on X/Twitter reads.
Even though Cole showed respect for Drake and the impact he's had on his career, the Canadian artist was on the receiving end of criticism from his friend. J. Cole accused Drizzy and Kendrick Lamar of going after money and clicks and while imagining that he would've lost a friend if he engaged in their back-and-forth.
The animosity and tracks between Drake and Lamar became personal quickly, with the Canadian accusing his rival of domestic violence while Lamar clapped back and claimed he had sex with underage women. Cole released a track aimed at Lamar but then deleted it and labeled it as the "lamest, goofiest" thing he recorded.
J. Cole name-dropped Michael Jordan in September song
Before he mentioned Michael Jordan in "Port Antonio," Cole did the same in his prior track with ASAP Rocky, "Ruby Rosary." Around the 3:38 mark, he dropped a line referring to MJ and his world-famous brand.
"When they ask for the old you, ignore 'em.
"Goin' backwards is borin', b***h, and I'm not Michael Jordan, I don't do the retro," Cole rapped.
Michael Jordan transcended the game of basketball and became a pop culture icon, so much so that his name is still huge to this day, over 20 years after he retired from the NBA.
Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar and Drake haven't responded to J. Cole's track, but something could happen in the next few days if they're still engaged in the beef.