J. Cole's answer is good, but not enough

What is rap beef?

Rap beef is when the best claim the throne. This has happened throughout the history of the species. The candle battle is set in stone, the ritual is one of the game's 10 Rap Commandments. Rap has been a game of thrones since the beginning. Meet MC Shan and KRS-One or Kool Moe Dee vs. LL Cool J. Continuing the tradition, last night J. Cole responded to Kendrick's sneak attack on “7 Minute Drill,” his surprise latest track mixtape It may be deleted later. However, it seemed that his heart was not fully in him as it had been then Nino had to put G-Money down, exactly as mentioned in the song. And instead of a headshot like most expected, Cole fired into the air. His answer was not enough.

Although Cole gets it and is very direct, he never crosses the lines that need to be crossed. To be fair, he says this is just a warning shot and this thing is just getting started. But when you first hear Cole spit, “Now I'm in front of the line with a comfortable lead/How ironic, I just got it, now he wants something with me,” as he records his thoughts on Lamar's catalog and claims to have him surpass in the power rankings, your ears perk up and you start rubbing your hands together, waiting for a proper answer. But then it continues until the beat changes to something a little more sinister courtesy of maestro Williams' steady Griselda, and your ears wake up again.

And still, Cole plays with his food and never really handles his business. Instead, he comes off unwilling to really engage, spitting, “My text was flooded with hunger for a toxic response/I'm hesitant, I love my brother, but I won't lie/I'm really turned on, this shit would look like a fly/ Four albums in twelve years, n—a, I can divorce.' Cole knew he had to send a shot, especially before the weekend of the annual Dreamville Fest. What's interesting is that “7 Minute Drill” would hit a little harder if, instead of just writing Jay's lyrics, he went full Jigga and premiered it live on stage rather than streaming services on New Music Fridays. He missed the chance to put Kenny on that Dreamville screen.

When Jay-Z was closing his sound volume era in the late 90s, he and Nas were the Defacto Kings of Rap with acts like Prodigy and Scarface not far behind. Jay knew the stakes and the history of this thing of ours. He understood what it took to be the best. So, at Hot 97's annual Summer Jam concert in 2001, he boldly reached for the crown and grabbed it. In his set he performed “Takeover” for the first time., months before appearing on his sixth album, Plan, and called Nas by name. That moment was so seismic and important to hip-hop history that people forgot he took out Michael Jackson during the same show! The stakes were so high. Now, over 20 years later, another band of kings must usher in a new era.

The Big 3 civil war has officially begun. Last month, Future and Metro Boomin dropped their collaborative album to the top of the charts We Don't Trust You. It is essentially its counterpart Bad Girls burn book directed at Drake. On the album's sixth track, “Like That,” there was a hidden bombshell that reverberated through every corner of hip-hop. It was very nice of Future and Metro, and it was only fitting that they and Lamar chose this song to launch their attack, with Sample Rodney-O & Joe Cooley reminding that at the end of the day, this is hip-hop.

Those who say Kendrick's verse is average (for the record, they're delusional, but for the sake of argument let's go with it) are missing the point. The verse “Like That” has the potential to be the defining moment of the Big 3 Era. It's closer to Jay on that Summer Jam stage performing “Takeover” than Lamar's first attempt at the throne with 2013's “Control.” We Don't Trust You and Kenny's vitriol have sparked the beginning of a power struggle at Rap Mountain, and the game will be better for it in the long run.

“Like That” is a number one song in the country. It is played in sports arenas and on “NBA on TNT” halftime shows. This is a page out of Drake's book. Meek Mill diss of “Return to Back” was made to be played in clubs and on the radio. you couldn't escape it. The song peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and put a dent in Meek's resume forever. Now, Drake and Cole are in the position Nas was when Jay said his name on that Summer Jam stage. Cole's first rebuttal fell flat, but he still has a chance to throw a “Ether.” Drake, however, should watch out for the response J. Cole is getting. He knows now that the warm-ups aren't going to do it, nor will they appease the fans who are hungry to watch the game's three biggest stars go bar-to-bar. Drake needs a “No Vaseline” or, you know, another “Back to Back.”

But one thing's for sure: The Great Rap Battle of 2024 is here, folks.