Joey Seemingly Fires Shots at Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and More
Joey Bada$$ is making waves in the rap world with his recent diss tracks, and it seems like no one is safe. After dropping “The Ruler’s Back,” in which he subtly called out Kendrick Lamar and other West Coast rappers, the New York artist isn’t holding back. He followed up with a second diss track, “Sorry Not Sorry,” on January 20, turning his attention to J. Cole.
While Joey didn’t mention J. Cole by name, his lyrics made it crystal clear who he was addressing. “I’m bigging up my city, that’s something I had to do,” he spits. “Might delete later, I know damn sure that Joey won’t, f*ck it, I want all the smoke.” The line references Cole’s infamous decision to remove his Kendrick Lamar diss, “7 Minute Drill,” from streaming, which many saw as a sign of backing down.
Joey’s shots at Cole depart from the mutual respect they once shared. In the past, Joey Bada$$ cited J. Cole as one of his favorite rappers, and the two even collaborated in 2016. However, Joey appears determined to stake his claim as one of the top contenders in the rap game, and he’s not afraid to take shots at anyone in his way.