50 Cent says J. Cole paid the most for sitting out Lamar-Drake battle

J. Cole paid the highest price for staying out of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, 50 Cent said on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

He made the comment on The Crew Has It, the podcast hosted by comedian Andrew Schulz, during a discussion about the 2024 feud between Lamar and Drake Billboard. The appearance was recorded a day before the current date of Oct. 14, 2026.

Competing is part of hip-hop culture, 50 Cent said. In his view, stepping back from that competition carried a cost.

Cole had briefly entered the battle in April 2024 with “7 Minute Drill,” a track aimed at Lamar from the mixtape Might Delete Later. The song entered the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, the United States singles chart.

Weeks later, Cole apologised to Lamar onstage at Dreamville Fest and pulled the song from streaming services. That decision ended his involvement before the Lamar-Drake exchange escalated.

50 Cent said Cole’s exit left him carrying the fallout. He did not detail what that cost was, beyond saying Cole “paid the most” for opting out.

He also addressed the question of who won between Lamar and Drake. He agreed Drake lost in terms of the feud itself. Then he asked what Drake had actually lost in life.

He said he had put that question to Drake directly. Drake’s answer, according to 50 Cent, was “Nothing.”

The remarks continue a position 50 Cent has stated before. In December 2024 interviews, he said Cole should have stayed in the contest rather than step down.