Ab-Soul Hits Billboard Hot 100 With J. Cole Assist, A Career Milestone

Ab-Soul has a reason to celebrate! The Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) rapper has recently scored his first Billboard Hot 100 entry. The win is a courtesy of a collaboration with none other than J. Cole. Cole’s track “Pi,” featuring Ab-Soul and rising talent Daylyt, has not only made its mark on the Hot 100 but has also ascended to No. 29 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It appears on Cole’s mixtape Might Delete Later. For Ab-Soul, this achievement marks a significant breakthrough in his career. Moreover, it signals a new chapter of recognition and acclaim.

Despite his longstanding presence in the rap game, Ab-Soul’s journey to chart success has been one of gradual ascent rather than meteoric rise. Known for his lyricism, Ab-Soul has carved out a niche. Moreover, he has a dedicated fan base that’s drawn to his thought-provoking narratives. Throughout his career, Ab-Soul has collaborated with a roster of hip-hop legends. He has earned respect within the industry for his artistic integrity and lyrical ability. From studio sessions with Nas and Hit-Boy to teaching courses on songwriting technique at Mickey Factz’s Pendulum Ink Academy, Ab-Soul has continually sought to push the boundaries of his artistry while staying true to his roots.

Read More: J. Cole’s “No Role Modelz” Hits Massive Spotify Accomplishment

Ab-Soul Earns First Charting Record

LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 27: Recording artist Ab-Soul performs onstage during the Ice Cube, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock concert during 2015 BET Experience at Staples Center on June 27, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/FilmMagic)

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that the track “Pi” received some backlash. J. Cole delivers verses that have stirred controversy due to his potentially insensitive content. In one segment, Cole’s lyrics raise questions, as they could be interpreted as containing casual transphobic undertones. He raps, “Is you a demon or is that demeanor for the ‘Gram? Tell us/They plead the fifth, I’m seeing hints of a trans fella/In cancel culture’s vicinity, he’s no killer, trust me/Beneath his chosen identity, there is still a pussy, period.” However, only time will tell if he plans on clearing it up or not.

Looking ahead, the future appears promising for Ab-Soul. Top Dawg Entertainment’s announcement of a deluxe version of his current album, HERBERT, suggests that fans can expect more from the TDE star in the coming months. Moreover, with LeBron James reportedly stepping in to A&R his next project, the artist’s trajectory seems destined for even greater heights. Stay tuned to HNHH for more music news.

Read More: J Cole Called Out For Transphobic Bars On “Might Delete Later” Track “Pi”

Daylyt Say J. Cole Did The Right Thing As Drake And Ross Get Pettier And Pettier

You know it is some SH#T when Daylyt says the battle has gotten too petty. Remember, this is a dude that tried to take a dump in the middle of a rap battle. But, he is not far off. Truth is, we have arrived. to a a place where Rick Ross has turned into the petty king. And Drake is not far behind. After dropping solid disses over the weekend, the fellas opted to use Beyonce’s intenet for petty purposes. But look what Daylyt said about J. Cole’s decision to leave the fray:

The other thing people are riffing about is the AI issue. Idiots are creating fake disses and people cannot tell the difference. We posed the question on our social media. Thoughts?

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I do like we are seeing a lot of bars come out of this! Check that out.

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On another note, The Game has seemingly picked a side.

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He posted this back in August. I guess they are legit friends. I can’t be mad at that.

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Is It Really Kendrick Lamar Taking Cheap Shots At J. Cole In Alleged Leaked Diss?

As the current rap beef heats up, following disses from Rick Ross, The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky and Drake, a rumored leaked diss track from Kendrick Lamar has fans questioning if the shots sent are real or generated by A.I.

In case you need a re-cap, Future and Metro Boomin’s We Still Don’t Trust You album re-ignited the feud with Drake due to a litany of subliminals. Following J. Cole’s retraction of his K. Dot diss, “7 Minute Drill,” Rick Ross appeared to take issue with Drake’s alleged leaked diss track, which addressed the entire situation, including the MMG and OVO rapper’s fallout, and delivered a diss track dismantling Drake’s appearance— his nose, specifically.

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Now, in a somewhat surprising turn of events, a rumored Kendrick Lamar diss has hit the internet, and within hours, has sent social media into shambles. But whether the bars truly originated from K. Dot’s pen has been a point of emphasis, despite the nature of inflammatory lyrics themselves. No matter if the diss record was A.I.-generated or not, some of the one liners are worth a second examination to prove authenticity and or just to gawk at the pettiness.

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One of the most unsavory bars arrives within the first 16 of the verse as Kendrick Lamar (or A.I.) for that matter, raps, “I dominated your favorite rapper you idolize/My silence is enough to make n###as apologize.

“Retracted statements Cole saying he regretting his lyrics/MC’s die when you revived the competitive spirit/How to kill a rapper, let em do it to theyself, self inflicted career wounds they fear helped.”

The lyrics continue: “One rap n###a dead laid on the floor, and I didn’t have throw any bullets for him to go/Now that we got that out the way it’s one more to go/Stop wasting time, let’s get this show on the road/N###as was ignoring repeat disses, and when they did respond they entertained it as weak disses/And now that it’s direct it’s leaked disses from burner pages and all. Insecure behavior from n###as y’all call gods.”

In a case like this, where does one draw the line? Though it’s almost certainly AI-generated, does this diss move the needle in any one direction or the other, in favor of an artist claiming the top spot within the Big Three. Or is the track purely irrelevant as is? Does the release of this record mount even more pressure on Kendrick Lamar to drop a response? Does the fact Drake’s diss was leaked and not actually released put The 6 God at a disadvantage?

Honestly, I have no f###ing clue. So y’all gonna have to find out on the next episode of Hip-Hop Ball Z! Rest in peace Akira Toriyama.

Stream the full leaked diss track below.

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J. Cole’s Kendrick Lamar Diss Debuts In Top 10 Despite Streaming Removal

J. Cole’s “7 Minute Drill” cracked the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart even though fans can no longer listen to it on Spotify and TIDAL. The Kendrick Lamar diss track debuted at No. 6 after Cole removed the song from the streaming services.

Cole’s diss received 23.4 million streams in its first week. It marked the 13th Top 10 song of his career.

“7 Minute Drill” was released in response to Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” which remained at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for a third week. “Like That” featured Kendrick Lamar, who dissed Cole and Drake on the song. Kendrick referenced lyrics from Drake’s“First Person Shooter” in which Cole referred to the trio as the “big three” in Hip-Hop.

“F### sneak dissing, first-person shooter, I hope they came with three switches/I crash out like, ‘F### rap,’ diss Melle Mel if I had to/Got 2TEEZ with me, I’m snatching chains and burning tattoos, it’s up/Lost too many soldiers not to play it safe/If he walk around with that stick, it ain’t André 3K/Think I won’t drop the location? I still got PTSD/M######### the big three, n####, it’s just big me,” Kendrick rapped.

Cole returned fire with “7 Minute Drill,” the closing track of his surprise release Might Delete Later.

“I came up in the Ville, so I’m good when it’s tension/He still doing shows, but fell off like The Simpsons/Your first s### was classic, your last s### was tragic/Your second s### put n##### to sleep, but they gassed it/Your third s### was massive and that was your prime/I was trailing right behind and I just now hit mine/Now I’m front of the line with a comfortable lead/How ironic, soon as I got it, now he want something with me/Well, he caught me at the perfect time, jump up and see,” he rapped.

But Cole regretted dropping the song. He apologized and announced he was taking the song off streaming services at the 2024 Dreamville Festival.

“That’s the lamest s### I ever did in my f###### life,” Cole told the audience.

Cole doubled down on the apology by appearing on Future and Metro Boomin’s We Still Don’t Trust You album. The move left Drake alone in a rap battle that dragged Rick Ross, A$AP Rocky and The Weeknd into the mix.

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J. Cole Removes Kendrick Lamar Diss Track From DSPs As Rap Beef Explodes

J. Cole is living up to the title of his latest album, Might Delete Later, and formally removing his Kendrick Lamar diss track, “7 Minute Drill,” from streaming platforms. The Dreamville Records founder clearly regrets releasing the song in the middle of the escalating rap war among titans of the genre, including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Future, Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and Rick Ross.

Brewing tensions between Drake, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar exploded with the release of “Like That” take from Future and Metro Boomin’s album We Don’t Trust You, where Lamar ripped into Drake and J. Cole.

J. Cole replied first then publicly disavowed “7 Minute Drill” during his performance at the Dreamville Festival, where he candidly confessed the track was “the lamest, goofiest s###.” Cole further explained his intentions weren’t rooted in genuine animosity toward Lamar. Instead, he felt pressured by external expectations, admitting, “the world wanted to see blood.”

J. Cole’s straightforward apology to Lamar, insisting he would accept any retaliatory action “on the chin,” suggests a desire to mend fences and foster a spirit of camaraderie rather than conflict. The decision to pull “7 Minute Drill” from streaming may have shown J. Cole’s effort to prioritize peace over discord, however, the gesture of goodwill emerged amidst one of the most pronounced feuds in rap history.

Just as J. Cole is removing his diss record, Drake launched his reply to Kendrick Lamar with “Drop and Give Me 50,” targeting not only Lamar but also a host of other prominent figures in the Hip-Hop scene, sparking an array of responses. Rick Ross, notably aligned with Lamar, Metro Boomin and Future, swiftly countered with “Champagne Moments.”

As of now, “7 Minute Drill” is no longer available on Spotify as evidenced by the link. See above.






Benzino Reacts To J. Cole’s Kendrick Lamar Apology, Challenges Eminem To A Rap Battle

After Kendrick Lamar dissed Drake and J. Cole on “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin, fans were eager to hear how each MC would fire back. Their wishes were partially granted earlier this month when Cole surprise-released his album Might Delete Later, complete with a Kendrick diss track, “7 Minute Drill.” Not long after the release, however, J. Cole had a change of heart. During his performance at Dreamville, he apologized for the song, and even later removed it from streaming services for good.

The unexpected move was pretty controversial among fans, but according to Benzino, it didn’t come as a surprise to him. During a recent chat with TMZ Hip Hop, The Source icon weighed in on the debacle and came to J. Cole’s defense. Moreover, he praised the MC for staying relatively unproblematic, and for setting a good example of conflict resolution.

Read More: Benzino Claims Joe Budden Backed Out Of A Boxing Match After He “Ran His Mouth”

Benzino Praises J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, And Drake

“J. Cole, Kendrick, Drake, they’re not battle rappers. Not saying that they can’t, but they didn’t come into the game as that. They came into the game making amazing songs,” he explained. While Benzino might respect J. Cole for his approach to the beef, he notes that the same doesn’t apply to him amid his years-long feud with Eminem.

Elsewhere in the interview, he challenged Slim Shady to a face-to-face rap battle, as he believes he’s in his prime. “I believe I could face-to-face battle with him and I’m willing to do so,” he announced. “I’m willing to challenge him right here on TMZ. A face-to-face battle, three rounds, and I believe I could take him.

Benzino Pushes For Face-To-Face Battle With Eminem

What do you think of Benzino saluting J. Cole for apologizing for his Kendrick Lamar diss, “7 Minute Drill”? What about him challenging Eminem to a rap battle? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: Cassidy Speaks On Claims That He Ghostwrote Benzino’s Eminem Diss

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Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” Projected To Block J. Cole’s “Might Delete Later” From Debuting At No. 1

J. Cole’s controversial Might Delete Later seemed to be on pace to open at No. 1 on next week’s Billboard 200 chart. However, the latest projections have the Fayetteville native losing the top spot to Beyoncé.

According to HitsDailyDouble, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album will remain at No. 1 with 131,000 units in its second week of release. Might Delete Later is set to debut in second place. J. Cole’s mixtape looks to rack up around 118,000 units.

HDD previously reported Might Delete Later‘s first-week projections at 140,000 to 160,000 equivalent album units. Cole currently has six Billboard 200 chart-toppers. The final official sales numbers for those weekly rankings come out on Sunday.

Might Delete Later generated a lot of buzz in the Hip-Hop world because of the closing track. J. Cole used “7 Minute Drill” as a response record to Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” single.

Surprisingly, J. Cole apologized for releasing “7 Minute Drill” during his set at the 2024 Dreamville Festival in the rapper’s home state of North Carolina. He also removed the song from the Might Delete Later tracklist on streaming services.

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter became the music icon’s eighth Number One when the studio LP launched at the pinnacle of the Billboard 200 chart. Cowboy Carter set the 2024 record for best first-week opening with 407,000 album-equivalent units.







J. Cole’s Kendrick Lamar Diss Removed From Streaming Services

J. Cole has kept his word and removed his Kendrick Lamar diss song “7 Minute Drill” from streaming services.

“7 Minute Drill” Taken Down

On Friday, (April 12), people started noticing an update on streaming services for J. Cole’s new EP Might Delete Later. The project’s final track, “7 Minute Drill,” is no longer available to play. This is the case for Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube.

Read More: Hip-Hop Fans Debate J. Cole’s Place in The Big 3 After Diss Retraction

J. Cole Denounces Diss Track

A few days after setting the rap world on fire when he responded to being dissed by Kendrick Lamar on the song “Like That” by returning fire on “7 Minute Drill,” J. Cole denounced the track at Dreamvile Festival 2024 on Sunday (April 7).

“I’m so proud of that project except for one part,” he told the crowd. “There’s one part of that s**t that make me feel like, ‘Man, that’s the lamest s**t I ever did in my f***ing life,’ right? And I know this is not what a lot of people wanna hear. I can hear my n***as up there being like, ‘Nah, don’t do that.’ But I gotta keep it a hunnid with y’all.”

He continued: “But at the end of the day, when I listen to it…and I see the talk, that s**t don’t sit right with my spirit. That s**t disrupts my f***ing peace…in the midst of me doing that…and trying to find a little angle and downplay this n***a’s f***ing catalog and his greatness. I wanna say right now tonight, how many people think Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest muthaf**kas that ever touched a f***ing microphone? Dreamville, y’all love Kendrick Lamar, correct? As do I.”

He later said he would remove the song from streaming services. The move has drawn backlash from fans and people in the hip-hop community.

Read More: Is the J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar Beef a Ruse?

Check out evidence of J. Cole’s “7 Minute Drill” being removed from streaming services below.

See J. Cole’s “7 Minute Drill” Removed From Streaming Services

See 10 of the Shortest Beefs in Hip-Hop

Beefs within rap that ended quickly.

Symba Eviscerates J. Cole On “Control Freestyle”

J. Cole is now in everyone’s line of sight, as Symba has sent a brutal diss his way earlier today. For those who are unaware Symba is an extremely talented songwriter and performer from the Bay Area. If there was someone who was going to attack J. Cole, he has the pen game to tangle with the best. With the Dreamville label head apologizing to Kendrick Lamar after “dissing” him on “7 Minute Drill,” a lot of people were turned off by it. Symba can confidently say he is a part of that camp after ripping into Cole on his new diss track “Control Freestyle.”

He decided to release it on YouTube only, which makes sense for a song like this. But with its limited exposure, it is still making waves on the internet. Fans are loving how someone was not afraid to share how frustrated they were with how Cole handled this entire situation. For example, one fan commented under the video, “I SUPPORT THIS MESSAGE: The streets are hungry. This is DAMN sure NEEDED after the apology. Thank you, Symba.”

Read More: J Cole Surprises Future & Metro Boomin On New Album, Addresses Rap Beef After Kendrick Lamar Diss

Listen To The Diss For J. Cole By Symba

XXL was able to breakdown the lyrics and they really convey feelings of utter disappointment from Symba. “I looked the devil dead in his eyes like I ain’t scared to die / For damn sure ain’t scared to go to war with a friend of mine / Pushing through sunset lighting up with the top down / Barbershop convos ’bout who sit at the top now / The Big 3 f***ed up, Cole gave up his spot now / Can’t say you top five if you scared to be hostile.” Symba then goes for the jugular, “I remember feeling your pain when you let Nas down / But you done let Bas down and Cozz down / You done let the squad down / Can’t say you the goat if you ain’t poppin ’em / We ain’t tryna hear all them apologies / Dot told you n****s that he usually homeboys with who he rhymin’ with / But this is hip-hop and you n****s should know what time it is.”

What are your thoughts on this diss from Symba toward J. Cole on his “Control Freestyle?” Was this a warranted attack, why or why not? Do you see Cole doing anything about this, considering how he handled Kendrick Lamar? Is this the coldest diss track of the year so far, why or why not? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding J. Cole and Symba. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.

Read More: Kanye West Shows Off Slim Figure As Bianca Censori Sports Dress With Plunging Neckline

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Symba Goes at J. Cole in New Freestyle

Symba is taking aim at J. Cole on a new freestyle and says Cole doesn’t deserve to be part of the Big 3 anymore.

Symba Disses J. Cole on Birthday Freestyle

On Thursday (April 11), Symba posted a new freestyle on Instagram in celebration of his 33rd birthday. Over Big Sean’s “Control” beat, Symba laments over the state of hip-hop before placing the blame partially on J. Cole, who publicly apologized to Kendrick Lamar for his “7 Minute Drill” diss track.

“I looked the devil dead in his eyes like I ain’t scared to die,” Symba raps. “For d**n sure ain’t scared to go to war with a friend of mine/Pushing through sunset lighting up with the top down/Barbershop convos ’bout who sit at the top now/The Big 3 f***ed up, Cole gave up his spot now/Can’t say you top five if you scared to be hostile.”

Symba continued, “I remember feeling your pain when you let Nas down/But you done let Bas down and Cozz down/You done let the squad down/Can’t say you the goat if you ain’t poppin ’em/We ain’t tryna hear all them apologies/Dot told you n-ggas that he usually homeboys with who he rhymin’ with/But this is Hip-Hop and you n-ggas should know what time it is.”

He added in the caption, “It’s my birthday and Yaw know what time it is .. THIS IS HIP HOP!!!”

Read More: J. Cole Forgets His Lyrics Mid-Performance

J. Cole Apologizes for Kendrick Lamar Diss

Symba is far from the first person to take issue with J. Cole’s apology, which went down during his performance at the 2024 Dreamville Festival last Sunday (April 7). Cole said that while he adores his newest EP Might Delete Later, “7 Minute Drill” was the outlier that didn’t sit right with him.

“I’m so proud of that project except for one part,” Cole said. “There’s one part of that s**t that make me feel like, ‘Man, that’s the lamest s**t I ever did in my f***ing life.”

Cole went on to call “7 Minute Drill” a “relapse” from his “peace,” and admitted he has nothing but love for Kendrick Lamar.

Read More: Is the J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar Beef a Ruse?

Watch Symba go at J. Cole in a new freestyle below.

Watch Symba Go at J. Cole in New Freestyle

See the Most NSFW Cover Art on Hip-Hop Albums