Journeying on the coattails of hip-hop's renaissance, the classic narrative of rap battles has resurfaced, with Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole taking center stage. Although at first, it was Lamar who directed his lyrical fire towards industry titans such as Drake and J. Cole, the latter swiftly fired back with his counter-diss track, '7 Minute Drill', staying true to the tradition of such confrontations. However, eager fans tracking the unfolding saga were surprised to find Cole's track mysteriously absent from streaming platforms, leading many to declare Lamar the victor in this ongoing rap feud.

Friday brought a surge of anticipation in the midst of the much-discussed rap battle of 2024, as fans keenly observed an update regarding J. Cole’s fourth mixtape, ‘Might Delete Later’. Across all major streaming platforms- Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube- the final track, '7 Minute Drill', allegedly Cole's retort to Lamar's 'Like That', vanished from availability. While the removal was partially foreseen, its confirmation led fans to prepare the victory crown for Kendrick Lamar, the apparent survivor of the lyrical clash.

Previously, during the Dreamville Festival on April 7, J. Cole announced that he would be pulling '7 Minute Drill', the purported diss track, from streaming services. While at the festival, the rapper expressed his discontent with the track, he further highlighted it by labeling what he felt was the weakest part of an otherwise proud project. Although the decision did not arise out of thin air, its implementation still caught fans somewhat off guard.

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For some, it brought disappointment, but for fans on the other side of the spectrum, it sparked celebration.

As hip-hop experiences a resurgence, it brings with it the enduring customs of the genre, including rap battles. Therefore, while the removal of J. Cole’s ‘7 Minute Drill’ may disappoint his fanbase, for those aligned with Kendrick Lamar, it marks a day of triumph. Regardless of the rationale behind the deletion, fans forever focus on the outcome. And since Lamar’s diss track remains on everyone's playlist while Cole's does not, fans have bestowed upon the latter a new title: "the softest rapper ever".

For many fans, the online thread served as both a diss and a celebration, while others seized the opportunity to inject their own witty remarks. Considering the mixtape's title, 'Might Delete Later', fans could not resist noting the irony that J. Cole's diss track, '7 Minute Drill', actually got deleted later.

Even though fans may interpret the reasons for the removal differently, ultimately, it is the decisions that determine winners, not the reasons. In the realm of hip-hop battles, stepping back is often seen as conceding defeat. While this does not necessarily brand J. Cole as a failure in any aspect, given his reservations about the track and his satisfaction in removing it suggests that he may have something even better in store for the future.

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What do you think about fans crowning Kendrick Lamar as the winner of the rap battle after J. Cole's removal of '7 Minute Drill' from streaming? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.