Kanye West, now known as Ye, has ignited a firestorm in the hip-hop community with his recent harsh statements targeting fellow rap icons J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar. On May 1, 2025, Ye declared his disdain for J. Cole’s music, calling it “nonsense” that “can’t even be called music,” while also dismissing Kendrick Lamar’s fans as people who “don’t know about rap.”
These provocative comments mark the latest escalation in Ye’s antagonistic stance toward two of the genre’s most acclaimed artists, fueling debates about personal rivalries, artistic merit, and the shifting dynamics of rap feuds.
On May 1, 2025, Ye unleashed a barrage of criticism in a video, stating,
“I hate JCole, it can’t even be called music,”
and going as far as to say J. Cole is
“not even a human like an actual person.”
These remarks build on earlier jabs from April 2025, when Ye posted on social media,
“I hates J Cole music so much,” and quipped, “no one listens to Cole after losing their virginity.”
In the same breath, Ye turned his ire toward Kendrick Lamar, asserting,
“anybody that has Kendrick as one of their favorite rappers don’t know about rap.”
This follows his March 2025 critique of Kendrick’s features on Playboi Carti’s album, where he wrote in all caps,
“I DONT LIKE KENDRICK LAMARS MUSIC. HE RAPS VERY GOOD BUT I DIDNT NEED TO HEAR HIM ON CARTI ALBUM.”
The timing of these statements, coinciding with Kendrick’s Super Bowl performance in February 2025 and J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival in April, underscores their potency amidst the artists’ peak success.
Ye’s animosity toward J. Cole dates back to 2016, when Cole released “False Prophets,” a song widely seen as a critique of Kanye, though Cole never named him explicitly. Fans on Reddit speculate that the track struck a nerve, with one user noting it hit Ye “deep in a sore spot” because “Cole didn’t bow down to him with respect at all times.”
This rift persisted, as evidenced by Ye’s April 2025 revelation that during a reconciliation meeting with Drake in the “Donda” era,
“most of the convo was me telling him he was hurting hip hop by giving J Cole a platform.”
Ironically, J. Cole’s early work, like the mixtape Friday Night Lights, owes a stylistic debt to Ye’s Graduation. Fans observe that Cole “carried the torch” for a sound Ye pioneered. This musical lineage makes Ye’s current dismissal of Cole’s artistry particularly striking.
Despite Ye’s vitriol, J. Cole has taken the high road. At the Dreamville Festival in April 2025, Cole publicly thanked Ye for clearing samples for his hit “Work Out.” Addressing the crowd, he said,
“I know n—s feel a way about him right now, but I got love for [Ye] and I really appreciate him.”
Cole credited Ye’s “The New Workout Plan” as an influence, showcasing professional respect in stark contrast to Ye’s attacks. This restraint has won Cole admiration from fans who praise his maturity.
Ye’s feud with Kendrick Lamar is newer but no less pointed. In February 2025, ahead of Kendrick’s Super Bowl halftime show, Ye suggested Lamar was “propped up” by an industry favoring select Black entertainers, aligning himself with Drake in the ongoing Drake-Kendrick rivalry.
By March, Ye zeroed in on Kendrick’s music, criticizing his Carti album features despite acknowledging,
“he raps very good.”
Ye’s claim that Kendrick fans lack rap knowledge implies a belief that Lamar’s acclaim is overblown, blending personal taste with a critique of industry politics.
Ye’s clashes with J. Cole and Kendrick fit a broader trend of friction with hip-hop’s elite. A Reddit user remarked, “the man hates Kendrick, Drake, and Cole. As in the Big 3,” though Ye’s recent “team Drake” stance contrasts with past tensions with Drake himself.
Observers suggest Ye’s criticisms reflect a narcissistic expectation of deference, with one commenter labeling him “very clearly a narcissist” who resents artists unwilling to “suck up to him.” Both Cole and Kendrick’s independent success—without seeking Ye’s approval—may fuel his hostility.