J. Cole's K.O.D. is upon us, and the iconic talent has once again solidified his spot as one of hip-hop's most dominant forces. In fact, Cole has more or less hijacked this entire week, from the original announcement to the impending drop tomorrow. While we wait with bated breath, TDE's Punch has gone and poured gasoline on the already burgeoning fire. On the eve of J. Cole's album drop, Punch posted an oddly specific picture: a fruit, which may or may not be of the forbidden variety. Now, recall that Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole have a song called "Forbidden Fruit." In short, Punch is either a genius or a madman.
Remember, these posts are almost always deliberate, especially in an age of interpretation. Punch clearly knew he'd be opening the door for speculation, and naturally, the IG comments arrived in abundance. We already know that the Cole and Kendrick project has never quite been abandoned, leaving those of an optimistic persuasion hopeful. While perhaps it remains a fool's hope, it's certainly better than the alternative. Either way, the specific nature of Punch's post is clearly an invitation for speculation; "Forbidden Fruit" was one of Cole and Kendrick's definitive moments as a duo.
Either way, it somewhat feels like an elaborate bout of trolling. Still, it does go to show that there is still demand for the project; after all, K Dot and Cole are two of the biggest artists in the world. Damn it, Punch. Why'd you have to go and do that?