J. Cole Explains "Everybody Dies" Diss, Fans Accuse Him Of "Condoning" Bad Rappers

BYBen Mock3.3K Views
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2023 One Music Festival
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 28: J. Cole performs during The One Music Festival at Piedmont Park on October 28, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Cole said the song was about rap in general, not the modern generation. However, now fans think he's being too soft.

In a recent interview on Lil Yatchy's podcast, J. Cole explained what he really meant in his 2016 song "Everybody Dies". The song was widely taken as a diss against younger rappers who had "Lil" in their stage name. “That wasn’t [just] the new generation,” he said. “That was everybody. My generation, that generation, the older generation. There’s a, ‘Will you take a break please?’ [line in there.] Like, ‘N-gga, how long you been doing that sh-t for?’ At that time it was that, but I understand how it was perceived that way and how that added to the narrative," he explained.

Furthermore, Cole explained that he fully took back the diss after some self-reflection. “And my knee jerk reaction to that music [in 2016] was the same. I’m once again grateful because it’s the second time that happened in my life I had to have a conversation with myself like, ‘N-gga, you are hating! You not embracing. It’s the same thing you had to go through when you was a kid with snap music.’ [So I asked myself], ‘What is amazing about these dudes?’ and I switched my mindset," he continued.

Fans Accuse Cole Of Condoning "Trash" Rappers

However, Cole's explanation didn't sit well with a number of fans. In their eyes, Cole's comments "condoned" some of the less-talented rappers making it big in 2023. “I’m sorry, but we need to stop making excuses to condone the garage caliber of music that a lot of young artist get popular from. This is not a reflection of the generation or trending styles of embraced music, but simply because it has become easier to release music. These rappers care nothing about being musicians or artistic but rather getting attention. Stop condoning these gimmicks!!" one person noted on social media.

Another went after Cole for flip-flopping. “I like Jcole, but he’s forcing himself to like something he don’t. Just be real and stand on it." Meanwhile, another critic was even blunter with their comments. "Cole folded now he f-ck with the mumble rappers he used to diss smh.” But what do you think? Is Cole simply being more open to music that might not be his taste on first listen? Or is he being too open and giving flowers to the undeserving? Let us know in the comments.

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About The Author
Benjamin Mock (they/them) is a sports and culture writer working out of Philadelphia. Previously writing for the likes of Fixture, Dexerto, Fragster, and Jaxon, Ben has dedicated themselves to engaging and accessible articles about sports, esports, and internet culture. With a love for the weirder stories, you never quite know what to expect from their work.
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