J.Cole addressed his rumored 2013 altercation with Diddy at a MTV Video Music Awards after-party in New York City.
Cole recalls the incident on the track “Let Go My Hand” from his newly released album The Off-Season. The song was produced by DJ Dahi, Frank Dukes, Wu10, and Cole.
“I kept a tough demeanor on the surface but was mostly just pretendin’/And luckily my bluff was workin’ way more often than not,” Cole raps on the song. “But sometimes a nigga pulled my card, tryna expose me for a fraud/And with my reputation at stake, I was scufflin’ just to save face/Couple wins, couple losses/Some broken up too quick to call it/My last scrap was with Puff Daddy, who would’ve thought it?/I bought that nigga album in seventh grade and played it so much/You would’ve thought my favorite rapper was Puff/Back then I ain’t know shit, now I know too much.”
At the time, it was reported that Cole intervened after an intoxicated Diddy attempted to spill a drink on Kendrick Lamar because he was mad over the Compton rapper’s verse on “Control.” Allegedly, it was Kendrick’s “King of New York” line that Diddy took particular issue with. An argument reportedly ensued with a scuffle occurring between Diddy, Cole, and both of their crews.
As sources told Complex back in 2013, the fight transpired as such:
1. Diddy was visibly intoxicated.
2. He tried to confront Kendrick over the “King of New York” claim in his “Control” freestyle.
3. Diddy allegedly attempted to pour a drink on Kendrick, and J. Cole intervened.
4. The two started arguing and Cole allegedly put his hands on Diddy, which then led to problems between their respective crews.
5. After a brief scuffle, both crews separated.
Cole’s manager Ibrahim Hamad took to Twitter after the incident went down to say that the North Carolina rapper was not kicked out of the party.
After the track dropped, TDE’s Punch commented on Cole’s reference to the fight on Twitter.
“Ahhh the infamous and ever elusive Cole and Puff fade. What a night. Lol,” he wrote.
