Rappers J. Cole and Lil Pump have apparently put their dispute to rest, as they linked up recently for a conversation that covered a lot of ground and seemed to end with them finding more common ground than just their profession. Cole posted the video of the discussion to his Youtube, proving that intergenerational dissent doesn’t always have to be rap’s standard operating procedure.
When J. Cole released his latest album, KOD, its final track caused a flurry of speculation and discussion online. “1985 (Intro To The Fall-Off)” addresses a younger rapper, calling out what Cole feels are self-destructive behaviors, spurring fans to investigate which rapper it could potentially be. When it was revealed that the likely target was 17-year-old Floridian rapper Lil Pump, some wondered whether a beef between the two was likely — or even productive.
However, rather than a lyrical back-and-forth, it seems “uncle” J. Cole had different plans in mind. While many expected that there was greater friction between the two rappers as part of hip-hop’s proclivity toward generational conflict, Cole and Pump both proved dismissive of the concept. Cole shut down a “f*ck Lil Pump” chant at a recent show, while Lil Pump was seen turning up at another Cole performance.
Whether this will lead to a stronger relationship between the two rappers or set a precedent for more hip-hop mentorship remains to be seen, but it’s interesting to see an older rapper actually having a conversation with one of his potential successors rather than simply berating him for not following arbitrary rap rules.
