MUSIC
What is a ‘7 Minute Drill’? Did J. Cole use his track to diss Kendrick?
The chatter was rife on Friday morning as the two artists, Jermaine Lamarr Cole and Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, appeared to cross lyrical swords.
OK, so I’m guessing you’ve heard about the beef between J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar in the former’s new track ‘7 Minute Drill’. Now you’re asking yourself what the heck one of those is. Let me break it down for you.
A real 7 Minute Drill explained
In a military context, particularly in the United States armed forces, a “seven-minute drill” often refers to a specific component of the battle rhythm, a structured schedule of activities and events designed to ensure effective coordination and execution of tasks within a military unit.
The seven-minute drill typically involves a rapid response to an incoming enemy attack or threat. During this drill, soldiers are expected to don their protective gear, assemble at designated rally points, and prepare to respond to the threat within seven minutes of receiving the alert. The purpose of the seven-minute timeframe is to ensure a swift and coordinated response that maximizes the unit’s readiness and ability to counter the threat effectively.
The seven-minute drill is a critical component of military training and operational readiness, as it helps ensure that units can react promptly and decisively to potential threats, thereby enhancing their overall effectiveness and survivability in combat situations. If you really want to get into the detail (I’m assuming you don’t!) here is a long read on the topic.
J. Cole’s reason for 7 Minute Drill title
The military reason is not the reason though for the artist’s use of the title, as his manager, Ibrahim Hamad explained on the Say Less podcast. Here’s what he said.
“He [Cole] does these seven-minute drills that he got Cozz be doing. He’ll just be like, ‘You got seven minutes.’ It’s basically his way of breaking out of overthinking.
“Like don’t even think about it. Start a verse, what we gonna talk about? He’ll be like, ‘Cozz, write a verse about pizza.’ They got seven minutes and they put the timer on.”
J. Cole targets Kendrick in 7 Minute Drill
Instead of that read, however, why not just chill and listen to the track itself, listening out for certain lyrics like:
“He still doin’ shows, but fell off like the Simpsons,
Your first s–t was classic, your last shit was tragic;
Your second shit put n—-s to sleep, but they gassed it;
Your third shit was massive and that was your prime;
I was trailing right behind and I just now hit mine."
...and there were more.
What songs do Kendrick and J. Cole have together?
Yes, the two rappers have collaborated four times together. And for fans it’s an exciting time when the big boys of the genre unite. J. Cole and Kendrick converged their lyrical prowess, intertwining the likes of DJ Khaled, Jadakiss, and Big K.R.I.T., to ensure that each artist’s unique style does the job of layering depth and authenticity to the composition.
Their joint ventures are ‘Forbidden Fruit’, ‘American Dream’, ‘They Ready’ and ‘I’m On 2.0′... but will we see any more collaborations between J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar?