Rapper’s Surprising Gesture
I appreciated the humility of a guy who put me on blast… – Shane Battier
For those of us wondering how many years can pass before we ever hear an apology from someone, here’s a story of hope from an unexpected source in rapper J. Cole, who once dissed basketball player Shane Battier on his debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story in 2011.
Battier is back in the NBA news with one of the most unexpected apology stories you’ll ever hear.
The Diss
On the track Rise and Shine, J. Cole’s lyrics targeted Battier, calling him lame and maybe implying he’s out of shape:
“Get on your job lil’ Mane, this ain’t Saturday
We in two different lanes, you can’t navigate
We in two different games, you playin’ patty cake
Brother you’re lame, you’re Shane Battier
You out of shape, my mind run a mile a minute”
Not the harshest diss ever put on tape, but it’s something that younger generations will associate Battier with. He had been in the NBA for a decade at the time the song came out, but he was better known for his time with the Duke Blue Devils.
The Source of the Rap Beef
J. Cole is from North Carolina and a Tar Heels fan, so you’re talking about one of the fiercest rivalries in sports between Duke and North Carolina. You can put all the money in the world on entertainment bets that the line was nothing more than a shot at a Duke player.
In a recent podcast, Battier said he’d never met J. Cole and thought it was funny that he called him lame.
Real one!
J. Cole apologized to Shane Battier for the stray he caught on “Rise & Shine” 😂 pic.twitter.com/EumNrSOhYS
— Team DREAMVILLE (@TeamDreamville) December 5, 2024
The Unexpected Apology
But a year ago, Battier was having dinner in Miami before the maître d’ told him a gentleman wanted to apologize to him and his name was J. Cole. Thinking it was a prank, Battier was shocked to see it was the real deal as the 6’5” rapper said he had prayed for this moment to come where he could just say he’s sorry Battier caught a stray and that he was young.
“I appreciated the humility of a guy who put me on blast and I wasn’t angry,” Battier said. “I thought it was funny.”
Thirteen years later, Battier got the apology and an unexpected chance meeting of a lifetime. It only adds to the reputation that J. Cole is legitimately a peaceful dude in a rap game that can be harsh.
J Cole apologizing was some real friendship shit. I understand we want Hip Hop beef and diss tracks but let’s not act like it could get ugly behind the scenes. J Cole never been that guy looking for smoke. He’s always been the type to give ppl their flowers and spread love.
— Brydell Cocky ⓥ (@brydellcocky) April 8, 2024
I wouldn’t expect any new J. Cole songs praising a Duke player, but he clearly never meant any harm with that line.
Throwback: Shane Battier (@ShaneBattier) has a massive block vs Arizona in the 2001 National Championship game. pic.twitter.com/5uLP0DbZmG
— Blue Devils (@BlueDevils) August 8, 2022
A Happy Ending for Battier
In the end, everything works out fine for Battier. While Shane Battier’s stats in the NBA never lived up to his highs at Duke where he was the AP Player of the Year and NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2000-01, a championship season, he still played in 977 NBA games, and made over $56 million.
The 2011 song didn’t create any NBA rumors that he was lazy either. In fact, it was in the 2011-12 season that Battier joined the Miami Heat to play with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. He ended up winning back-to-back championships as a solid role player for the Heat.
(2013) Shane Battier lights it up with six threes in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/iczruVijQw
— Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) September 21, 2018
Battier scored 18 points in Game 7 against the Spurs in 2013. Nothing lazy about that.
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