"We need more Shane Battiers in the world" - J. Cole says he regrets dissing Shane Battier in an early track
- J. Cole reflects on a disrespectful lyric about Shane Battier from 2011, admitting he was wrong and apologizing in person years later.
Fifteen years is a long time, and popular American rapper and record producer J. Cole admits that the person and artist that he was back then isn't who he is today.
Reflecting on the lyrics that he wrote in the 2011 track entitled "Rise and Shine" in which he referenced the then Duke superstar, Shane Battier , saying, "We in two different games, you playing patty cake / Brother you're lame, you're Shane Battier," J. Cole said he was in the wrong to write such dismissive things about a person he didn't even know.
During his appearance on "7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony," the rapper and professional hooper described that infamous line as a "zero" and recalled profusely apologizing to Battier when they met in person a few years back.
He got caught up in the UNC-Duke rivalry
J. Cole revealed that, growing up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, he was a die-hard North Carolina Tar Heels fan, which meant he hated the Duke Blue Devils with every fiber of his being. And when it came to Duke, nobody represented that team better than Battier, a 6'8" forward who had all the fundamentals on lock and did everything the right way.
"Everything about him was like, he was the all-American player, set screens, take charges, super professional guy," J. Cole said .
As time passed and his Tar Heels fandom mellowed down, the reality of what he had done dawned upon J. Cole. As popular as that particular line was, he realized that it was wrong of him to say such things about a classy and professional guy like Battier.
"The further I got from that line, I would hear it and be like, and people like that line. Like people love that line. And when I started to hear, I would cringe like, 'Oh my god.' Like, 'Why the f—k did you do that?'" J. Cole stated.
"Like, 'Yeah, Shane Battier is a grown ass man.' You know what I mean? Like you don't know this man. You don't know him at all. You know what I mean? Like you done put his name in a song that's going to live forever and you disrespecting his name," he continued.
J. Cole eventually met Shane
As their respective careers went on their respective paths, with J. Cole becoming an immensely popular rapper and Battier becoming a two-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat, the former had always intended to apologize to the latter in person if he got the chance. The opportunity eventually presented itself when they happened to be in the same restaurant in Miami.
"So I always told myself, like if I ever met him, you know what I mean? You know, the first thing I would say to him is like apologize for how dumb that was, you know what I mean? And how childish and immature it was to even do that," J. Cole remarked.
J. Cole recalled them meeting in the hallway and Shane being so "cool and gracious."
"He was like, 'It's funny. Boom boom.' I'm like, 'No, bro. You don't understand. Like, ain't nothing about that.' I had to, like, double apologize and let him know, like, I f—k with you, and I respect you so much. And even more than that, bro, now that I got kids, bro, I respect your parents. I know you got great parents, bro. I know you, I know you got a great family, dog!" J. Cole narrated.
"Like, I think we need more Shane Battiers in the world," he added.
It takes a great rapper to pen witty, catchy lines that fans will resonate with. However, it takes a great man to recognize that what he wrote about another person was wrong; J. Cole did just that and set things right with Shane the first moment he could.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
