Charlamagne Tha God believes the long-running “Big 3” debate in hip-hop is officially finished, and he says it’s not because J. Cole was forced out, but because Cole chose to step away from the Kendrick Lamar showdown.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne weighed in on the ongoing discussion around rap’s so-called “Big 3” — Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole — and argued that the moment when all three were expected to clash has already come and gone.
“Nobody ever screwed J. Cole’s head off the ‘Big 3,’” Charlamagne said. “Reality is there is no ‘Big 3’ no more because when the ‘Big 3’ was supposed to engage, only 2 of them decided to engage.”
Charlamagne’s remarks came after renewed discussion sparked by Fat Joe, who questioned J. Cole’s place among rap’s elite while talking about his upcoming album The Fall Off on the Joe and Jada podcast.
During the conversation, Joe wondered if Cole still belongs in the Big 3 following his decision to apologize for and remove his Kendrick Lamar diss “7 Minute Drill,” asking, “Do we look at him the same, being that they screwed his head off the big three?”
On The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne picked up on that same idea — Cole having his “head screwed off” the Big 3 — but made it clear he doesn’t see it that way. Instead, he said Cole’s standing shifted because the highly anticipated Big 3 clash never fully played out.
“J. Cole engaged, and then he backed away. And so it was two,” Charlamagne said. “And then after the two, one reigns supreme, and we know who that was, Mr. Kendrick Lamar.”
DJ Envy largely agreed, noting that Cole stepping away from the battle doesn’t erase his skills or body of work, but it did take him out of the immediate “who’s number one” conversation.
“You were an MC. You’re supposed to be ready for any type of smoke,” Envy said. “That doesn’t take away his pen… But when it came to that battle… he bowed out.”
Charlamagne added that Cole’s next release will still resonate with fans, but not in a way that reshuffles the rankings.
“And when he drops The Fall Off, it’s probably going to be dope,” he said. “J. Cole can rap his ass off… But when it comes to being number one, no, that’s not going to happen.”
Lauren LoRosa pushed back, pointing out that public perception has clearly changed.
“People [are] not acting like J. Cole is a part of that ‘Big 3’ because of him bowing out of that battle,” she said. “That is actually happening.”
Envy responded, “No, he’s still part of the big three. No, he’s just not number one.”
Charlamagne stood firm, echoing Kendrick Lamar’s viral take on the situation.
“I don’t think there’s no ‘Big 3’ no more period,” he said. “As Kendrick said, ‘There’s no big three. It’s just big me.’”
He added that if the debate is strictly about dominance over the past 15 years, those three names still apply — but there’s now a clear order.
“There’s a clear number one… Kendrick Lamar… Drake at two… and then Cole at number three.”
