Kevin Durant Encourages Fans to Focus on Music Rather than Debate Over Artists

Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns reacts in the final seconds of their 122-117 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on January 14, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Kevin Durant wants rap fans to stop arguing and simply enjoy the music. Over the weekend, the Phoenix Suns star took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his opinion on J. Cole’s latest song “Clouds” in a since-deleted tweet.

“I don’t care about none of that fake tough guy sh–,” he quote-tweeted over a post sharing the song. “This is mastery.”

And, as expected, fans didn’t let him off the hook easily. When one fan tried to argue that support for Cole while taking shots at Kendrick Lamar required permission from Drake, Durant responded sharply.

“I’m throwing shade at fans like you,” he retorted. “Been hatin’ on Cole this whole time. Just listen to the music and stfu.”

Another fan suggested that Drake and J. Cole make “fake tough guy” music, but Durant had a different perspective.

“Rappin about protecting everything you’ve earned is not fake tough guy sh–,” he said.

Some felt his original tweet mentioning “fake tough guy” was aimed at Lamar’s dissing toward Drake. KD quickly clarified that he was actually criticizing the fans who couldn’t appreciate Cole without pointing out perceived weaknesses in his style.

“I’m dissing all y’all fans who can’t listen to J. Cole without saying he’s ‘soft,’” he tweeted.

When a user told Durant that the new Cole wouldn’t get “playback,” KD had an unexpected response.

“Gets playback in my AirPods, that’s all that matters to me.”

Fans took issue with Durant liking J. Cole’s song because of his close relationship with Drake. He was credited as an A&R on 2023’s “For All the Dogs” and had previously stated that Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show didn’t “mean anything” to him.