J Cole issues apology for autism lyric on Drake's 'Jodeci Freestyle'

US rapper J Cole has recently apologised for an offensive lyric about autism in a verse he contributed to Drake’s new song “Jodeci Freestyle”.

In the lyric, Cole implied that people with autism were ‘retarded’. ’The autism awareness community hit back at the Roc Nation rapper and created a petition to have the lyrics removed from the song. Although Drake is yet to come forward and make amends, Cole has apologised for the verse (“Go check the numbers dummy, that’s just me gettin’ started/ I’m artistic, you n***** is autistic, retarded”) in a blog post on Dreamvillain on Sunday.

He wrote:

“To the parents who are fighting through the frustrations that must come with raising a child with severe autism, finding strength and patience that they never knew they had; to the college student with Asperger’s syndrome; to all those overcoming autism. You deserve medals, not disrespect. I hope you accept my sincere apology.”

J Cole isn’t the only artist causing offence through his music. Last month Kanye West was accused of being ”inexcusably stupid” by Parkinson’s UK charity for referencing Parkinson’s disease on new album Yeezus, in which he sings: “A monster about to come alive again/ So as I pull up and park the Benz/ We get this bitch shaking like Parkinson’s.”

Robin Thicke’s number one single ‘Blurred Lines’ also received back lash from a rape charity last month for trivialising sexual violence and objectifying women.

Although the rapper’s apology seemed sincere, he still seemed to have a problem with people getting too easily offended by certain lyrics. Cole mentioned this in his apology online: ”Recently there’s been a trend that includes rappers saying something offensive, only to be attacked for it in the media and pressured to apologise. I have to be completely honest and say there’s a part of me that resents that.

“I do not believe that an apology is needed every time someone is offended, especially when that apology is really only for the sake of saving an endorsement or cleaning up bad press. With that said, this is not the case today. This letter is sincere. This apology IS necessary.”

Listen to Drake ft. J Cole – ‘Jodeci Freestyle’ below: