J. Cole is choosing maturity and respect over drama in his response to Kanye West’s recent online jabs. While Ye has taken several shots at Cole on social media in the past few weeks, the North Carolina rapper made it clear that he still holds admiration for Kanye’s contributions to music and to his own career.

During his headlining performance at the Dreamville Festival on Sunday, J. Cole paused his set to reflect on the origins of his 2011 hit single “Work Out.” In an honest and heartfelt moment, he revealed that Kanye’s track “The New Workout Plan” from The College Dropout was the spark behind his own creation.

“I know people feel a certain way about Ye right now,” Cole told the crowd. “But I got love for him, man. I really appreciate him. He cleared all the samples for me that meant something.”

Cole credited that moment of inspiration as a turning point early in his career, as “Work Out” went on to become the lead single from his debut album Cole World The Sideline Story.

This respectful acknowledgment came shortly after Kanye went on a social media tirade, claiming, “I hate J. Cole music so much,” and accusing the industry of pressuring Cole into beefing with Drake. Ye even mocked Cole’s mainstream appeal, saying no one listens to him “after losing their virginity.”

Their history has seen its share of tension. Cole famously took aim at Ye in his track “False Prophets,” and Kanye returned the favor in a remix of Like That, where he dropped the line, “Play J. Cole, get the p***y dry.”

But despite the shots, Cole isn’t feeding the fire. Instead, he’s focusing on positivity and his love for music — taking the high road with grace, humility, and gratitude.