J. Cole Apologizes For Autism Lyric

Rapper J. Cole issued an apology to those with autism and the parents of autistic children for an offensive lyric.

Cole posted in his blog Sunday that although he doesn't agree with the recent trend of rappers apologizing for their lyrics, he did admit that he went too far in a verse he contributed to "Jodeci Freestyle" by Drake, where he raps that he's "artistic" and calls his rivals "autistic, retarded."

Cole 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."

He continued, "I was instantly embarrassed that I would be ignorant enough say something so hurtful. What makes the crime worse is that I should have known better."

Cole went on to say that he found inspiration from those who reached out to him, writing,  "I have now read stories online from parents about their struggles and triumphs with raising an autistic child and I admire how incredibly strong you have to be to do so. It's touching. It also makes what I said even more embarrassing for me. I feel real shame."