He did the thing that took heart and integrity. Instead of appeasing the masses. He did what was right for him in his world.Any of what? Kendrick took a shot at him, Cole responded. End of story. You are trying to bring the intensity and bad blood from Dot/Drake to Dot/Cole, when it was never that deep. If he didn't apologize, or take the song down, which everyone has heard, and is all over youtube still, nothing happens. He can feel pride about standing up for himself, we can view him as someone who stood up for themselves. The Kendrick/Drake beef continues on as it has just the same, with Cole, just the same.
All he did by not standing on his art was add an asterisk to his name. I would only understand his backpeddling if Kendrick was wanting to wage a full on war with him, and make it personal, but it was never that.
Nobody care about an invisible asterisk. Dude sleeping well at night, which is apparently what matters more to him then internet cool points