Not Like Us

"Not Like Us" is a diss track by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on May 4, 2024, via Interscope Records, amidst his feud with the Canadian rapper Drake. It is Lamar's fifth and most recent installment in his series of diss tracks directed at Drake; it premiered less than 24 hours after his previous single, "Meet the Grahams".

Primarily produced by Mustard, with additional work from Sounwave and Sean Momberger, "Not Like Us" is a hyphy-influenced West Coast hip hop song composed of a prominent bassline with lively brass instruments and finger snaps. Its lyrics continue the themes introduced in "Meet the Grahams" by doubling down on allegations against Drake of pedophilia and sexual misconduct, while also accusing him of exploiting Atlanta's music and cultural scenes for street credibility and financial gain. Lamar first performed "Not Like Us" during The Pop Out: Ken & Friends, where he played the track five consecutive times.

"Not Like Us" was met with widespread acclaim from music critics, who felt it solidified Lamar's victory in the conflict. Complex named it the best track of the feud, while other publications listed it among the greatest diss tracks ever made. Commercially, "Not Like Us" broke several streaming records and spent two non-consecutive weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100, marking Lamar's fourth number-one single and his second of 2024 after "Like That". It also reached the top spot in New Zealand and South Africa and peaked in the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and several European countries.

The music video for "Not Like Us", directed by Dave Free and Lamar, was released on U.S. Independence Day. It also received critical acclaim, with many publications and websites hailing it as a victory lap for Lamar. It reached over 13 million views in under 24 hours after its release on YouTube.

Background and release
American rapper Kendrick Lamar and Canadian rapper Drake have been engaged in a rap feud since August 2013. Tensions escalated in March 2024, following Lamar's surprise appearance on Future and Metro Boomin's single "Like That", which was perceived as a diss aimed at Drake and J. Cole over their track "First Person Shooter". Drake responded to Lamar's verse with the single "Push Ups" and the since-removed song "Taylor Made Freestyle". Lamar fired back with the songs "Euphoria" and "6:16 in LA".

Hours after "6:16 in LA" was released, Drake responded with the single "Family Matters", in which he accused Lamar of abusing his romantic partner Whitney Alford and alleged that one of his two children was fathered by his creative partner, Dave Free. Less than an hour later, Lamar responded with "Meet the Grahams", which described Drake as an alleged sexual predator who runs a sex trafficking ring inside of his Toronto mansion, known as the Embassy, while fathering a secret daughter. "Not Like Us" was unexpectedly released on May 4, 2024, less than 24 hours after "Meet the Grahams" was published. The only prior marketing that the song received came from Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, the head of Lamar's former record label Top Dawg Entertainment, who posted, "Dot, I see dead people" on X (formerly Twitter) approximately two hours before its premiere. The single's cover art shows a bird's-eye-view of the Embassy from a Google Maps screenshot with 13 red markers placed on its roof, symbolizing the presence of registered sex offenders.

Mustard, who was the primary producer of "Not Like Us", wanted to work with Lamar for years. He estimates that he sent him "five beats a day" for about three months before the song's release. He created the beat for "Not Like Us" in approximately 30 minutes with additional production from Sounwave and Sean Momberger. Despite speculation, the song does not include a sample of Nas' "Ether" (2001). Mustard's thought process while producing "Not Like Us" was, "What would Dr. Dre do if Lil Jon was in the studio and they were collabing on a beat?" However, his collaboration with Lamar occurred outside of a recording studio. Mustard sent the beat to him on April 6, 2024, while attending his manager's birthday dinner. He received a text message from Lamar later that night saying he enjoyed it. Mustard did not know that his production would be featured on the song until it was released, nor did he know that Lamar would "gas that beat like that".

Like Lamar's previous releases during the feud, "Not Like Us" was initially released as a YouTube exclusive before Interscope Records serviced it to music streaming platforms several hours later. He reportedly removed the copyright claims on his diss tracks for a limited time, effectively allowing others to freely use the music, even for commercial purposes. Universal Music promoted the song on radio airplay in Italy on May 10, 2024. A blended version of the studio recording with the live performance from the Pop Out: Ken & Friends impacted radio stations in California on July 11, 2024.

Music and lyrics
"Not Like Us" is a "club-friendly" West Coast hip hop track with strong hyphy stylings. Several elements of its production, including the "stirring" violins, piano and brass instruments, were taken from samples of Monk Higgins's 1968 rendition of "I Believe to My Soul", a cover of Ray Charles's 1961 composition. Mustard sped up the sample's tempo to create a "relentless" and "urgent" atmosphere heightened by its additional bassline, snare drums, and finger snaps. HotNewHipHop 's Demi Phillips wrote that the production emphasizes the "aggressive tone" of the song and allows Lamar's vocal performance and lyricism to "cut through."

The song begins with Lamar whispering "psst, I see dead people", a reference to the film The Sixth Sense (1999); Lamar previously referenced the film on "Euphoria". Throughout the track, he raps in a style reminiscent of late LA rapper Drakeo the Ruler as he continues attacking Drake for his alleged inappropriate behavior with minors and other personal incidents. Lamar references Drake's 2021 album Certified Lover Boy to label him and his OVO crew as "certified pedophiles" and specifically claims that one of Drake's affiliates Baka Not Nice, a convicted sex trafficker, should be "registered and placed on neighborhood watch."

Lamar also takes several opportunities to challenge Drake's cultural identity. The chorus of "Not Like Us" has alluded to him stating that "rap practitioners" such as Drake are unlike his caliber, "one that organically abides by the given morals of Black culture." Lamar further suggests that Drake's portrayal of Blackness likens him to Brad "B-Rad G" Gluckman (portrayed by Jamie Kennedy) from the film Malibu's Most Wanted (2003). In the third verse, Lamar flips Drake's comment about how he raps like he is about to "get the slaves freed" in "Family Matters" to not only claim that he misused the term "slave", but to also accuse him of exploiting Black artists from Atlanta for street credibility and financial gain. He uses his previous collaborations with Future, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Young Thug, Quavo and 2 Chainz as examples of him forming "calculated strategies" over "authentic connections"—actions Lamar considers to be a form of colonization.

Critical reception
"Not Like Us" was met with widespread critical acclaim for its contagious production, Lamar's vocal performance, and "scathing" songwriting. GQ 's Frazier Tharpe dubbed the track a leading contender for the "song of the summer". He praised how the "banger" summoned Mustard's "raucous, party-starting homegrown energy" to deliver Lamar's "haymaker" that both out-strategized Drake and celebrated their West Coast upbringings. Stereogum editors found the song to be not only an "ultra-effective" diss record but a hit filled with "vicious" allegations and history lessons.

Jordan Rose of Complex declared "Not Like Us" as the best track released during Lamar and Drake's feud due to its electric tone and "contagious" production, although much of the lyrics are "very questionable". Rose believes that "time will tell" if the song marked the "end conclusion" of their war, but it has already proven itself to be "the stone that stunned Goliath." Vibe 's Armon Sadler ranked "Not Like Us" as the second-best track of the feud, praising the "undeniable bop" as a "masterclass" in execution. Mark Elibert from Billboard, who named it the fourth-best song, shared similar sentiments.

Professional wrestler Shawn Michaels appreciated that his Sweet Chin Music finisher was mentioned in the song and invited Lamar and Drake to settle their differences at a WWE NXT program. Tennis player Serena Williams, who was also mentioned on the track, declared it the "hit of the summer". As he confirmed that "Not Like Us" is eligible to be nominated at the upcoming 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Harvey Mason Jr., chief executive officer of the Recording Academy, praised Lamar's artistry and songwriting. He noted that while virality is not a defining factor, the quality and relevance of the work could appeal strongly to voting members. Mason mused that diss tracks could potentially have their own Grammy category in the future.

Commercial performance
"Not Like Us" was an immediate commercial success and broke numerous streaming records—most of which were previously held by Drake. On Spotify, it earned the biggest single-day streams for a hip hop song (12.8 million); the most song streams in a week by a rapper (81.2 million); and became the fastest rap song to accumulate 100 million (9 days), 200 million (19 days), 300 million (35 days), 400 million (54 days), and 500 million streams (70 days). The single led the Billboard Global 200 for two non-consecutive weeks, marking Lamar's first solo number-one song on the survey.

In the United States, "Not Like Us" topped the Hot Rap Songs for nine weeks, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for seven weeks, and the Streaming Songs for five weeks. It also peaked at number two on Billboard 's annual Songs of the Summer chart. On the Billboard Hot 100, "Not Like Us" debuted at number one on the chart dated May 18, 2024, opening with 70.9 million streams, five million radio airplay audience impressions, and 15,000 copies sold. It registered the highest first-week streaming figure for a hip hop song since Billboard removed YouTube song user-generated content from its chart metrics in 2020. As Lamar's fourth number-one single and first solo number-one debut, "Not Like Us" became the first rap song in history to top the Hot 100 with a shortened tracking week of five days. It also marked Mustard's first number-one single and debut as a producer, and one of the only chart leaders to be penned by a sole writer.

"Not Like Us" fluctuated between the top-ten spots on the Hot 100 for eight weeks. It spent three consecutive weeks at number two, blocked from the top spot by "I Had Some Help" by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen, before briefly falling to number five and later number six. During the tracking period of May 10–May 16, 2024, both songs earned at least 70 million weekly US streams; a first for the chart. Following the Pop Out, the song spent two consecutive weeks at number three, behind "I Had Some Help" and "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozey. Bolstered by its music video premiere, "Not Like Us" bested the latter song and returned to number one on the Hot 100 chart, dated July 20, 2024, with 53.8 million streams, 40 million radio airplay audience impressions, and 8,000 copies sold. It is the longest-running solo chart-topper of Lamar's career, surpassing "Humble".

Production


Dave Free and Lamar directed and executive produced the music video for "Not Like Us". Charm La'Donna handled the choreography and is also credited as the associate producer. In commemoration of American Independence Day, the music video was released on July 4, 2024, at approximately 3 p.m. PT. Four still images from the video were leaked to social media a day prior. CNN and NME noted widespread anticipation for the video up to its release; Billboard called it "the most anticipated video of the year so far". By the morning after, the video had reached over 13 million views on YouTube, and by that afternoon, the number reached over 17 million.

The music video contains complex symbolism, innuendos, euphemisms, double entendres, and easter eggs; each ripened for fan interpretation. Parts of the visuals were filmed on June 22, 2024, across multiple locations in Lamar's hometown of Compton, California and Los Angeles. PGLang, Lamar and Free's production company, enlisted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for increased security. Deputies monitoring the production, which over 1,000 fans witnessed, were reportedly paid $120 an hour. A number of celebrities made cameo appearances in the music video, including Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, Terrence "Punch" Henderson, Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith Jr., Mustard, Dave Free, Tommy the Clown and the Hip Hop Clowns, Charm La'Donna, DeMar DeRozan, YG, Roddy Ricch, Steve Lacy, JasonMartin, Thundercat, Brandon T. Jackson, Hit-Boy and his father Big Hit, Storm DeBarge, Kida the Great, and Taiwan Williams, among others.

Synopsis
The video starts with a view of the Compton Courthouse overlooking the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Lamar sashays down a white, morgue-like hall to the sounds of an unreleased song; possibly hinting at upcoming new music. Upon knocking on a door, Tommy the Clown slides open an eye hole and asks for the password. Lamar whispers the code, "I see dead people", and is allowed entry, although he is scolded for being late. He takes his seat with his classmates, the Hip Hop Clowns, and grooves to "Not Like Us". Lamar gives the finger and dances in the corner. A classmate passes him a Bible, which he carefully slips in his jacket.

Using cinematography that mirrors the lyric video for "Family Matters", a covered figure resembling Drake on the cover of Dark Lane Demo Tapes (2020) tries to ambush Lamar from behind; he is quickly blown away. Lamar completes eighteen push-ups on four cinder blocks—a response to Drake ordering him to "drop and give me fifty" on "Push Ups"—in a bedroom with strong similarities to a prison cell. He then strikes an owl-shaped piñata and glides down a hopscotch court numbered 1 through 10. A disclaimer, reading: "No OVHoes were harmed during the making of this video," is shown as he repeatedly hits the piñata. Aerial shots of a large crowd of Compton residents gathered inside of the memorial and chanting the song are featured throughout the video.

Lamar and Mustard take a drive through Compton's Rosecrans Avenue in a black Ferrari SF90 Stradale. They stop at Tam's Burgers #21 to grab some food with dancer Storm DeBarge. Lamar then joins a group of friends on a rooftop near the Courthouse before meeting Free and DeMar DeRozan at a dockyard containing white shipping containers. Dancers Kida the Great and Taiwan Williams accompany Lamar on the dockyard, while La'Donna is seen tightrope walking in the clouds. At Nickerson Gardens, Lamar hangs out with his former Top Dawg labelmates Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul (collectively known as Black Hippy), along with executives Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, Terrence "Punch" Henderson, and Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith Jr.

Shifting back to the classroom, Lamar and the Hip Hop Clowns perform a number under Tommy the Clown's watch. Lamar poses with his partner Whitney Alford and their children in a living room; the couple dances joyfully while the children play. A barn owl and Lamar engage in a stare down—as he leaves, the owl realizes it has been locked in a cage. Free asks the rapturous Compton crowd through a bullhorn if they want to play the song again as the end titles appear on the screen.

Reception and analysis
The music video was met with widespread critical acclaim. Numerous publications and websites called it another victory lap for Lamar in his feud with Drake. CBC News called it a moment of re-ignition of the feud, while Vibe opined it as Lamar's "knockout punch" against the rapper. The video's content also discredited many allegations and claims that Drake had dissed Lamar with, including refuting Drake's derogatory claims against his family with their appearance in the video dancing happily alongside him, as well as the video credits reading "Directed by Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar", which dispelled rumors that Lamar and his creative partner had been in conflict with each other.

Vinson Cunningham of The New Yorker thought that the video's Independence Day release was a "jingoistic move" that draws a "bright line" along the Canada–United States border. He made an "Edenic" comparison to the image of Lamar and his family posing with Grant Wood's American Gothic (1930) and Gordon Parks's 1942 photograph of the same name, arguing that the frame inaugurated a "new sort" of American iconography. Entertainment Weekly observed the inclusion of new music in the intro to the video, noting fan speculation that it was to be included in Lamar's potential next studio album. USA Today's Naledi Ushe mused that with the release of the music video, Lamar had aimed to take Drake's "song of the summer trophy", noting Drake's perceived achievement with several of his late 2010s singles and the relative failure of the singles from For All the Dogs (2023), leaving the title open for Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter with "Espresso" to contend. NBC News noted the song's appraisal as a celebration of Compton and the West Coast. GQ appreciated Lamar's choice of fashion style in the video, pointing out that his wearing of a Prada suit and multiple Martine Rose track jackets reinforced a claim that he made a year ago that he "is the best-dressed MC in rap".

Aftermath
Drake responded to "Not Like Us" with "The Heart Part 6", where he denied all accusations and admitted that he would have liked to dance to the song if Lamar was not "tripling down on some whole other bullshit." His OVO clothing retailer on London's Carnaby Street was vandalized on May 7, 2024, by an unknown graffiti artist, who plastered the phrase "They not like us" in silver lettering on its window. The London Metropolitan Police Service have not announced plans to investigate the store tagging and no arrests have been made.

In the following days, two separate individuals were apprehended by the Toronto Police while attempting to break into Drake's Bridle Path home; the same residence shown on the cover art for "Not Like Us". On June 30, 2024, Rick Ross and his entourage were attacked at the Ignite Music Festival in Vancouver by a group of attendees after he played "Not Like Us" to close out his headlining set. Ross later reported to TMZ that no one from his team suffered any serious injuries from the assault.

Live performances
During the Pop Out: Ken & Friends, held on Juneteenth at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, Lamar performed "Not Like Us" for the first time. The song was introduced by Dr. Dre whispering the opening lines. The track was followed by four consecutive reprises, including two which featured a wide assortment of emerging and notable West Coast figures. A group photograph, taken by Armen Keleshian, was captured during the set. NPR Music's Sheldon Pearce compared the picture to Art Kane's A Great Day in Harlem (1958). Several critics viewed the "raw" performances of "Not Like Us" as a highlight of the concert and praised its liveliness. David Dennis Jr. of Andscape commended the way Lamar turned a song centered on his disdain for Drake into a moment of "unity and love".

Impact
Andre Gee of Rolling Stone wrote that "Not Like Us" has become more than just a Drake diss, but a "rally against perpetrators who shifted hip-hop from a Black and brown community with culturally understood modes of being into an at-times parodic circus." The Triibe 's Mark P. Braboy believes that the song serves as a reminder that "culture vultures" in hip hop journalism, such as DJ Akademiks and DJ Vlad, have built their platforms off of their exploitation of Black trauma. While commentating on the song's commercial success, Billboard staffers declared "Not Like Us" as one of the biggest diss tracks they have witnessed in their lifetimes, due to its zeitgeist-capturing content, release strategy, and outcome. Uproxx 's Wongo Okon believed that the track helped Lamar become a more appealing figure for Generation Z and Generation Alpha fans.

Following the release of its music video, Tam's Burgers #21 saw a significant spike in business. Lauro Hernandez and his son Byan Noe, the managers of the restaurant, reported that they experienced a 30% to 40% boost in sales. Spiro Vovos, who owns the restaurant chain, later clarified that it was more of a surge in foot traffic and content creators visiting the location; the sales influx mostly occurred as the video was being filmed. A mural honoring Lamar and "Not Like Us" was painted on the restaurant's exterior by Mike Norice. Fashion brands such as Willy Chavarria also enjoyed substantial increases in brand recognition and sales after their pieces were featured in the music video. Some iPhone users noticed that if they asked Siri to play Drake's Certified Lover Boy (2021) on Spotify, it would occasionally play "Not Like Us" instead.

Usage in popular culture
Musicians such as Isaiah Rashad, Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion, and T-Pain have incorporated "Not Like Us" in their performances. DaBaby, Remble and Montana of 300 released freestyles to the track. Other public figures, including Billie Eilish, Joe Budden, Kai Cenat, LeBron James, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Rick Ross, Seth Rogen, Shia LaBeouf, Chris Brown, Tom Hanks, and Chet Hanks have been spotted enjoying the song at public gatherings. At the 2024 BET Awards, host Taraji P. Henson parodied "Not Like Us" as part of her opening monologue. Serena Williams crip walked to the song while hosting the 2024 ESPY Awards. Richie Branson composed a chiptune version of the track and designed a free-to-play video game, titled Not Like Us: The Game.

Keith Murphy for Andscape predicted that "Not Like Us" could become the "next great sports anthem." Major professional sports leagues such as the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) have used "Not Like Us" in their broadcasts and social media campaigns. The Argentina national football team used the song to mock Drake after he lost a $300,000 bet in favor of Canada during the semifinals of the 2024 Copa América. USA Basketball also played the track after defeating Canada in an Olympics exhibition game.

"Not Like Us" has also made a significant impact on global politics. In the United States, Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott walked out to the song after defeating Sheila Dixon in the Democratic primaries. Vice president Kamala Harris referenced the track in a television spot paid for by the Biden-Harris presidential campaign that aired during the 2024 BET Awards. Kenyan rapper Sabi Wu sampled "Not Like Us" to write a protest anthem opposing the Kenya Finance Bill 2024.

Credits and personnel

 * Kendrick Lamar – vocals, songwriting
 * Mustard – production
 * Sounwave – production
 * Sean Momberger – production
 * Nicolas De Porcel – mastering
 * Johnathan Turner – mixing
 * Ray Charles Brown Jr. – engineering