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Since its release in May, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has been almost unavoidable. The track has been featured at award ceremonies, the Paris Olympics, and may even be performed during the upcoming Super Bowl LIX. On Monday (Oct. 21), while chatting with SZA for Harper’s Bazaar, the Compton artist shared his personal reflections on what the song embodies for him.
“‘Not Like Us’ encapsulates the spirit of who I am and the kind of man I embody,” Lamar expressed to the magazine. “This individual upholds ethics. He possesses convictions. He stands for something. He doesn’t compromise his values.”
The DAMN. artist elaborated, “He’s a person who understands his faults and isn’t reluctant to share them; he can confront fear-based thoughts or experiences and articulate them without fearing a loss of masculinity. When I think of ‘Not Like Us,’ I think of myself and anyone who resonates with that.”
Lamar’s remarks might be interpreted as digs at Drake, who faced some shots throughout the same track. In this hit, the pgLang founder referenced OVO associates such as Nessel “Chubbs” Beezer and Baka Not Nice, rebuked the Canadian rapper for using Tupac Shakur’s image in “Taylor Made Freestyle,” and mockingly referred to him as the “69 God.”
Drake replied with “THE HEART PART 6,” where he refuted Lamar’s allegations of inappropriate behavior and confessed to misleading him with fabricated information. “Only messing with Whitneys, not Millie Bobby Browns; I’d never glance twice at any teenager,” he rapped over Boi-1da’s musical backdrop.
The back-and-forth between Lamar and Drake began to quiet down after Lamar released the music video for “Not Like Us” in July. Then, in September, the former Top Dawg Entertainment figure asserted, “It’s time to witness the end of the party” on an untitled track.
In the meantime, Drake has remained engrossed with new hits including “SOD,” “It’s Up” featuring Young Thug and 21 Savage, “Housekeeping Knows” alongside Latto, and “No Face,” among others.