Music Video
Not Like Us Lyrics
by Kendrick Lamar
Song Facts
- Music Genre: Hip-hop
- Producer: Mustard, Sounwave, Sean Momberger
- Release Date: May 4, 2024, "KL6*" Album
- Songwriter: Kendrick Lamar
- Record Label: Interscope Records
- Recording Engineers: Ray Charles Brown, Ray Charles Brown Jr.
- Mixing Engineer: Johnathan Turner
- Mastering Engineer: Nicolas de Porcel
- Distributor: Universal Music Group
Artist Info:
Kendrick Lamar is a famous American rapper and songwriter. He was born in Compton, California and started getting well-known with his early mixtapes. His debut album, Section.80, was released in 2011. With deep lyrics and thoughtful messages, he often talks about social issues and shares his relationship struggles. The artist has won several awards, including multiple Grammys. A lot of his music focuses on storytelling and is associated with a message. Over the years, he also frequently has feature artists on his track and is considered one of the best rappers of his generation. Kendrick’s music combines elements of different styles of hip-hop, including jazz, funk, and even spoken word poetry.Rumors:
Social media users and fans claim that Lamar took some lines from old tweets (X nowadays) from users’ posts and other online resources without citing the original authorship. This was done to create some of the most powerful lines in the song, especially in relation to Drake. To be clear, something like tweets from years ago that joshed about Drake had similar words to those used in Lamar’s lyrics. Nevertheless, there has been no response from Kendrick Lamar or his team on these allegations. Fans are torn, with many saying that Kendrick Lamar would not have to steal from tweets and how there has been no response from Lamar or his team on this matter. Hip-hop is a clear-cut case. It’s a real debate between some fans that Lamar would not have to steal from social media. Henceforth, many discussions have arisen in hip-hop about “truly being original.”Annotations and Meaning:
I have analyzed one of his singles, Not Like Us, which is a diss track to Drake. The song starts with the line “Psst, I see dead people,” a reference to The Sixth Sense, meaning that Kendrick can easily spot out what’s fake in the music industry. This is also connected to his previous songs where he critiques others for using ghostwriters and AI in music. In the first verse, Kendrick talks dominates the rap game, comparing himself to Deebo, a bully character from the movie Friday and John Stockton, a basketball player known for his assists, to show how easily KP can handle his rivals. He calls out Drake Call him and his crew for being fake and engaging in shady business. He accuses he also makes serious allegations to Drake, who is defined as “certified pedophile,” a play on the title of Drake’s new album. He repeats the phrase “they not like us,” illustrating the difference between Kendrick and his mob, suggesting that Kendrick has some standards while Drake’s mob does not. He also insinuates that the racial identity weighs acceptability in the black community, and Drake’s mix is way on. In the second verse, Kendrick critiques Drake and calls out several people and incidents, repeatedly highlighting Drake’s flaws and failures. He accuses Drake of cultural appropriation and relies on others to stay on top. He implies that Drake is not truly rooted in the culture he expisodes. He slams Drake and his new obsession, Atlanta, comparing his actions to historical exploitation. The song ends with his affirming that “they not like us,” repeating the chorus. Presently, artist and his squad seem to view Drake and his friends as fake people who are not like Kendrick and his crew members.
Not Like Us Song Lyrics
Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar
(Mustard on the beat, hoee)
[Verse 1]
Ayy, Mustard on the beat, hoe
Deebo any rap nigga, he a free throw
Man down, call an ambulance, tell him, "Breathe, bro"
Nail a nigga to the cross, he walk around like Teezo
What's up with these jabroni-ass niggas tryna see Compton?
The industry can hate me, f**k 'em all and they mama
How many opps you really got? I mean, it's too many options
I'm finna pass on this body, I'm John Stockton
Beat your ass and hide the Bible if God watchin'
Sometimes you gotta pop out and show niggas
Certified boogeyman, I'm the one that up the score with 'em
Walk him down, whole time, I know he got some ho in him
Pole on him, extort sh*t, bully Death Row on him
Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young
You better not ever go to cell block one
To any b**ch that talk to him and they in love
Just make sure you hide your lil' sister from him
They tell me Chubbs the only one that get your hand-me-downs
And Party at the party playin' with his nose now
And Baka got a weird case, why is he around?
Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles
Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, Dot, f**k 'em up
Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, I'ma do my stuff
Why you trollin' like a b**ch? Ain't you tired?
Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A minor
They not like us, they not like us, they not like us
They not like us, they not like us, they not like us
You think the Bay gon' let you disrespect Pac, nigga?
I think that Oakland show gon' be your last stop, nigga
Did Cole fouI, I don't know why you still pretendin'
What is the owl? Bird niggas and bird b**ches, go
The audience not dumb
Shape the stories how you want, hey, Drake, they're not slow
Rabbit hole is still deep, I can go further, I promise
Ain't that somethin'? B-Rad stands for b**ch and you Malibu most wanted
Ain't no law, boy, you ball boy, fetch Gatorade or somethin'
Since 2009, I had this b**ch jumpin'
You niggas'll get a wedgie, be flipped over your boxers
What OVO for? The "Other Vaginal Option"? Pussy
Nigga better straighten they posture, got famous all up in Compton
Might write this for the doctorate, tell the pop star, "Quit hidin'"
f**k a caption, want action, no accident
And I'm hands-on, he f**k around, get polished
f**ked on Wayne girl while he was in jail, that's connivin'
Then get his face tatted like a b**ch apologizin'
I'm glad DeRoz' came home, y'all didn't deserve him neither
From Alondra down to Central, nigga better not speak on Serena
And your homeboy need subpoena, that predator move in flocks
That name gotta be registered and placed on neighborhood watch
I lean on you niggas like another line of Wock'
Yeah, it's all eyes on me, and I'ma send it up to Pac, ayy
Put the wrong label on me, I'ma get 'em dropped, ayy
Sweet Chin Music and I won't pass the aux, ayy
How many stocks do I really have in stock? Ayy
One, two, three, four, five, plus five, ayy
Devil is a lie, he a 69 God, ayy
Freaky-ass niggas need to stay they ass inside, ayy
Roll they ass up like a fresh pack of 'za, ayy
City is back up, it's a must, we outside, ayy
They not like us, they not like us, they not like us
They not like us, they not like us, they not like us
[Verse 3]
Once upon a time, all of us was in chains
Homie still doubled down callin' us some slaves
Atlanta was the Mecca, buildin' railroads and trains
Bear with me for a second, let me put y'all on game
The settlers was usin' townfolk to make 'em richer
Fast-forward, 2024, you got the same agenda
You run to Atlanta when you need a check balance
Let me break it down for you, this the real nigga challenge
You called Future when you didn't see the club (Ayy, what?)
Lil Baby helped you get your lingo up (What?)
21 gave you false street cred
Thug made you feel like you a slime in your head (Ayy, what?)
Quavo said you can be from Northside (What?)
2 Chainz say you good, but he lied
You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars
No, you not a colleague, you a f**kin' colonizer
The family matter and the truth of the matter
It was God's plan to show y'all the liar
Mm-mm
He a fan, he a fan, he a fan (Mm)
He a fan, he a fan, he a
Freaky-ass nigga, he a 69 God
Freaky-ass nigga, he a 69 God
Hey, hey, hey, hey, run for your life
Hey, hey, hey, hey, run for your life
Freaky-ass nigga, he a 69 God
Freaky-ass nigga, he a 69 God
Hey, hey, hey, hey, run for your life
Hey, hey, hey, hey, run for your life
Let me hear you say, "OV-ho" (OV-ho)
Say, "OV-ho" (OV-ho)
Then step this way, step that way
Then step this way, step that way
Are you my friend?
Are we locked in?
Then step this way, step that way
Then step this way, step that way
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