Back in might, Kendrick Lamar was crowned the heavyweight champion of his long-brewing war of words with Drake. But even after releasing a barrage of diss tracks — “Euphoria,” “Meet the Grahams,” and summer time anthem “Not Like Us” amongst them — Lamar wasn’t accomplished but.
He celebrated his historic rap feud win at the Pop Out: Ken & Friends present on Juneteenth, the place followers, native legends, and rap royalty united in L.A. for a celebration of West Coast hip-hop. One of the present’s highlights was Lamar rapping “Not Like Us” — not as soon as, however 5 instances in a row. (The present’s identify derives from his “Not Like Us” lyric, “Sometimes you gotta pop out and show niggas.”)
The Pulitzer-Prize-winning rapper nonetheless wasn’t accomplished. On Independence Day no much less, Lamar launched the extremely anticipated music video for “Not Like Us,” precisely two months after the chart-topping track’s launch. As of Tuesday, it has garnered greater than 38 million views on YouTube. As Rolling Stone‘s Andre Gee put it, “Not Like Us” is “a DJ Mustard-crafted knockout blow with a classic L.A. swing,” and it has shortly develop into a crowd favourite at cookouts and nightclubs — all of which meant the web was primed to react to the visuals.
Throughout the nearly-six-minute video, Lamar provides alluring imagery to associate with his infinite photographs at his rival. Directed by Lamar and his longtime artistic collaborator Dave Free, the music video dances on Drake’s metaphorical grave, alluding sarcastically to the Canadian rapper’s claims towards Lamar, his alleged involvement with minors, and extra. Here are six notable moments in the “Not Like Us” music video.
A Celebration of Compton
Lamar unapologetically celebrates his hometown all through “Not Like Us,” starting with a picture of the Compton City Hall and Civic Center, which options an angled monument to Martin Luther King Jr. He later makes use of the plaza as the backdrop for a block get together. The music video additionally options L.A. legend Tommy the Clown, acknowledged for drawing consideration to the clown-based dance model “krumping” on the West Coast.
Drake Lane Demo Tapes
One early clip in the music video options Lamar in a darkened room, lit solely by a automotive’s headlights as a masked determine creeps up behind him. Before the masked man will get too shut, he’s repelled by an imaginary drive. The determine mirrors the cowl artwork of Drake’s 2020 launch Dark Lane Demo Tapes.
“Drop and Give Me 50”
As Lamar raps, “Say Drake, I hear you want ‘em young/You better not ever go to cell block one,” he appears in a mock prison cell doing push-ups on cinder blocks. The push-ups are a clear reference to Drake’s diss observe “Push Ups,” in which he informed Lamar to “drop and give me 50” (in addition to mocked Lamar’s peak and urged that he’d been caught with an exploitative publishing deal). Lamar stops at 17, which some followers consider refers to his 17 Grammy wins. In the split-screen clip, Lamar additionally mimics a viral hand gesture that Drake reportedly exchanged with a youthful feminine fan, in time for the line: “To any bitch that talk to him and they in love, just make sure you hide yo little sister from him.” It’s an easy-to-miss reference that when extra refers to Drake’s alleged inappropriate conduct with underage ladies (which he’s denied).
“It’s Probably A-Minorrrrr”
That brings us to Lamar’s sensational line: “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor.” As he delivers the blow, the camera pans out and shows Lamar skipping through a chalk-lined hopscotch game, drawing parallels between the kids’ playground game and Drake’s alleged behavior.
Family Matters
In what feels like a direct reference to Drake’s diss track “Family Matters,” Lamar stands subsequent to his associate, Whitney Alford, and their two kids in a set resembling a household dwelling. The scene takes a direct stab at Drake’s allegations that Lamar has a poisonous relationship along with his fiancée, together with claims that he was abusive to her and that he left for New York to flee. Instead, Lamar and his household spend the scene grinning and dancing alongside to the phrases, “The family matter and the truth of the matter/ It was God’s plan to show y’all the liar.” (As one X user identified, the fisheye digital camera lens makes it really feel like a stalker is trying into the front room of a cheerful household.)
The Caged Bird
Drake’s document label OVO famously makes use of an owl as its brand. Cue Lamar whacking at an owl-shaped pińata as the phrases “wop, wop, wop, wop, wop” ring out in the background. The music video later concludes with Lamar staring at a caged owl, yet one more clapback at Drake’s avian emblem and symbolic of the place every of them now stand in the rap recreation.
From Rolling Stone US.
