Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us Lyrics and Meaning: Why This Feud Is Bigger Than Rap

Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us song cover — Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us song cover

Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us, released on 4 May 2024, marked a high point in his long-running feud with Drake, showcasing not only fierce lyrical rivalry but also Lamar’s capability to craft a hit suitable for clubs—something critics previously questioned.

Understanding the Kendrick Lamar and Drake Feud

The feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, which started gaining traction around 2013, dramatically escalated in early 2024.

Kendrick’s verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s Like That reignited tensions, perceived as a response to Drake and J. Cole’s First Person Shooter.

Drake fired back aggressively with Push Ups and his controversial Taylor Made Freestyle, which featured an AI-generated Tupac Shakur. Kendrick swiftly countered with Euphoria and 6:16 in LA, prompting Drake’s deeply personal Family Matters.

Kendrick immediately retaliated with Meet the Grahams, setting the stage for Not Like Us.

Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us Lyrics Meaning Explained

Kendrick’s Intro: Setting the Stage

Psst, I see dead people.

With a nod to the iconic line from The Sixth Sense, Kendrick cleverly references Drake’s notorious reliance on ghostwriters and AI in his creative process, implying a lack of genuine artistry.

It’s also a callback to his earlier diss track Euphoria, where Kendrick referenced both The Sixth Sense and A.I. through a line about Joel Osteen and ghostwritten verses—blending pop culture with accusations of artificiality.

Flow and Delivery: Kendrick’s Unexpected Club Appeal

Not Like Us surprised many listeners by combining Kendrick’s lyrical skill with a rhythm and energy suitable for clubs, silencing critics who doubted his ability to produce tracks with mainstream dance appeal.

His dynamic delivery shifts seamlessly between aggressive verses and catchy refrains, creating a track that’s both lyrically compelling and musically vibrant.

The beat, produced by Mustard, blends West Coast hyphy with contemporary bounce, drawing comparisons to the type of track Dr. Dre might make in a session with Lil Jon—aggressive, infectious, and urgent.

Verse 1: Lyrical Wit and Street Credibility

Deebo any rap nigga, he a free throw
Man down, call an amberlamps, tell him, ‘Breathe, bro.’

Kendrick references Deebo from Friday to assert effortless dominance, adding humour with amberlamps, an internet meme for ambulance.

Nail a nigga to the cross, he walk around like Teezo

Here Kendrick invokes rapper Teezo Touchdown, known for his unique nail-adorned appearance, metaphorically crucifying Drake’s perceived lack of authenticity.

What’s up with these jabroni-ass niggas tryna see Compton?

Using jabroni, popularised by wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kendrick humorously dismisses Drake’s attempt at street credibility and suggests he doesn’t belong in Kendrick’s world.

Verse 2: Explicit Allegations and Provocations

Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young
You better not ever go to cell block one.

This explicit reference intensifies the feud, directly confronting controversial rumours about Drake.

Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophile.

Kendrick harshly repurposes Drake’s album title into a shocking accusation, significantly escalating their dispute.

During his Super Bowl LIX performance, Kendrick censored the line—but the audience didn’t.

The crowd filled in the missing word, a moment that reflected how deeply embedded the song had become in popular culture.

Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

The drawn-out pun isn’t just a jab at Drake’s musical tendencies—it doubles as a dark play on the word minor, a subtle but cutting reinforcement of Kendrick’s accusations.

The exaggerated delivery mimics Drake’s Dave Freeeeeeee line from Family Matters, turning the mockery back on him.

Verse 3: Kendrick Addresses Exploitation

How many opps you really got? I mean, it’s too many options
I’m finna pass on this body, I’m John Stockton.

Referencing NBA star John Stockton’s assist records, Kendrick suggests numerous rappers share his grievances against Drake.

The line also indirectly nods to Karl Malone—Stockton’s longtime teammate—whose legacy has been tainted by past scandals, adding a layer of critique to the type of company Drake keeps.

Certified boogeyman, I’m the one that up the score with ’em.

Kendrick positions himself as a genuine force in hip-hop, openly challenging Drake’s manufactured persona.

He underscores his authenticity while subtly framing Drake’s affiliations—especially with Atlanta rappers like Future, Lil Baby, and 21 Savage—as exploitative.

Rather than collaborative, Kendrick implies they’re strategic partnerships for Drake to absorb credibility and culture without fully engaging in it.

Kendrick’s Strategic Super Bowl Performance

At Super Bowl LIX, Kendrick strategically censored explicit lyrics from Not Like Us, letting the crowd enthusiastically fill in the gaps, highlighting the song’s wide-reaching resonance.

It wasn’t just self-censorship—it was crowd theatre. This performance choice, widely covered in media, served both as a creative tactic and a signal of the song’s ubiquity. Even without the words, the message was heard.

Watch the Super Bowl Trailer:

Record-Breaking Success and Impact

Not Like Us became a massively successful hit song both domestically and internationally.

On 7 May 2024, it broke the record for most single-day Spotify streams for a hip-hop song in the US, surpassing Drake & Lil Baby’s Girls Want Girls with over 6.6 million streams.

The next day, it broke the global record, exceeding Drake’s Champagne Poetry peak of 11.85 million streams.

Billboard confirmed its number one debut on the Hot 100 chart, Kendrick’s fourth number one hit and first-ever debut at the top spot, along with becoming the fastest hip-hop song to reach 100 million Spotify streams, surpassing Drake’s God’s Plan.

Additionally, it broke the record for most Spotify streams in a week for the 2020s, overtaking Taylor Swift & Post Malone’s Fortnight.

The first live performance of Not Like Us occurred at Kendrick’s Juneteenth show, The Pop Out: Ken & Friends at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, on 19 June 2024, streamed worldwide through Amazon Prime.

Kendrick closed the event performing the song multiple times, joined onstage by prominent West Coast figures like Mustard, YG, DeMar DeRozan, and Russell Westbrook.

The music video premiered on 4 July, filmed entirely in Kendrick’s hometown of Compton.

It featured aerial shots of Drake’s Toronto mansion with 13 red markers on the roof, interpreted by many as a reference to sex offender registry maps—visual symbolism that matched the track’s most incendiary claims.

Critique of Exploitation and Authenticity

Not Like Us critiques systemic exploitation within hip-hop, specifically targeting Drake’s frequent collaborations with Atlanta artists Future, Lil Baby, and 21 Savage.

Kendrick implies these partnerships serve Drake’s commercial interests rather than authentic cultural collaboration.

He likens this to cultural extraction—using Black artists and their influence for his own gain, while remaining disconnected from their lived experiences.

In Kendrick’s words, “It’s deeper than rap; it’s about ownership and respect within our culture.”

Kendrick Lamar Redefines Hip-Hop Rivalry

Not Like Us merges insightful lyricism, engaging club-friendly production, and sharp commentary on authenticity and exploitation in hip-hop.

Kendrick uses his technical mastery and strategic lyricism to question deeper issues within the industry, making this track a defining statement in contemporary music debates.

Kendrick Lamar Not Like Us Lyrics

Intro
Psst, I see dead people
(Mustard on the beat, ho)

Verse 1
Ayy, Mustard on the beat, ho
Deebo any rap nigga, he a free throw
Man down, call an amberlamps, 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, fuck ’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 shit, bully Death Row on him
Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young
You better not ever go to cell block one
To any bitch 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, fuck ’em up
Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, I’ma do my stuff
Why you trollin’ like a bitch? Ain’t you tired?
Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor

Chorus
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 2
You think the Bay gon’ let you disrespect Pac, nigga?
I think that Oakland show gon’ be your last stop, nigga
Did Cole foul, I don’t know why you still pretendin’
What is the owl? Bird niggas and burnt bitches, 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 bitch and you Malibu most wanted
Ain’t no law, boy, you ball boy, fetch Gatorade or somethin’
Since 2009, I had this bitch 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’
Fuck a caption, want action, no accident
And I’m hands-on, he fuck around, get polished
Fucked on Wayne girl while he was in jail, that’s connivin’
Then get his face tatted like a bitch 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

Chorus
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 fuckin’ colonizer
The family matter and the truth of the matter
It was God’s plan to show y’all the liar

Bridge
Mm
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