"Not Like Us" is a diss track written and recorded by the 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 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 benefits. Lamar first performed the "Not Like Us" during the Pop Out: Ken & Friends; he played the track five consecutive times.
"Not Like Us" was met with widespread acclaim from music critics, who mainly viewed the single as Lamar's victory lap as his feud with Drake started to wind down. Complex named it the best track in their conflict, while other publications listed it among the greatest diss tracks in hip hop history. Commercially, "Not Like Us" broke several streaming records, debuting at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 despite having a limited tracking week. It also reached the top spot in South Africa and peaked in the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and countries across Europe. Some publications have listed the song as among one of the greatest diss tracks ever made.
Hours after "6:16 in LA" was released, Drake responded with the single "Family Matters", which 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.[2]
Mustard had wanted to work with Lamar, and estimates he had sent him "five beats a day for maybe three months" prior. He had sent the beat for "Not Like Us" on April 6, while attending his manager's birthday party; Lamar told Mustard later that night he had enjoyed the beat.[3] "Not Like Us" was unexpectedly released on May 4, 2024, less than 24 hours after "Meet the Grahams" was published.[4] 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.[5] 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.[6]Universal Music promoted the song on radio airplay in Italy on May 10, 2024.[7] The single's cover art shows a bird's-eye-view of the Embassy from a Google Mapsscreenshot with 13 red markers placed on its roof, symbolizing the presence of registered sex offenders and pedophiles.[8] Lamar 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.[9]
"Not Like Us" is a "club-friendly" West Coast hip hop track with strong hyphy stylings.[10] Several elements of its production, including the "stirring" violins, piano and brass instruments, were taken from a sample of Monk Higgins' 1968 cover of Ray Charles' "I Believe to My Soul".[11]Mustard, who produced "Not Like Us", sped up the sample's tempo to create a "relentless" and "urgent" atmosphere heightened by its additional bassline, snare drums, and finger snaps.[10][12]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."[12]
Lamar also takes several opportunities to challenge Drake's cultural identity. The chorus of "Not Like Us" has been 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."[17] Lamar further suggests that Drake's portrayal of blackness likens him to Brad "B-Rad G" Gluckman (portrayed by Jamie Kennedy) from the comedy film Malibu's Most Wanted (2003).[6] 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.[8] 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 colonialism.[10][18]
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.[19]Stereogum editors found the song to be not only an "ultra-effective" diss record, but a hit filled with "vicious" allegations and history lessons.[11]
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."[20]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.[21] Mark Elibert from Billboard, who named it the fourth-best song, shared similar sentiments.[22]
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 jokingly added that diss tracks could potentially have their own Grammy category in the future.[23]
Commercial performance
"Not Like Us" was an immediate commercial success. It broke the record for the biggest single-day streams of a hip hop song in Spotify history, earning about 12.8 million streams on May 11, 2024; surpassing Drake's "Girls Want Girls" featuring Lil Baby.[24] The song also overtook Drake's "In My Feelings" for the most song streams in a week by a rapper (81.2 million) and "God's Plan" for the fastest rap song to surpass 100 and 200 million streams on Spotify (9 days).[25] The single debuted atop the Billboard Global 200, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Streaming Songs charts simultaneously.[26]
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, surpassing Drake's "Way 2 Sexy" featuring Future and Young Thug. 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.[27] 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.[28]
"Not Like Us" dropped to number two after spending a week at number one.[29] It spent three consecutive weeks at number two, blocked from the top spot by "I Had Some Help" by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen.[30] 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.[31] "Not Like Us" debuted at number two on Billboard's annual Songs of the Summer chart.[32]
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.[39] The song was introduced by Dr. Dre whispering the opening lines. The track was played five consecutive times with different elements placed in each iteration.[40] By the fourth performance, Lamar was joined on stage by a wide assortment of emerging and notable West Coast figures.[41] A group photograph, taken by Armen Keleshian, was captured during the set.[42]NPR Music's Sheldon Pearce compared the picture to Art Kane's A Great Day in Harlem (1958).[43] Several critics viewed the multiple performances of "Not Like Us" as a highlight of the concert.[44] David Dennis Jr. of Andscape praised how Lamar turned the track, centered on his disdain for Drake, into a moment of "unity and love".[45]
Impact
The commercial success and cultural impact of "Not Like Us" has been examined by various journalists.[46]Billboard staffers opined that its zeitgeist-capturing content, release strategy, and outcome have made it one of the biggest diss tracks they have witnessed in their lifetimes.[47]
Aftermath
Drake responded to the song with "The Heart Part 6", where he denied all accusations and admitted that he would have liked to dance to "Not Like Us" if Lamar was not "tripling down on some whole other bullshit."[48] 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.[49] The London Metropolitan Police Service have not announced plans to investigate the store tagging and no arrests have been made.[50] 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".[51] 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.[52] Ross later reported to TMZ that no one from his team suffered any serious injuries from the assault.[53]
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202420 into search. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 202420 into search. Retrieved May 21, 2024.