The Meaning Behind “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar and Why It’s Perhaps the Knockout Blow Against Drake

On May 4, Kendrick Lamar released the decisive diss track in a heated rap war with Drake.

“Not Like Us” topped the Billboard singles chart and close observers of the feud between Lamar and Drake consider the song Lamar’s knockout blow.

It arrived less than 14 hours after “Meet the Grahams,” continuing an onslaught of insults and accusations. “Meet the Grahams” is Lamar’s response to Drake’s “Family Matters.”

The hostilities first bubbled into view with Lamar’s verse on the Metro Boomin’ and Future hit “Like That.” In a seething verse, Lamar attacks Drake and J. Cole, kicking off a rap battle between hip-hop titans. Cole responded meekly with “7 Minute Drill,” then apologized before yanking the track from streaming services.

Is “Not Like Us” truly a knockout punch?

Game Over

Lamar defends his West Coast territory and attacks Drake’s AI simulation of 2Pac and Snoop Dogg. Drake had removed his diss track “Taylor Made Freestyle” after receiving a cease-and-desist from Tupac Shakur’s estate.

Then Lamar amplifies rumors of Drake being a sexual predator. He twists the dagger by turning Drake’s album title Certified Lover Boy into a stinging insinuation.

Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young

You better not ever go to cell block one

To any b—h 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, playing with his nose now

And Baka got a weird case, why is he around?

Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles

On “Not Like Us,” the gloves are off and Lamar uses his mastery to cut down Drake. The verse below references the 2003 comedy Malibu’s Most Wanted. He likens Drake to the film’s main character, Brad Gluckman, a rich kid who emulates Black culture by adopting the nickname B-Rad.

Rabbit hole is still deep, I can go further, I promise

Ain’t that something? B-Rad stands for b—h

And you Malibu most wanted

Mustard’s Beat

Producer and DJ Mustard, born Dijon Isaiah McFarlane, created the beat for “Not Like Us.” He described his process to Billboard: “When I was making it, I was, in the back of my head, is: What would Dr. Dre do if Lil Jon was in the studio and they was collabin’ on the beat? That was my thought process,” he said.

The style echoes Bay Area hip-hop and Mustard said he didn’t hear the finished mix until its release. “Not Like Us” samples Monk Higgins’ “I Believe to My Soul,” a Ray Charles cover. Though the lyrics are venomous, Lamar’s track is a club-worthy banger.

Provocative Artwork

The single’s cover art features a bird’s-eye view of Drake’s Toronto mansion, the Embassy. Using a Google Maps screenshot, Lamar placed 13 red markers on the roof of the Embassy, displaying the location of a registered sex offender.

In “Meet the Grahams,” Lamar implies Drake is running a sex trafficking ring from inside the Embassy. “Not Like Us” takes the accusations further in Lamar’s words and art direction.

The Stone that Stunned Goliath

Writing for Complex, Jordan Rose said, “Time will tell if this track marked the end conclusion of the rap war between two titans, but ‘Not Like Us’ has already proven itself to be the stone that stunned Goliath.” Rose also called the lyrics “very questionable.”

Despite the serious allegations, Drake may be over the feud. The Toronto rapper reacted to an Instagram clip of a Drake impersonator by quoting “Not Like Us.” He wrote, “Sometimes you gotta pop out.”

Still, “Not Like Us” broke the record for single-day streams on Spotify for a hip-hop song in the U.S. Drake and Lil Baby held the previous record for their 2021 collaboration “Girls Want Girls.” Then it broke the global record, surpassing Drake’s “Champagne Poetry.”

A Sad Battle

The battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake is well-suited for the internet. However, not everyone is enthused about the ongoing struggle. André 3000 recently admitted to Crack magazine the battle made him sad.

He said, “In early rap battles, you had kids in the park rapping against each other. But it’s not just people rapping now. You got people with 100 employees. You have livelihoods, empires, companies, deals—all of it can be jeopardized. If you don’t have anything to lose, sure, go for it. But if I already made it, I’m not sure it’s even worth it anymore.”

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Photo by Franklin Sheard Jr/Shutterstock