Kendrick Lamar Tells SZA About The Deeper Meaning Behind 'Not Like Us'

Kendrick Lamar says the true meaning behind his hit song "Not Like Us" is deeper than just a diss track aimed at Drake .

On Monday, October 21, Harper's Bazaar debuted its cover story featuring a one-on-one conversation between K.Dot and singer SZA . During their discussion, SZA asked what "Not Like Us" means to Kendrick.

"Not like us is the energy of who I am, the type of man I represent," he explains. "Now, if you identify with the man that I represent …This man has morals, he has values, he believes in something, he stands on something. He’s not pandering."

"He’s a man who can recognize his mistakes and not be afraid to share the mistakes and can dig deep down into fear-based ideologies or experiences to be able to express them without feeling like he’s less of a man," he continues. "If I’m thinking of 'Not Like Us,' I’m thinking of me and whoever identifies with that."

Elsewhere in their conversation, SZA asks Lamar when was the last time he cried and when was the first time he allowed others to see him cry. The 37-year-old artist reveals that the last time he cried was when he made his song "Mother I Sober" off his 2022 album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers . On the song, Lamar opened up about sensitive subjects from his childhood including his mother's experience with sexual abuse and his own fear of abuse. He also revealed how he cheated on his fiancée and the guilt he felt afterward.

"That s**t was deep for me," he says.

Kendrick also describes the last time he cried. He recalls the moment in 2011 when Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre passed him the torch live on stage during the turning point of his career.

"Dre passed me the torch, and a burst of energy just came out and I had to let it flow," he says. "My tears is all on the internet. And now I look back and I love that moment. I love that that happened. Because it showed me in real time expressing myself and seeing all the work that I put forth actually come to life in that moment."

You can read the entire conversation between Kendrick Lamar and SZA here . Check out more shots from his cover story below.