Current:Home > InvestKendrick Lamar owns the summer with 'Not Like Us' music video, continues Drake diss -TrueNorth Capital Hub
Kendrick Lamar owns the summer with 'Not Like Us' music video, continues Drake diss
View
Date:2025-04-18 15:35:59
Kendrick Lamar isn't done with his Drake shakedown. In fact, he's come for the Toronto rapper's song of the summer trophy.
On July 4, Lamar released the music video to his Drake diss track "Not Like Us" — a pointed release date after calling his adversary a "colonizer."
The music video, directed by Lamar and Dave Free, celebrates California culture from dance to landmark locations and has visual responses to some of the disses in Drake's tracks "Push Ups" and "Family Matters."
As Lamar warned in "Euphoria," he's the "biggest hater."
The "Not Like Us" music video opens with him doing push ups on cinderblocks in response to Drake's "Push Ups."
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
He later uses owl symbolism in reference to the mascot for Drake's record label OVO Sound and makes it clear they're enemies. In one shot, Lamar smashes an owl piñata, while a disclaimer on the bottom of the screen reads: "No OVHoes were harmed during the making of this video."
A breakdown:All 9 Drake and Kendrick Lamar 2024 diss songs, including 'Not Like Us' and 'Part 6'
As the final victory lap, Lamar ends the video dancing with his partner Whitney Alford and their two children to the catchy tune. Drake alleged in "Family Matters" that the Compton rapper abused Alford and that Free is the father of one of their kids.
Everyone wanted a Drake 2016 summer. Now he's 'Not Like Us.'
"Not Like Us" released on May 4 as a catchy clapback to Drake, who has insulted Lamar's ability to make a radio hit.
The DJ Mustard-produced song calls Drake a "certified pedophile" and has everyone from children to adults drawing out the incendiary lyric: "Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A-Minor." Lamar also comes for Drake's industry friendships, his appropriation of certain aspects of Black American culture and shoots his lyrics back at him saying it was "God's plan to show y'all the liar."
Ironically, Drake once owned the song of the summer. "One Dance," "Controlla" and "Too Good" from his 2016 album "Views" created a holy trinity of sorts for summer anthems. There wasn't a party without them.
For a while it was Drake vs. Drake. In 2017, he came back with songs "Fake Love" and "Passionfruit." In 2018, he managed another song trifecta with "God's Plan," "In My Feelings" and "Nice For What." In 2020, he had a brief comeback with "Laugh Now Cry Later" and "Life Is Good" by Future. However, Drake's summertime success waned with his follow-up albums "Certified Lover Boy," "Honestly, Nevermind" and "For All the Dogs" leaving the gap open for a new successor.
Drake effectively became the victim of the music expectations he set with Lamar's "Not Like Us" becoming the millennials' "Hit 'Em Up" by 2Pac (a vicious diss to Biggie Smalls).
Kendrick Lamar performs Drake diss'Not Like Us' 5 times at Juneteenth 'Pop Out' concert
"Not Like Us" (in addition to Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso") has replaced the yearning for summer 2016. We are finally living in the present, with a diss track calling the Toronto rapper a pedophile that has united different gang affiliations.
The culture driven by Lamar's diss track rollout from "Euphoria" to "6:16 in LA" to "Meet the Grahams" to "Not Like Us" has proved that hateration in this dancerie is winning in summer 2024.
Will Drake win back his song of the summer title? He's got two months to try.
veryGood! (2785)
Related
- Small twin
- From Sin City to the City of Angels, building starts on high-speed rail line
- 'Betrayed by the system.' Chinese swimmers' positive tests raise questions before 2024 Games
- Inflation defined: What is it, what causes it, and what is hyperinflation?
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Columbia cancels in-person classes and Yale protesters are arrested as Mideast war tensions grow
- Inflation defined: What is it, what causes it, and what is hyperinflation?
- Celebrity handbag designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
- Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
- Nuggets shake off slow start to Game 1, beat Lakers for ninth straight time
Ranking
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Children of Flint water crisis make change as young environmental and health activists
- Celebrity handbag designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
- With ugly start, the Houston Astros' AL dynasty is in danger. But they know 'how to fight back'
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Children of Flint water crisis make change as young environmental and health activists
- Michigan woman wins $2M lottery jackpot after buying ticket on the way to pick up pizza
- Paris police detain man behind reported bomb threat at Iran consulate
Recommendation
Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
Man United escapes with shootout win after blowing 3-goal lead against Coventry in FA Cup semifinal
When is Earth Day 2024? Why we celebrate the day that's all about environmental awareness
Wisconsin woman convicted of intentional homicide says victim liked to drink vodka and Visine
Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
Man United escapes with shootout win after blowing 3-goal lead against Coventry in FA Cup semifinal
Harden and Zubac lead Leonard-less Clippers to 109-97 win over Doncic and Mavs in playoff opener
Rep. Tom Cole says the reservoir of goodwill is enormous for House Speaker amid effort to oust him