Dr Dre has seen it all and done it all. He’s one of the pioneers of G-funk, and one of the most respected figures in the history of California hip-hop. His co-sign means a lot, which is why his appearance at the Pop Out show on Juneteeth was so special. Dr Dre introduced Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” in what turned out to be an iconic moment for the genre. Dre reflected on the performance during a chat with Complex Magazine, and how it was actually more important than fans might have realized at the time.
Dr Dre was questioned about Compton’s unity, or lack thereof, during the interview. He was fed a line from Vince Staples, who claimed that Compton gangs had been more unified than the media portrayed, and that Lamar’s Pop Out Show merely shined a light on it. Dr Dre disagreed with Staples’ take, but was hopeful that the success of “Not Like Us” will bring about change. “I’m not sure if that’s true or not,” Dr Dre asserted. “But I think Kendrick was able to bring that together for that moment. Hopefully that moment can move forward.”
Dre voiced uncertainty over the future, especially given the history of gang violence in the city. “I’m not sure if that’s possible or not,” he noted. “Because it’s gonna take more than just one event to get that accomplished. Once it’s done everybody goes home to their home teams. And then they go back.” The interviewer asked whether the Pop Out felt different from Dr Dre’s perspective, and he agreed. “It does feel different,” he noted. “But hopefully it can continue.” Snoop Dogg accompanied Dre during the interview, and he was similarly enthusiastic about Kendrick Lamar’s post-“Not Like Us” success.
Snoop Dogg was more aligned with Staples’ sentiments, but noted that someone of Kendrick Lamar’s caliber was needed to showcase it. “What Kendrick did was he united the whole city based off of him being a king,” the rapper noted. “Creating peace, giving homies the opportunity to come on stage. He’s about peace. He’s about love.” Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg credited Lamar’s big picture mentality to the fact that he doesn’t belong to any one gang. “He ain’t from no gang,” Snoop noted. “He’s from a city full of gangs and he unites cities.”
YG organized a peace walk with rival gang members in his hometown of Compton on Sunday in an effort to promote peace and unity. Members of the Treetop Pirus and Fruit Town Pirus, who have been feuding for years, were both in attendance. The Game also showed up to support the Just Re’d Up 3 rapper.
“We came together. My hood and the Fruit Town Pirus across the street, we’ve been at war for, like, the last 10 years. We just enemies. So I felt like we all needed to come together and walk down our main street,” he told TMZ. “We all from Piru so we don’t really need to be beefing with each other. We’ve been doing that sh*t for years so it’s time to like… if we can clean it, clean it up. There’s been a lot of conversations about that sh*t so I put some energy towards it and we got it right.” He concluded: “It’s successful. All love and positive. We outside.” Together, the group stopped by Tam’s Burgers for a meal.
INDIO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 14: Rapper YG performs onstage during Weekend 1, Day 3 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 14, 2019, in Indio, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella)
YG’s peace walk isn’t the first effort to promote unity this year. Back in June, Kendrick Lamar hosted The Pop Out – Ken & Friends with a similar goal in mind. “Aye, we ain’t never had this. We put this sh*t all together for motherf*ckin’ peace,” he said on stage at the event. “This sh*t is making me emotional, man. We’ve been f*cked up since Nipsey died. We’ve been f*cked up since Kobe died. Let the world see this. You ain’t seen this many sections on one stage keeping it together and having peace.” He brought out members of several rival gangs.
YG Takes To The Streets Of Compton
Compton rapper YG led a truce walk Sunday joined by members of the Treetop, Fruit Towns, family members & kids. The walk started at Gonzales Park & included a stop at Tams burgers pic.twitter.com/Y9i4iWOOcu
Jay Worthy ensures that his music captures the essence of Compton through his smooth delivery and laidback flow. Though he found a new fanbase following his appearance at Kendrick Lamar’s Pop Out concert in June, the L.A. by way of Vancouver MC has maintained a prolific output over the past few years. His behind-the-scenes work has allowed him to work alongside people like DJ Quik and even Kendrick Lamar while his efforts on wax have turned him into a revered underground legend. LNDN DRGS, for example, merged dreamy soundscapes of boogie and R&B-tinged funk, in ways that felt quintessentially West Coast. But at the same time, his work with people like The Alchemist and Harry Fraud, to name a few, paid homage to his influences outside of West Coast hip-hop.
“Maybe it’s I’m easy to work with or maybe, it’s just that I really love music and I understand what it is and what we’re doing, you know?” Jay Worthy tells HotNewHipHop. Perhaps that’s why he is only the second rapper outside of Snoop Dogg to work on a full collaborative album with the legendary DāM Funk. Together, they joined forces for their excellent new project Magic Hour, an album that delves into the lineage of funk music with DāM Funk in the driver’s seat.
Funk played a pivotal role in shaping Jay Worthy. He fondly recalls his father playing Parliament, S.O.S. Band, and Earth, Wind & Fire throughout his childhood in Vancouver. In that sense, it planted a seed that would grow throughout Jay Worthy’s musical career but his love for funk admittedly didn’t fully materialize until he moved to Compton. His exposure to low-rider culture and radio personalities like the famed Art Leboe developed a passion for its cultural DNA. “Like I said, oldies and funk and all of that have always been in my house. But I really started digging for samples and really, really having a love for it more after being out here on this side. You know, my big homies pulling up on they hogs and slappin’ shit, the low rider culture and all that,” he says, fondly recalling memories of Avalon and El Segundo. At this intersection, his friend’s dad sold CDs outside of the barbershop.
With that said, Magic Hour holds significant weight in Jay Worthy’s catalog. There was a seven-year anticipation for this project, though fans certainly weren’t left empty-handed since collaborative projects alongside Roc Marciano, DJ Muggs, and plenty of others came out within that time. “Not everybody can get on these types of beats, you know what I mean? Or understand what I’m doing here because I always tell people, man, I might rap, but I really look at myself as the funk artist,” he explained, detailing the meticulous process of curating the right features, such as Ty Dolla $ign, DJ Quik, and Channel Tres, and more, for this particular album.
It couldn’t have come at a better time, either. All eyes are on The West Coast right now, and there’s been unity across the city. Jay Worthy has certainly benefited from the renewed attention, too. Magic Hour feels like a crucial piece of the puzzle that traces the West Coast’s musical lineage, specifically the impact that funk had on shaping the L.A. sound as a whole. And with the momentum that Kendrick Lamar, Vince Staples, and Mustard built within the past few months alone, Magic Hour is a necessary addition to the soundtrack for summer ’24.
We recently caught up with Jay Worthy to discuss his latest album and working alongside DāM Funk, sending unreleased music to Kendrick Lamar, his heavily anticipated Griselda album, and why Los Angeles has always been on.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
HotNewHipHop:I read that this album has been in the works for upwards of 7 years but it seems like a perfect time for this album to arrive considering the momentum that the West Coast has. From your end, why did it make sense to release this album right now?
Jay Worthy: You know what, all the stars just aligned, to be honest with you.I feel like when you’re recording, and sometimes you’re in another bag, like, for a minute, the only thing that was inspiring me to rap was just looped samples and stuff with no drums, you know what I mean? So it took me a while to want to get back into that funk bag, you know what I’m saying? It wasn’t coming out of me when I was trying at the time. So I sat on the beat until I was ready to get back on that. And I would slowly go at it. You know, do a few songs here, a few songs there. And then I was like, man, this is a special project. It deserves the proper features on it.
And I also feel like there’s more eyes on me now. I feel like me and DāM Funk, for the world that we come from, it’s really appreciated. I know people were really expecting it and I didn’t want to rush it, you know what I mean? It came out now and it just so happens to be that the West is back on fire so, yeah it’s a good time.
Tell me a bit about the features, whether Ty Dolla $ign or Channel Tres, and how you got them to immerse themselves into this world that you and DāM Funk created.
Well, you know, Ty Dolla is a close friend of mine and so is Channel. A-Trak, you know, that was the first person to sign to Fool’s Gold. Quik, I just did the album with Quik and I wanted Quik a part of this. You know, Quik, and DāM know each other since Safe & Sound days. Of course, Soopafly. I needed representation of Tha Dogg Pound on there. Soopafly, that’s my boy. We’ve been making records together and I felt that he fit the project. A cat named Ray Wright from Warm Brew, who always was a friend of mine, and I always loved his voice. I mean, it reminded me of a Nate Dogg. Speaking of Nate Dogg, I had to grab Nhale and get his son on there.
So, you know, just people that would make sense that I know understand this funk sh*t and what sounds good on it, you know? But, I was honored to get Quik on there, for sure. And Channel, I love what he did. He’s also a fan of DāM. Like I said, again, just people that kind of understand what it is. Not everybody can get on these types of beats, you know what I mean? Or understand what I’m doing here because I always tell people, man, I might rap, but I really look at myself as the funk artist, you know what I’m saying?
Jay Worthy/YouTube
I’ve heard you refer to yourself as such in the past. How would you describe Magic Hour compared to other albums in your catalog? You mentioned that you took your time with this one.
Well, first I’ll say this: you got to think, DāM doesn’t work with a lot of rappers. The only rapper that he’s ever done an album with other than me is Snoop, so I was honored. Like I said, I consider myself a funk artist, and DāM was one of the few people, to me, that was pushing future funk and modern funk. This is way back, you know, I think me and Dame started first talking, I want to say like, ‘06 or something like that. I can’t remember exactly when, but I was always a fan before I started doing rap professionally. But I always knew that that’s where I wanted to take it.
So, you know, what’s different about this album compared to others is there’s no samples. DāM gets to showcase how good of a producer he is. If you notice on the album, I give him a lot of long outros. Or, some songs might just have one verse and a minute of a beat because his beats switch up so much, like, there’s so many different parts of the beat. He’d send me a beat, there’d be like eight minutes in the beat, and in that eight minutes, the beat would change up several times. So yeah, musically, it’s different than anything else I put out. I think it’s more musical, you know, it’s not sample-based. It’s raw. That’s just DāM in there being the one-man band.
What do you think makes Jay Worthy a great collaborator? It seems like you’re very easy to work with.
Maybe it’s I’m easy to work with or maybe, it’s just that I really love music and I understand what it is and what we’re doing, you know? I mean, like whether it’s with Alchemist and I understand what type of producer he is and what he makes him and what I’m gonna sound good on. If you listen to… I don’t know, let me see…. something like, let’s say I rap over somewhere Harry Fraud, and there’s no drums on it, and you hear me really rap-rapping – you know, that might bring that out of me. The funk might bring out some more player, more simple raps, but it’s just a different pocket. The beat is gonna talk to me and tell me what to do, you know what I mean?
But I think I just understand the music, and that’s why it comes out so it goes unspoken. I’ve never gone in a studio and been with anybody and been like, “this is what we’re gonna rap about pr this is what we’re gonna do or this is what the album is gonna be, or –” nah, we just let the music do what it do and it comes out how it comes out.
You’re originally from Vancouver. During your formative years, what was your exposure to funk music? Was that a sound that was prevalent where you grew up?
I mean, my pops, right? He raised me on Parliament, Earth, Wind & Fire, S.O.S. Band, and stuff. So that sh*t was in my house from a kid ‘til an adult. But as far as like finding my love for funk, that was more as a late teenager, you know what I’m saying? Being in LA, and you know, listening to Art Leboe and being in my hood in Compton. One of my homies’ pops – Rest In Peace – he used to sell CDs outside of the barbershop off Avalon & El Segundo.
I would always buy old-school mixes. Like I said, oldies and funk and all of that have always been in my house. But I really started digging for samples and really, really having a love for it more after being out here on this side. You know, my big homies pulling up on they hogs and slappin’ shit, the low rider culture and all that. Now, don’t get me wrong there is that, you know, low rider culture out in Vancouver, as well and record shops and stuff like that. But, you know, I think I fell in love with it out this way, just because this is such a part of our culture out here.
Considering everything that’s been going on, what are your thoughts on the current state of the West Coast and where do you see it heading?
Well, I think this: if we just stay on what we were on when we got together on that stage at the Pop Out with Kendrick, and showing unity, and – you know, we’ve been doing a lot of stuff in our community. Throwing events in the park, concerts, charity events, bringing Kai Cenat, all type of good stuff. It’s bringing people from all different neighborhoods to our specific neighborhood which probably never happened back in the day. I think places like Atlanta where everybody works with each other and supports each other. I think if we can if we can get past the politics that we have out here, and stay on what we’re on right now, I think we can get back on top, for real.
You know, because I hate when people say L.A. ain’t on anymore and I go, ‘What are you talking about? [laughs] Tyler, The Creator’s from L.A., Steve Lacy is from L.A., Billie Eilish is from L.A., Bruno Mars is from L.A., Anderson .Paak is from L.A. These are number one artists, you know what I’m saying? So I always felt that we – Kendrick Lamar, like come on, bro. We’ve been on top to me so sometimes the narrative that is pushed – I don’t understand – [like] we aren’t in a good space. But I feel like as far as the underground goes and the streets, and everybody is on some positive unity shit. So if we just stay on that, I think West Coast hip-hop is going to be in a great place.
How would you describe the Meet The Whoops project at this point of your career? You brought up Kai Cenat pulling up to Compton for the giveaway. Just by looking at the Instagram page, it seems like there’s more of a community-oriented feel to what you guys are doing.
As you can see, I’ve kind of always been a curator, you know? I don’t like to use the word A&R but, you know, I did Quik’s album, I’m working on Terrace [Martin’s] album with him. All the collaborations that you’ve seen, I’ve been hands-on with everything, from the artwork to the sample to who I collaborate with. So I just always wanted to do something with my homies from my hood and showcase the talent and put them on production that they might not have necessarily chosen.
I think we’re standing out because, you know what, you wouldn’t expect Meet The Whoops to rap on an Alchemist beat or a Terrace Martin beat or a classic DJ Quik “Quik’s Groove” that we flip to put on his album, you know? And, I just know the West hasn’t seen a rap group like this – or the world hasn’t seen a rap group like this, to be honest with you, since NWA or Wu-Tang or Dipset. And that’s how I feel. I really feel those dudes that I grabbed, who are my personal friends, are actually some of the best to do it. And I’m excited about what we’re about to do.
Courtesy Of Jay Worthy
What was it like bringing Kai Cenat to Compton?
It was just a positive thing and something that was great to see. The kids enjoyed it, the families enjoyed it, and we’re gonna do a lot more stuff like that. We’ve been doing stuff like that in our community for years. From the Christmas Toy Drive that we do with Kendrick to the Turkey Giveaways that we do with YG, I just think there are a lot more eyes on us now. You know, we get the TMZ looks and people are finding out more about what’s going on.
But you know, we’ve always been about our community and trying to bring things over there and do stuff that’s fun for the youth. And having Kai, I that was a great thing. He came and showed love and a lot of kids who weren’t able to get things like that were given exclusive shoes, and new iPhones and TVs and all types of good stuff.
Have there been any discussions of you joining Kai on his stream?
I don’t know. You know, I would have to tap back again with their team and see what’s up. Me and his agent and manager connected that day, so you never know. I think that’d be cool to see Meet The Whoops and Kai Cenat and bring him back to Compton for a livestream.
You posted a series of photos of you and Kendrick Lamar from over the years. Do you remember the first time you two crossed paths and how has that relationship developed since you first met?
I mean, Dot from our hood. We’re from the same neighborhood, we always crossed paths, you know? He’s always been in my corner. I produced a documentary called NoiseyBompton for Viceland TV which he starred in. You know, we’ve been pushing for years, that’s my brother.
You know, people don’t know, but it’s like when I dropped new music, I only send it to a few people, and he’s one of them, you know? I might send it to him, I might send it to Westside Gunn, I might send it to Terrace. So there’s only a few people that really get to hear my unreleased music that I want to really [hear] their opinion. [Kendrick Lamar] is really my brother and just a good friend. You know, it’s regular, though. That’s really just our homie, you know what I’m saying? I know, to the world, he’s the biggest thing in the world but to me and the homies, that’s just our bro.
What’s been the energy of Los Angeles since “Not Like Us,” The Pop Out, and the video shoot? I know you mentioned it before but if you could get a bit more in-depth.
It’s been a lot of unity, man. Just brought the city together. And that’s like what I was saying, man. Like, you know, it’s bigger than just – I know the lyrics and like, you know, behind it is a diss song but a message is – you know, just whatever it did, it brought L.A. together. I’m gonna just say that. You know, I’ve been feeling comfortable going to certain neighborhoods and places that I might never have gone to, you know what I’m saying? And vice versa. People are like, “yo, let’s work together. Let’s do this. Let’s do that.” Like, it’s been great. It had a very positive effect on the streets of L.A. and Compton.
When I interviewed Westside Gunn last year, he mentioned how he was working on your Griselda album. What could you tell me about that project and working with Gunn, in general?
Gunn and me, man. That’s my brother, man. He’ll tell you this: he likes to curate but, you got to understand, I curate and I know what I’m doing with my own sound and stuff and he respects that. So he kind of let me just do what I do and we’re gonna come together on this Griselda sh*t and it’s gonna sound crazy.
Is there a release date on this yet?
We just released this DāM Funk album so as soon as I’m done rolling out all of this, I’m gonna get into that Griselda stuff and start dropping singles on people and it’s gonna f*ck their heads up.
Final question: what else do you have on your bucket list outside of music?
Well, I’ve been behind the scenes, like I said. I do curation, I consult now, I’m working with all the people that — you know, it’s crazy when you wake up and you could call Mack 10 or Quik or you know, any of the greats, bro. Really, all the legends are a phone call away. I love what I’m doing with them, kind of bridging the new with the old just how I do in my own music so I’m just helping them do stuff. I’m consulting for different labels.
You know, I’ve always had my hand in the streetwear and skateboard world, doing collaborations with different clothing lines and all of that stuff. So, man, it’s a lot of stuff. Film stuff. There’s so much, man. Music is just one part of it. I’m a businessman at the end of the day. You’re gonna see Worthy executive producing more people’s albums; you’re gonna see my name pop up as an A&R on certain things. You’re gonna see more clothing collaborations, you’re gonna see more documentaries. It’s all about to happen man.
Some folks may already be feeling “Not Like Us” fatigue, but that certainly isn’t the case in Kendrick Lamar’s hometown of Compton, Los Angeles, California. The city has always been proud of K.Dot and vice versa, and with a stellar year for him so far, it’s only natural that Compton’s artists would want to pay tribute. Moreover, a new mural dedicated to the former TDE lyricist recently made some waves online, which depicts him receiving the Key to the City of Compton in 2016 on one side of a portrait and him winning the Best Rap Album award at the 2023 Grammys for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers on the other.
As far as rap artists, though, many of them have commented on Kendrick Lamar’s explosive beef with Drake, with the latest take coming from Latto in a new interview. “I ain’t going to lie: I liked it!” she remarked. “I liked the back-and-forth, I thought it was healthy for the culture. It just felt nostalgic. I don’t think our generation has even seen a rivalry like that, I f***ed with it. I feel like it’s two n***as that’s killing this s**t and they both so talented, and they both on they high horse flexing their talent and capabilities. They both still that n***as, they both still the GOAT. That s**t fire for the culture.”
Even rock bands are joining the praise of Kendrick Lamar and Drake, although one of these MCs definitely has gotten it in more of a backhanded manner. For example, the Red Hot Chili Peppers recently did some shows in Toronto. As a thank-you message to their fans in the city on Instagram, they posted a picture of Kendrick waving goodbye in the “Not Like Us” music video. Pretty cheeky, no?
Meanwhile, there’s even a “Not Like Us” video game out now, so pretty much every corner of pop culture seems to be loving Kendrick Lamar right now. We can’t blame them; we just wish that we would get more music outside of this whole Drake thing. If all is fair and just, then both MCs would drop even better material later this year that has nothing to do with each other. Both of their cities and fanbases are ready for it, and they deserve to be great without it being at the other’s expense.
Kendrick Lamar has been taking a few victory laps as of late, and they are most certainly deserved. Overall, Lamar is fresh off of his beef with Drake. Depending on who you ask, the feud is still ongoing. Although in the minds of many, it is already over, and Kendrick has come away as the victor. Currently, one of the biggest songs in the world is “Not Like Us,” and there is no doubt at all that Lamar may just have song of the summer on his hands.
Last week, on the 4th of July, Kendrick Lamar came through and dropped the music video to “Not Like Us.” The visual was highly-anticipated especially since it was being filmed in Compton. One of the main shooting spots was none other than Tam’s Burgers, a restaurant that Kendrick has name-dropped before. Recently, TMZ caught up with one of the owners of the spot, and as it turns out, Kendrick just got another win. As the owner explains, Kendrick can eat for free at Tam’s Burgers, any time he wants.
Furthermore, it was revealed that Kendrick always orders a bacon cheeseburger when he’s at the shop. The TMZ cameraman also made sure to ask if Drake is welcome at the restaurant. The owner noted that that is something he would prefer not to answer. Of course, that is a pretty loaded question with some politics involved. Either way, we’re sure Kendrick will be happy to get a few free meals whenever he is in the area.
Let us know your thoughts on the “Not Like Us” video, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that this is the best song of the year so far? What do you expect from the rumored Kendrick album that may drop this year? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
More and more clips are emerging of Kendrick Lamar’s time in Compton to shoot the “Not Like Us” music video, and they’re making fans even more hyped up. He and his security detail arrived at Compton’s City Hall to film another part of the visual treatment, and it’s unclear whether or not the shoot will continue this weekend or if they already got everything. Either way, we can’t remember the last time there was this much hype around a music video, but we’re glad to see it. Probably should’ve dropped it earlier in the song’s hype cycle, but we’re not complaining about the tardiness.
Furthermore, this also lines up with Kendrick Lamar’s “The Pop Out,” the Juneteenth L.A. show that has some people feeling mind-blown and others acting underwhelmed. For one, DJ Akademiks recently shared his opinion that both Drake and J. Cole have put on better concerts and multi-artist events in their cities than K.Dot. Given how different each show’s lineup, context, and intent is, it’s not really a shocker to claim any of them as your favorite or as the most significant one. Still, it feels like most folks just can’t find a balance between praising this as one of the greatest recent hip-hop moments or as a complete embarrassment and failure; it’s not that deep.
In addition, Kendrick Lamar’s alleged entourage has also provided some interesting insights and occasional tea-spilling when it comes to some narratives around his moves. For example, an alleged close friend spoke out against The Game and his statement on why he didn’t attend “The Pop Out.” The friend suggested that the Los Angeles MC displayed some disrespect and “had to choose his words carefully.” It’s all a mystery and very vague, but it will fade in time.
Meanwhile, the increased security presence at this music video shoot also caused some backlash, for reasons unknown to anyone with common sense. Whether or not Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” music video is a hit or a dud, it will probably (and hopefully) mark the end of his battle with Drake. Maybe things flare up again with a second match in the future, or there’s more to tussle over. But it seems unlikely that the Toronto superstar will bother to concern himself with this, and we hope both opponents move on already.
More and more clips are emerging of Kendrick Lamar’s time in Compton to shoot the “Not Like Us” music video, and they’re making fans even more hyped up. He and his security detail arrived at Compton’s City Hall to film another part of the visual treatment, and it’s unclear whether or not the shoot will continue this weekend or if they already got everything. Either way, we can’t remember the last time there was this much hype around a music video, but we’re glad to see it. Probably should’ve dropped it earlier in the song’s hype cycle, but we’re not complaining about the tardiness.
Furthermore, this also lines up with Kendrick Lamar’s “The Pop Out,” the Juneteenth L.A. show that has some people feeling mind-blown and others acting underwhelmed. For one, DJ Akademiks recently shared his opinion that both Drake and J. Cole have put on better concerts and multi-artist events in their cities than K.Dot. Given how different each show’s lineup, context, and intent is, it’s not really a shocker to claim any of them as your favorite or as the most significant one. Still, it feels like most folks just can’t find a balance between praising this as one of the greatest recent hip-hop moments or as a complete embarrassment and failure; it’s not that deep.
In addition, Kendrick Lamar’s alleged entourage has also provided some interesting insights and occasional tea-spilling when it comes to some narratives around his moves. For example, an alleged close friend spoke out against The Game and his statement on why he didn’t attend “The Pop Out.” The friend suggested that the Los Angeles MC displayed some disrespect and “had to choose his words carefully.” It’s all a mystery and very vague, but it will fade in time.
Meanwhile, the increased security presence at this music video shoot also caused some backlash, for reasons unknown to anyone with common sense. Whether or not Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” music video is a hit or a dud, it will probably (and hopefully) mark the end of his battle with Drake. Maybe things flare up again with a second match in the future, or there’s more to tussle over. But it seems unlikely that the Toronto superstar will bother to concern himself with this, and we hope both opponents move on already.
It’s certainly no secret that Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss track, “Not Like Us,” is one of the biggest tracks of the year so far. This is especially true after he performed it five times alongside several of his celebrity peers at his “Pop Out” show in LA earlier this week. Dr. Dre, YG, Ty Dolla Sign, and many others made appearances throughout the evening in what ultimately turned out to be a massive celebration of West Coast hip hop.
Shortly after the highly anticipated event, it was reported that Kendrick was gearing up to film a new music video in Compton. Apparently, he recruited the L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept. to send over some Sheriff’s Deputies for added security. When that news first surfaced, it was unclear what exactly the music video was. Now, however, it appears to be confirmed that it’s a video for “Not Like Us.”
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) June 22, 2024
DJ Mustard, spotted in Compton for the “Not Like Us” music video dancing with the crowd. pic.twitter.com/hADzp0TVGS
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) June 22, 2024
In several clips making their rounds online today, Kendrick can be seen dancing to the hit, surrounded by a huge crowd in his hometown. DJ Mustard, who produced the track, was also in attendance dancing along with the group. Mustard even posed for photos with a few lucky fans, appearing to be in good spirits. It seems as though he wasn’t the only special guest Kendrick invited to join him at the shoot, however.
Earlier today, a clip of Bobbi Althoff linking up with YG also surfaced online. This led to rumors that she’d also be making an appearance in the eagerly awaited video. At the time of writing, it remains unclear exactly when fans can plan to see it. They hope, however, that it’ll be sooner rather than later. What do you think of Kendrick Lamar getting spotted filming a music video for “Not Like Us” in Compton? What about DJ Mustard popping out? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Kendrick Lamar is on a high right now following his “Pop Out” show in Inglewood, California. Overall, it is clear that he is the biggest artist in hip-hop right now. Everyone was tuned in a couple of nights ago, and the show is still at the top of everyone’s mind. Of course, many are still in awe of how Kendrick played “Not Like Us” five times in a row. It was an incredible celebration of West Coast hip-hop, and it seems like Kendrick is nowhere close to being done.
According to TMZ, Kendrick is filming a music video throughout Compton this weekend. In fact, to prepare for the occasion, he has enlisted the help of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept. The department will be sending some Sheriff’s Deputies to help beef up the security. Overall, it’s a necessary step to take considering Kendrick is in the midst of a beef right now. Law enforcement has had no indications that things could get out of hand, although their hiring serves as a precaution.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: Kendrick Lamar accepts the Best Rap Album award for “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” onstage during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy )
For now, there is no telling what kind of music video is being filmed. Most fans assume it will be for “Not Like Us.” However, Kendrick has been in the studio quite a bit as of late, and there is a slight chance he could be looking to debut a new song. For now, fans are just going to have to be patient. If anything is guaranteed, it’s that this music video is going to be an event.
Let us know your expectations for this upcoming music video, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that Kendrick Lamar is going to go all out with this new video? Do you think it will be for “Not Like Us” or a whole new song entirely? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Kendrick Lamar has been dominating 2024 with a plethora of diss tracks, and one earth-shattering feature. Overall, it all started with the song “Like That” in which he threw some shots at Drake and J. Cole. Subsequently, Drake shot back, and Kendrick was ready with “Euphoria.” In the span of a week, we also got “6:16 In LA,” “Meet The Grahams,” and “Not Like Us.” “Not Like Us” was the kill shot and has proven to be one of the best songs of the entire year.
For weeks now, there has been all sorts of speculation about whether or not Kendrick would be dropping a music video for the track. The common denominator here is that those speaking on the alleged music video have all said it’s being filmed in Compton. This would make sense, especially with Kendrick hosting a concert in Los Angeles on Wednesday. In fact, in a new video, Reggie Wright Jr. came out and said that Kendrick is supposedly filming his music video this weekend.
As Wright describes, folks in the Compton area should try and remain outside all day Saturday, as they may just become the stars of a music video. Wright couldn’t give many other details, although he seemed confident in his assertions. Euro Luxxk, a close friend of Kendrick’s, confirmed that Wright was telling the truth. However, he later tweeted that he enjoys trolling. So at this point, there is really no telling whether or not the music video is coming. All we can hope for is that Kendrick’s concert on Wednesday lives up to the hype.
Let us know if you think Kendrick is really dropping a music video soon, in the comments section down below. If a music video does drop, what kind of visuals are you expecting from this video? Do you believe this will reignite the feud? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
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