kendrick lamar not like us Archives

The Game & D Smoke Commend Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” As Tribute To L.A. Gang Culture

December 21, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The West Coast obviously has a lot to say about Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss track “Not Like Us.” That’s not only because of their support of K.Dot in the battle, but because of how much the track pays homage and reference to Los Angeles gang culture in various forms and puts it in a different context. Cali rappers D Smoke and The Game recently sat down for an interview with Rocsi Diaz, during which they ranked out the best hits from the West and spoke on the Mustard-produced chart-topper in particular. Smoke started things off with a pretty solid summary.

“Kendrick has such a special place in the West,” D Smoke expressed concerning Kendrick Lamar and his “Not Like Us” diss track. “Because everything that gang culture established for the West, Kendrick, on one hand, continues the camaraderie element of gang culture, but he elevates it to this intellectual, loving, Malcolm-Martin kind of perspective.” “I think Kendrick does the best job possible at explaining who we are, what we are,” The Game added. “Even though we have this stigma on us as a culture, he does an amazing job at explaining to the world how and why they should understand why we are the way that we are.”

D Smoke & The Game Speak On Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”

The Game & D Smoke rank LA Anthems

Talks about Kendrick Lamar & Not Like Us

The Game also gets emotional & starts to cry speaking about what he do it for, his daughter. & doesn’t care about getting left out the conversation & off Murals pic.twitter.com/9aClw2JqFf

— Whooping feet (@WhoopingFeet) December 20, 2024

“He’s not just one of the best rappers ever,” D Smoke added about Kendrick Lamar. “He’s one of the best artists ever. If you look at the intent behind his projects, the musicality, it’s not something you can do independent of the artist. If the artist doesn’t have that vision, the product won’t be what it is.” He and The Game agreed that “Not Like Us” is the fourth-best West Coast hit of all time, with some Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre classics plus Nipsey Hussle’s “Last Time That I Checc’d” landing elsewhere on their top six.

Still, this discussion around Kendrick Lamar is something that The Game admitted he feels left out of, as he doesn’t get the same amount of respect as other Cali legends. But he is much more focused on being a great father, something that he tearfully defended and emphasized during this interview. There is no greater joy.

[via]

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Drake Alleges “NFR Podcast” Was Paid To Cover Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”

November 26, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The “lawsuit” from Drake toward Universal Music Group and Spotify yesterday has the internet eviscerating him. People are calling this the definition of spiraling and using the “fragile opp” label against him. In fact, hip-hop fixtures such as Charlamagne tha God, Mustard, and TDE Punch even got in on the action. Similar comments are coming out in droves today as well, thanks to a particular namedrop in the legal documents. A Twitter account, King Wow, sifted through and noticed that the NFR Podcast was allegedly paid to “promote “Not Like Us” and its Video without disclosing the payment.”

It further alleges, “As part of its deal with UMG, the NFR Podcast published podcast episodes, tweets, and other content publicly about the Song. And in a sea-change for UMG’s internal policy, UMG removed the Song’s copyright restrictions on YouTube and Twitch, thereby “whitelisting” the Song (for the first time in UMG history), which further incentivized influencers to spread the Song.” As we said, the comments are just as ruthless as they were when the initial news broke. For example, one Twitter user writes, “Fragile OPPS activity.”

The Internet Is Split On Drake’s Decision To Go After NFR Podcast

If you have never tuned into any of the NFR Podcast‘s videos or content of any kind, their page is run by Canadians Lu Guerini and Anthony D’Aliesio. For the most part, they support a lot of Drake’s music and the things he’s done throughout his career. Both are also huge fans of Kendrick Lamar’s. However, still seeing their platform in this “pre-action” petition is quite a shocking turn of events.

As it stands, though, Drake’s documents are swinging for the fences. He accuses UMG and Spotify of violating the RICO Act, as well as deceptive business practices and false advertising. Overall, he also alleges that both companies were using an “illegal” scheme to boost streams and other content surrounding “Not Like Us.” Specifically, Drake’s documents allege that UMG has been using bots, payola, and more to carry this out.

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Kendrick Lamar Fans Notice That He Credited His Barber In “Not Like Us” Music Video

October 13, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Somehow, fans are still searching for new details concerning Kendrick Lamar, specifically his “Not Like Us” music video that came out months ago. Even though we’re as invested in the Drake battle as anyone else, die-hards must really be feeling desperate for new talking points or album hints if we’re out here shouting our barbers out. Fans noticed that K.Dot included barber Chris Donato Smith in the credits for the visual, along with the rest of the massive team that worked on it. In fact, if you look in the replies of the post below, some folks are under the impression that this is actually his personal barber and not for the actors on set.

Also, you will find many Kendrick Lamar haters and regular social media users alike asking different variants of the same question: Why? Why is this a topic of conversation and why do we particularly care unless our name is Chris Donato Smith or one of his loved ones? Maybe it’s a result of the Drake battle discourse reaching its peak, although we can argue that happened months ago. In addition, fans are desperate for a new album, so they’re looking for hints in the most ridiculous corners. But speaking of the Drake battle discourse…

Kendrick Lamar Fans & Haters Don’t Understand Why This “Not Like Us” Barber Credit Is Relevant: See Replies

J. Cole recently threw his hat back into the ring with his new song “Port Antonio,” on which he finally addresses the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle lyrically. Of course, he also speaks on why he deleted his Kendrick diss track and why he “pulled the plug” on his efforts. You’ve probably already seen the huge debate that this track caused, although most of it revolves around Cole’s own decisions.

As “Not Like Us” continues to dominate, Kendrick Lamar fans have a lot of other narratives and possibilities to consider. With so much to talk about, mentioning the music video’s barber is a funny detail to meme on for a bit on the Internet based on the ridiculousness of its relevance. For the love of Top, Kendrick, please drop when you feel like it’s ready. But in the meantime, Stans will probably point out your visual’s location manager next!

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Mustard Predicts Whether Kendrick Lamar Will Bring Him Out For “Not Like Us” At Super Bowl

October 11, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Like all of us, Mustard seems to not have a clue what’s going to happen at Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show performance. However, even though he apparently hasn’t gotten the call from K.Dot to come out for “Not Like Us” – if he even performs that track – he’s still very excited for the show. The producer recently spoke with Billboard in an interview published Wednesday (October 9) about the upcoming headline event and whether or not he’ll be a part of it. Fortunately, he didn’t really spill a lot of secrets, as he was more focused on his excitement to just witness the spectacle like the rest of us.

“I definitely can’t wait to watch the Super Bowl, man,” Mustard remarked of the Kendrick Lamar extravaganza coming next year in New Orleans. “Can’t wait. This year’s going to be pretty special. I might shed a tear [if he performs ‘Not Like Us.’] I am grateful for him to perform it on stage. If he performs it on stage by himself and doesn’t call me, I wouldn’t give a s**t. Just perform it.”

Mustard Speaks On Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show

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A post shared by billboard (@billboard)

“Don’t get me wrong – call me,” Mustard clarified to Kendrick Lamar via this Billboard interview, indicating that he and his team might still be putting stuff together for the Super Bowl halftime show. “If you want me, I’ll slide. But I’ll be there regardless going crazy, acting like I’m on stage. If I’m in a box, they might show me on TV from how crazy [I’ll be going]. I might stand on a chair. They might show me on the TV like, ‘He’s going berserk!’” Meanwhile, there are a lot of people who would probably react exactly like this, too. After all, it’s one of the biggest hits of the y ear for a reason.

Still, amid all the other Super Bowl halftime show theories, there’s no telling whether or not Kendrick Lamar performs the West Coast banger. If he does, then we hope that Mustard is right there with him to celebrate his latest massive hit. But no matter what’s on the horizon, we can’t wait to see the whole thing for ourselves.

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Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Now Shares A Wild Record On The Billboard Hot Rap Songs Chart

October 2, 2024 by newhiphopnews

There is probably a decent number of people who are sick of hearing about Kendrick Lamar and “Not Like Us”. We can see where those hip-hop fans are coming from to some degree, as the track is everywhere. Plus, him being the headliner at this year’s Super Bowl has also set most of the internet off. But it’s hard to deny K. Dot’s success in 2024 and ignore what he’s doing for the genre. The song has been unifying in the eyes of West Coast MCs and the fact it’s also a part of a massive battle in rap’s history makes it that much more special.

It’s also just insanely catchy, making it a streaming darling. Since its release back in early May it’s been breaking records every other week, or at least it seems that way. It’s already the best-selling single of 2024, and it’s well on its way to eclipsing one billion streams. It may even do so by end of the year. As it stands, Kung Fu Kenny has racked up over 810 million plays.

Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Is The Rap Hit Of The Year

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A post shared by Genius (@genius)

Now, we are learning that the Drake diss track has tied a chart record. According to Genius, “Not Like Us” is knotted up with Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ 2019 smash “Old Town Road” for the most consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart. That number is 20 and overall, it’s been on that list for 21 weeks. Some were showing love to Lamar for the achievement, while others (Drake stans) were poo-pooing it. Overall, we expect him and the track to break this record and many with just two months to go.

What are your thoughts on Kendrick Lamar tying this Billboard Hot Rap Chart record with “Not Like Us”? Is this the rap song of the year, why or why not? Is it still in your rotation? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Kendrick Lamar. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the world of music.

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Compton Business Owner Denies Kendrick Lamar Is To Blame For Financial Losses

September 15, 2024 by newhiphopnews

As if we needed any more of them, we now have a new angle to discuss and break down concerning Kendrick Lamar’s monstrous 2024 run. If you didn’t hear, a Los Angeles Times report claimed that Compton business owners spoke out about suffering financial losses in the thousands due to the “Not Like Us” music video shoot in the city. Apparently, this was because K.Dot’s team and city officials did not properly notify these business owners about the shoot, thus resulting in lack of business and not making back the money they paid their employees. However, one Compton business – Alma’s Food For The Soul – has spoken out against this narrative.

“This entire post is misquoted and pushing a narrative that we do not represent,” Corina Pleasant of Alma’s Food For The Soul said of Kendrick Lamar. “Please, please do not believe everything you read. Words have been twisted, and it’s not right. The city should have made better decisions with notification to tax paying business owners. We, in no way have any negative commentary for Kendrick. This was a city issue. And Akademiks you better be careful about misquoting people and twisting words. We never spoke to you, so how are you misquoting verbiage as fact?”

Kendrick Lamar Defended By Compton Business

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The LA Times ran an article claiming Compton businesses lost thousands of dollars when the Not Like Us video shoot happened in June.

However, one of the owners of a restaurant mentioned in the article says that they were misquoted and that it was a city… pic.twitter.com/QK2S0XXrzE

— Joey (@gothamhiphop) September 14, 2024

Furthermore, it seems like businesses did lose out on a lot of money due to the “Watch The Party Die” rapper’s video shoot. But this particular business frames the issue as a criticism of how the city handled the situation, not about Kendrick Lamar or his team. Hopefully they can still reach out to support them and mitigate these losses, even if this specific business doesn’t feel like they are to blame. Also, this is just one comment from one business, so we don’t know if the others would agree. None of the accused parties (Kendrick, pgLang, the city or state, etc.) have responded to this at press time.

Meanwhile, this debate is somehow not the biggest around Kendrick Lamar right now. There’s still a lot of conversation around his new song and about his Super Bowl halftime show. Surely, we’ll have more to talk about before that February spectacle rolls around. But with this specific issue, it’s clear that this is about more than music.

[via]

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Kendrick Lamar Hits Another New Milestone Thanks To “Not Like Us”

August 2, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Kendrick Lamar is one of the biggest artists in the world, and so far in 2024, he has been having a great year. Overall, it started with an attack on Drake in “Like That.” This subsequently escalated into an all out war where he eventually KO’d Drake with both “Meet The Grahams” and “Not Like Us.” May 3rd proved to be a wild day for hip-hop, and since then, nothing has been the same. In fact, “Not Like Us” has continued to be one of the biggest songs in the entire world.

It hit number one on the Billboard hot 100 on more than one occasion. Furthermore, it received a music video that has already blown up beyond comprehension. Fans are waiting on an album from Kendrick, although for now, Lamar has been happy to sit on the success of “Not Like Us.” In fact, according to Chart Data, “Not Like Us” is officially the best-selling song of 2024. There has been some stiff competition, which makes this accomplishment that much more impressive.

Kendrick Lamar Is Winning

Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” is now the #1 best selling song in the US in 2024 by total units. pic.twitter.com/NHAw19TsRf

— chart data (@chartdata) August 1, 2024

If you are Kendrick Lamar, you have to feel good about things. Drake has taken a huge hit all while Kendrick has been elevated to the king of rap. There are few who can deny Kendrick’s greatness, and his legend is cemented, regardless of what he decides to do next. Only time will tell what the artist decides to do next. All we do know is that it is going to come with a whole lot of hype.

Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Do you agree that “Not Like Us” is easily the best song of the entire year? Or is it a song that you have personally grown tired of as of late? 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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Kendrick Lamar Has Fans Amazed With Possible Underlying Drake Diss In “Not Like Us” Video

July 26, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Kendrick Lamar made it his mission to leave Drake’s entrails on the floor during their battle. While the latter will never truly be down and out, K-Dot made it clear who the winner was. The “Not Like Us” music video will go down as one of the most iconic set of visuals for the genre, as it was highly anticipated for weeks and turned out to be one heck of a victory lap moment. It is littered with references to previous Drake jabs, showing how much care went into putting this all together. What is wild is that new connections are still being made all this time later.

According to HipHopDX, a Twitter thread from the acclaimed Dissect Podcast is going viral for discovering a deep tie to actress and former model, Milla Jovovich. You’re probably at a total loss just like we were when we first saw this but check this out. Fair warning though, this is currently speculation and is not yet confirmed. But the shot where Kendrick is sitting on the prison bed is a supposed recreation of a 1997 photo with Milla Jovovich. However, it goes much further than that. When the Resident Evil movie star was younger, she was entangled in some underage debacles.

Kendrick Is Wild If This “Not Like Us” Video Connection Is True

In the mid 1980s’, when Milla was just about 11, she was “discovered” by a French model agency manager by the name of Jean-Luc Brunel. This led her to a very early modeling career. Where things get even creepier is that he was accused of raping a child and supplying young girls to the infamous Jeffrey Epstein. It appears all of those allegations were true because before Brunel’s trial, he decided to hang himself. Dissect also mentioned how Milla was seen nude in a film at 15, was briefly married to 21-year-old at 16, and married a director who was dating a 15-year-old girl prior when he was 32. If you remember, Kendrick raps about cell block one in that scene in the video, making this connection all the more believable.

What are your thoughts on this possible “Not Like Us” music video connection from Kendrick Lamar? Is this too far of a reach, or can you see this being true? Can you see this angering the Drake fans even more? Is this your favorite reference from the video now? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.

[Via]

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Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Allegedly Banned From Select Houston Establishments

July 23, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s feud has been ongoing for over a decade at this point. However, it finally came to a head this past year with some scathing diss tracks. “Like That” started it all off and “Push-Ups” soon followed. “Euphoria” escalated things and on the night of May 3rd, history was made. “Family Matters” sent shockwaves throughout the hip-hop world. Meanwhile, “Meet The Grahams” completely stopped everyone in their tracks.

The following day, Kendrick Lamar dropped another nuke with “Not Like Us.” Since then, “Not Like Us” has become the defining song of the entire beef. It has been the number-one song in the entire world for a few weeks now and the momentum isn’t stopping. However, there seems to be at least one city that isn’t loving the track’s recent love fest. According to some anecdotes out of Houston, it would appear as though the song has been banned by certain establishments.

Kendrick Lamar Has Some Clubs Shutting The Door

While it is unclear why this is the case, some have tried to point the finger at Drake himself. After all, Drizzy is known for being a frequent visitor in Houston. Moreover, he has ties to J Prince, who has quite a bit of influence over there. However, nothing is confirmed and there is no evidence pointing in any direction. Having said that, if you are a DJ who has “Not Like Us” in your set, be wary of playing the song while out in Texas.

Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that Drake is the person behind all of this? How do you feel about clubs in Houston trying to pretend as though this song does not exist? 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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Drake Expertly Taunted With Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Following Canada’s Crushing Defeat To Argentina

July 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Drake might be a partner of the online casino app Stake, but he should take a break from placing bets. On Tuesday night, the Copa America semifinals match between Argentina and Canada got underway. This soccer game was a fairly big deal, especially for the latter. This was the first time in the country’s history in which they were able to compete in this quadrennial tournament. Making things even better for Canada was the fact that they were able to advance this far. However, their cinderella run ended at the hands of Lionel Messi and the South American country as they lost, 2-0. As we alluded a second ago, Drake also caught the L by becoming $300,000 less rich.

While it might be chump change to an artist of his stature, it is the bigger picture here that is more relevant. It seems that anytime Drake does anything post the Kendrick Lamar beef, he always manages to get clowned. In that same breath, though, he has mostly done this to himself. Mocking Lionel Messi and Argentina before the match was another one of those mistakes. “This could get Messi [Canadian flag emoji]”, he said while sharing a screenshot of the bet. Because Canada was such an underdog (9.6-1), the payout was massive at $2.88 million.

Argentina Says Drake Is “Not Like Us”

Drake has lost his $300k bet after Argentina beats Canada in Copa America. pic.twitter.com/UXQJyEN6iO

— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 10, 2024

However, both unlikely scenarios occurred, and the Argentina soccer team’s social media account made sure to rub Drake’s nose in it. Of course, what better way to do that than to taunt him with Kendrick’s “Not Like Us”. On X, they wrote, “Not like us, not with us [Argentina flag emoji]”. Getting dissed by one rapper is bad, but a whole country is just on another level of disrespect.

What are your thoughts on Drake getting made fun of by the Argentina soccer team? Is he one of the worst sports bettors you have seen? How does the rapper bounce back from all of these losses in your eyes? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Drake. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the worlds of music and sports.

[Via]

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