Months before announcing his fifth album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers in 2022, Kendrick Lamar wrote a letter to fans. In it lies a sentence that always stuck with me: “I go months without a phone.”
The Compton star’s alleged disconnect from the world, which became a trademark of sorts for him, also led to a disconnect with Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha fans who demand their stars to be ever-present and at the top of their to keep their crown. Two years later, Lamar finds himself in the good graces of these young fans following his win in the epic, rapid-fire rap battle against Drake. Through his diss tracks, especially “Not Like Us,” Lamar not only reconnected with the world and remained present, but he also proved that he always had his ears to the streets.
For example, in the “Not Like Us” video, Lamar references a Drake TikTok dance video — something a rapper who goes “months without a phone” wouldn’t notice. In the end, it made for an entertaining war that also made Lamar a more appealing figure for Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha rap fans who had yet to connect with him.
When Lamar announced Morale, he did so by quoting a tweet by self-labeled “hip-hop enthusiast” SK (@raptalksk) who claimed that “Kendrick Lamar is officially retired” due to the lengthy absence fans endured before the album’s release. SK, a college freshman at the time of that tweet, captured the general sentiment of Gen-Z and Alpha rap fans who’d yet to see Lamar be the star that their elders claimed he was. Lamar wasn’t as active and ever-present as his contemporaries – Drake and J. Cole – or modern-day stars like Travis Scott, Future, and Young Thug, nor was his music universally loved like the aforementioned names.
Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha rap fans live in an era where their favorite entertainment is readily and consistently available, and new editions quickly arrive to replace the previous ones. In the past decade, Lamar didn’t care to cater to their desires, but in his battle with Drake, Lamar prioritized their interests knowing that it was key to beating his opponent.
Unlike any other time in his career, Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha rap fans became Kendrick Lamar’s main audience during the height of his beef with Drake. “Not Like Us,” Lamar’s final entry in the battle, is a joyful dance on Drake’s metaphorical grave and a victory lap that mocks the rapper with comedic vitriol, a perfect delivery for Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha fans. Lines like “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor” and “Freaky-ass n****, he a 69 God” and the “OVOHoe” chant quickly became rallying cries in young fans’ newfound love for Lamar in the mainstream world. With “Not Like Us,” Lamar successfully recruited a new generation of rap fans who’d failed to appreciate him as one of rap’s elites. It’s the same crowd that Drake typically catered to with his music, especially that of the past half-decade.
It was a smart move from Lamar who is just two years removed from the mixed reception Morale received. Yes, the album topped the charts and went on to win a Grammy for Best Rap Album the following year, but it wasn’t held in the same regard by this young generation. It extended a streak of difficulty Lamar had in roping in Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha.
To Pimp A Butterfly, arguably his best album, is often deemed his worst by this young crowd. DAMN. trended in the right direction, but Morale erased that progress – not that Lamar desired to go out of his way and recruit this crowd. That changed with “Not Like Us.” Lamar reportedly removed copyright claims on the song for a limited time which allowed streamers – mostly made up of Gen-Z and Alpha members – to freely use the record for any content they desired, even commercial purposes.
Just like that, “Not Like Us” skyrocketed to the top of the charts and entered itself into the song of the summer conversation while becoming the biggest hit of Lamar’s career. To this day, videos with the song continue to go viral on social media. Whether it be at clubs, birthday parties, other artists’ concerts, in weather reports, or Twitch streams from this generation’s favorite streamers, “Not Like Us” has become inescapable. It’s a successful move by Lamar pulled right from Drake’s playbook as the Toronto native employed the same tactics with his Meek Mill diss track “Back To Back.”
Lamar pushed the agenda further by performing the song five consecutive times at his The Pop Out — Ken & Friends show before releasing an epic music video for the song three weeks later. The same Kendrick Lamar who would release an album, drop music videos, and go on tour, before retreating to his Compton cave, is now outside and in the face of everyone willing and unwilling to watch just as the young generation called for him to be.
“Not Like Us” and Kendrick Lamar’s rap beef with Drake placed the star right back in the good graces of young rap fans. How long Lamar will be there remains unknown, but at the very least, their eyes are on him as they await his next move. Rumors of new music on the way from Lamar have picked up steam by the day as some hint at a massive “Not Like Us” remix while others point the rapper’s sixth album is on the way.
The latter seems to be the most likely as the “Not Like Us” video begins with a brief preview of an unreleased song complete with thumping, bass-rattling production that Lamar glides over with a catchy flow. The preview was met with support from all generations as they begged Lamar to release the song. This is all a result of “Not Like Us,” a record that unlocked the Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha rap fan generations for Kendrick Lamar who will have his biggest audience yet for the most anticipated era of his career.
