not like us

Kendrick Lamar Has Drake Fans Feeling Bored After “Not Like Us” Breaks Another Record

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Here we go again… Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has broken yet another Spotify record once held by his rival Drake’s 2018 hit, “God’s Plan.” This time, it’s for the fastest rap song ever to surpass 700 million streams on the platform, and you probably already know the discourse around it. K.Dot fans are rejoicing in the victory, and OVO fans want Kendrick to thank the 6ix God for his success. Either way, both groups are arguing with each other over pointless numbers talk. Nothing will change the Compton lyricist’s victory, and it would take about 85 more tracks of this level of success to even begin to creep up on the Toronto superstar’s numbers on DSPs.

What’s more is that their post-beef movement is also further polarizing fans into making judgement calls about the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef, confusing their preference for either artist as analysis on the isolated battle itself. The former popped out for a Juneteenth show and music video, keeping quiet throughout it all. The latter just dropped a new set of tracks which many believe he’s using to try to revive his various 2024 feuds. So folks are either labeling this as desperate or are fully content with just the existence of new music regardless of quality… Such is the state of public discourse in this year’s music culture.

Read More: Drake Seemingly Mocks Kendrick Lamar On New Song “Circadian Rhythm”

Kendrick Lamar Breaks Another “God’s Plan” Spotify Record

Kendrick Lamar fans even pointed to him predicting some of Drake’s new angles on these IG drops, although that’s just a speculative theory up for interpretation. That’s just one example of how this beef became more about fans versus fans rather than rapper versus rapper ever since “The Heart Part 6” dropped. Another is how Drizzy’s every move has fallen victim to public scrutiny, irremovable from the context of the battle in many’s eyes. Much like Big vs. ‘Pac and Jay vs. Nas before them, we’re now at the exhausting point in which the least talked about parts of their rivalry are their actual lyrics against each other.

For hip-hop culture and music fans at large, this is a pretty disappointing level of animosity. At least many folks instead focused on both the gang unity that Kendrick Lamar promoted and on Drake’s commitment to giving fans what they love from him. But for every new record that “Not Like Us” breaks in the future – and trust us, it will – fans will once again display their blind support in full colors. Many lines from the battle have aged like fine wine, but “Hey, Drake, they’re not slow” is certainly on the opposite end of the spectrum for both extreme fanbases.

Read More: Mustard Completely Rules Out Working With Drake Following The Kendrick Lamar Beef

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California Legends Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, And Kendrick Lamar’s Music Made Its Way Into The State’s 2024 DNC Roll Call

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Snoop Dogg was one of the most talked about non-competing Team USA members. His advocacy reportedly earned him a hefty seven figure check. Before cashing checking for commentary work, the “Gin And Juice” rapper’s music brought home the bacon.

Today (August 20), at the 2024 Democratic National Convention his home state honored his early career. During California’s roll call, led by Governor Gavin Newsom, its delegates subtly paid tribute to several hip-hop legends from the Golden State. As Newsom delivered his speech (viewable here) to advocate for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, songs from California legends Dr. Dre, the late Tupac, Kendrick Lamar, and of course, Snoop Dogg played in the background.

Although none of the living acts were present to perform their classic tracks, that didn’t stop viewers at home from performing karaoke to the instrumentals. Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” featuring Snoop Dogg, Tupac’s “California Love” featuring Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” and “Not Like Us,” all made the state’s unofficial 2024 DNC playlist.

California wasn’t the only state to lean on hits from beloved natives. As a proud product of Atlanta, Lil Jon threw his support behind the Georgia delegates with a performance of his song “Turn Down For What” with DJ Snake.

Breaking Down TikTok’s Songs Of The Summer: Kendrick Lamar, GloRilla, Tinashe & More

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It’s a bittersweet moment approaching the mid-August mark every year. The last few days of summer are those to cherish while the year’s final stretch lies ahead. Still, we have about one-third of 2024 left to produce hit records and albums that could top the year-end list. However, around this time, we start to look back at the records that defined the summer, and TikTok is probably an accurate reflection of the soundtrack to our core memories around this time. 

It’s impossible to acknowledge the imprint that Kendrick Lamar had this year through a week’s worth of activity. From “Euphoria” to “Not Like Us,” he smashed the charts and emerged victorious in his long-standing feud with Drake, and by the time June rolled around, it became clear that the latter was going to be pervasive throughout the months that followed. But beyond Dot’s #1 single, TikTok’s top 10 Songs of the Summer in the U.S. also included several smash hits from hip-hop and R&B vets and newcomers, along with acts like Billie Eilish and Sabrina Carpenter. For the most part, hip-hop reigned supreme on TikTok this summer. Below, we’ll be diving into them.

Read More: The TikTok Music Takeover

Jordan Adetunji – “KEHLANI”

TikTok has been the launching pad of several careers. Some may have predicted that it might not be sustainable but in the case of Jordan Adetunji, it seems like it’s only the beginning. His hit record began to gain traction on the platform, and eventually, landed a feature from Kehlani herself. “KEHLANI” comes in at #10 on TikTok’s Songs Of The Summer list.

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

It could’ve been worse for Drake. It could’ve been #1. However, Kendrick Lamar, who one might describe as the antithesis of TikTok fame, found footing on the social media app with his hit song/diabolical diss track aimed at Toronto. Throughout the summer, the song has catapulted to radio and TikTok heights in ways that we’ve never seen before with a diss record. Nonetheless, it had a stronghold among the top 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 over the past few months while the single soundtracked basically every type of TikTok video possible – dance videos, cooking videos, and even political commentary.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Is Officially Eligible For The Grammys

GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion – Wanna Be

GloRilla’s career could basically be on vacation between September – April, and still pop out as the reigning queen of the summer. Landing at #8 is her highly infectious collaboration alongside Megan Thee Stallion, which has transformed into a soundtrack for twerking and hair styling. Though “TGIF” definitely has a higher ranking for our summer 2024 anthems, “Wanna Be” isn’t too far behind.

Lay Bankz – “Tell Your Girl”

Lay Bankz has been making some major noise over the past few years but her efforts on TikTok have undoubtedly gained the most amount of attention. Fortunately, that has worked in her favor and landed her a spot on this year’s Songs of The Summer. In March 2024, a dance trend on TikTok, initiated by user @who.is.ga6y and later boosted by @laurieluna13, propelled “Tell Ur Girlfriend” to popularity, resulting in a surge of streams. By the following month, the track had appeared in millions of TikTok videos. Bankz filmed the music video for “Tell Ur Girlfriend,” which landed at #7, in her hometown of Philadelphia, which also sparked a separate TikTok trend focused on her appearance in the video.

Ian – “Magic Johnson”

Ian has been one of the most divisive figures in hip-hop this year. Still, the controversy that’s followed him has played a significant role in his overall success as becoming a leader of the new generation of hip-hop. With the release of Valedictorian, he finally broke into mainstream consciousness and his hit record, “Magic Johnson” has contributed towards that. The single has made some major waves online, thanks to TikTok, cementing its status as one of the biggest hits of the summer.

Read More: Ian’s Manager Calls Out Tyler, The Creator After Alleged Interview Diss

Blood Orange – “Champagne Coast”

Initially released in 2011, this single from Dev Hynes a.k.a Blood Orange has rightfully earned its title as a timeless record. “Champagne Coast” has gained momentum through a variety of trends, such as the one where people ask their younger selves different prompts, like “did we make it?” or “did we strike it rich?” another trend suggests that a person will stay single until they hear “Champagne Coast” when gazing into the eyes of a potential partner. Blood Orange topped the TikTok Billboard 50 chart earlier this summer. 

Tinashe – “Nasty”

As far as transcending through the times, Tinashe’s resilience deserves the utmost applaud. However, the release of “Nasty” marked a new era in her career, one where she delivered one of the hardest R&B bangers of the summer that has spawned a ton of dance and trending challenges on TikTok. In April, “Nasty” gained viral fame after the song was placed over a video of UK dancer Nate de Winer biting his nail and rolling his hips to the song. Since then, it’s earned well over 13 million views, inspiring dance routines by Christina Aguilera and Janet Jackson, among others. 

Read More: Tinashe Capitalizes On The Hype Surrounding “Nasty” With “Match My Freak EP”

Tommy Richman – “Million Dollar Baby”

Perhaps, it was inevitable that Richman would face industry plant accusations the moment he had his breakout but let’s be real, “Million Dollar Baby” is an undeniable hit. Along with “Not Like Us,” this song has had a strong grip on radio, social media, and the clubs for the entirety of the summer and will likely continue to dominate in the months to come. That said, it’s no wonder that it was the #1 song on TikTok over the past few months. Tommy Richman defined the summer of 2024. 

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Dre Dre Credits Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” For Unifying Compton

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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.”

Read More: Dr Dre Gets Offer From Olympic Archer To Train With Him For 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

Dr Dre Admits Things Feel “Different” After “Not Like Us”

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.”

Read More: Dr Dre Blasts Olympics For Not Having Better Breakdancers In Competition

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Dre Dre Credits Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” For Unifying Compton

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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.”

Read More: Dr Dre Gets Offer From Olympic Archer To Train With Him For 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

Dr Dre Admits Things Feel “Different” After “Not Like Us”

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.”

Read More: Dr Dre Blasts Olympics For Not Having Better Breakdancers In Competition

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Michael Rubin Had To Stop Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ From Playing At His All-White Party Because Of Drake

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Drake attended Michael Rubin’s annual Fourth Of July all-white party in The Hamptons, and his presence directly impacted the party’s playlist.

Rubin confirmed to The Breakfast Club that there was truth behind rumors claiming that Kendrick Lamar’s chart-topping Drake diss track “Not Like Us” was not allowed to be played at the party.

“Drake’s my friend for a long time,” Fanatics CEO Rubin said. “I’m not gonna invite him and then have, you know, look, he’s obviously going through a little bit of a battle right now. I’m not gonna have him come there — I just didn’t think it was appropriate. So, I just sent a note, I said, ‘Hey, let’s not play anyone’s music that’s feuding with anyone that’s there.’”

Rubin noted that Drake had not asked Rubin to prevent “Not Like Us” from playing.

“The day before, we had a small barbecue for a few hours that was supposed to be thirty people [but] turned into 200 people for about ten hours,” he added. “That was the pre-game to the white party. When they turned the music on, just like in my house, they put RapCaviar, and ‘Not Like Us’ came on. It was in the middle of ‘Not Like Us.’ I’m like, ‘Get that off! Get that off!’ [Drake] was pulling up soon.”

Elsewhere this week, former US President Barack Obama raised eyebrows by omitting “Not Like Us” from his 2024 summer playlist.

Watch Rubin on The Breakfast Club above.

Polo G Declares The Best Song From The Kendrick Lamar And Drake Battle

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In a new interview with DJ Akademiks, Polo G was asked for his thoughts on the Drake and Kendrick Lamar battle. The battle, which ended between the rappers in May, still rages on today through their respective fanbases. The climactic track, “Not Like Us,” turned into a victory lap for Lamar, who created one of the most popular songs of 2024.

Polo G did not want to pick sides or a winner. Akademiks changed his line of questioning, instead asking for his favorite song from the battle. Polo settled on “Not Like Us,” becoming the latest rapper to praise the track in the last few months. Akademiks, who has often been critical of Kendrick Lamar, could not deny the track’s success. He called it a “bop,” which is more praise than he usually reserves for Lamar’s music.

Read More: Polo G Breaks Silence On His Mother Shooting At His Sister

Polo G Praises “Not Like Us”

“Not Like Us” has been a massive success for Kendrick Lamar. It was his first #1 single since “HUMBLE.” from his 2017 album, DAMN. The track recently passed 650 million Spotify streams, becoming the most-streamed diss track on the platform. Earlier this month, it received the first of what will probably be many award nominations, getting a nod at the VMAs for Song of the Year. It’s become such a big track that Michael Rubin had to ban it from his Fourth of July party because Drake attended the festivities.

Polo G recently released Hood Poet, his fourth studio album, on August 9. The album features collaborations with Future, GloRilla, Offset, and others. It’s received tepid critic reviews, though fans of his are enjoying the new music. Over the last few weeks, he’s done some press for it. He was on The Breakfast Club earlier this month, and now he’s on Akademiks’ show for the same purpose. Akademiks will not be the only person to ask Polo about his thoughts on the Drake and Kendrick Lamar battle, as it’s the hottest story in hip-hop this year. But, he can say he was the first to get the Chicago rapper’s perspective.

[Via]

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Michael Rubin Reveals He Banned Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” From Party With Drake In Attendance

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Michael Rubin says that he asked the DJs at his Fourth of July party not to play Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss track, “Not Like Us,” out of respect for his friend, Drake. Speaking about the viral beef during an interview with The Breakfast Club, the Fanatics founder explained that he didn’t want to make the Toronto rapper uncomfortable while he was in attendance.

“It was true,” Rubin admitted on the latest episode of the show. “I just didn’t think it was appropriate, so I said, ‘Hey, let’s not play anyone’s music that’s feuding with anyone here.’ That was a me decision. I just thought it wasn’t the appropriate thing to do.”

Read More: Drake Pops Out At Michael Rubin’s White Party As Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Music Video Drops

Drake & Meek Mill During Michael Rubin’s Super Bowl Party

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 11: (L-R) Meek Mill, Bismack Biyombo, and Drake attend Michael Rubin’s 2023 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at the Arizona Biltmore on February 11, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Fanatics)

From there, he discussed the beef as a whole. “You have to be built for social media, you got to be tough, you have to take sh*t from people,” Rubin said. “Look, Drake is an iconic artist that we all have tremendous respect for. What I said to Drake and I really believe this, this is a great test for him. You can’t get to where he’s got to and not have people coming for you. I sleep with one eye open. I know right now we have three businesses. People are coming for me in every business every day, and that’s part of with success comes more competition, more hatred, and you know the best people show why they’re the best, and if you’re not the best, you crack and you fall apart. So I think this is a great test for him. I think he’s going to come out with lots of incredible music.”

Michael Rubin Speaks On His Relationship With Drake

 
 
 
 
 
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Check out Rubin’s full comments on his relationship with Drake on The Breakfast Club above. He’s far from the first celebrity to speak on the beef. Earlier this week, LL Cool J made headlines for picking Lamar as the winner. Be on the lookout for further updates on Michael Rubin as well as Drake and Kendrick Lamar on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Lil Wayne Thanks GloRilla For Being The Only Person Who Greeted Him At The White Party

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LL Cool J Says Kendrick Lamar’s Beef Tactics Against Drake Were “The Funniest Sh*t In The World”

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LL Cool J heaped praise on Kendrick Lamar for his tactics against Drake in their ongoing feud. Speaking about the beef during an interview with Ray Daniels Media, he labeled Lamar’s cover art for “Not Like Us” the “funniest sh*t in the world.”

“This sh*t is crazy,” he remarked. “This ain’t got nothing to do with nothing but its the funniest sh*t in the world. It’s bananas. That kinda thinking, you have to respect that.” When DJ Akademiks shared the take on Instagram, fans had mixed responses. “Putting false claims on a man name is not funny it’s corny. Kbot a cold hater,” one user wrote. Another added: ‘All fun n games till someone do it to you.”

Read More: LL Cool J Believes “Not Like Us” Success Has Been Torture For Drake

Kendrick Lamar Films “Not Like Us” Music Video In Los Angeles

Watts, CA – June 22: Kendrick Lamar smiles alongside Jay Rock, center, in between filming for the music video for “Not Like Us” at Nickerson Gardens on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Watts, CA. (Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

LL Cool J also discussed how rap beefs have evolved over the years. “This generation, they think much more multilayered,” he argued. “The thinking is far more layered. The thinking used to be kinda like– back in the days it was like, ‘Okay, you do the song.’ That was it. Then it transitioned to, ‘You do the song and you do the video.’ Now, it transitioned to, ‘You do the song, you do the video, you have a brand, you do a book, you have the movie, you have the music. You monetize it. You have a platform.’ The layering of the thought process is completely different.” From there, he explained that there’s a lesson to be learned for established artists from the youth. Check out the full comments below.

LL Cool J Speaks On Drake & Kendrick Lamar

 
 
 
 
 
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It’s not the first time Cool J has spoken on Lamar and Drake’s beef. Speaking with Hot 97’s TT Torrez, last month, he argued that Drake made a “bad choice” by taking on Lamar. Be on the lookout for further updates on LL Cool J on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: LL Cool J Thinks Drake Made A Bad Choice In Battling Kendrick Lamar

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Barack Obama’s Summer Playlist Omitted A Massive Hit, And Fans Wonder If The Former President Is On Team Drake

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Barack Obama is listening to everything from Charli XCX to Shaboozey, but apparently wasn’t feeling Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” leading to fans wondering whether the former President is on Team Drake. While “Not Like Us” has turned out to be one of the biggest songs of the summer so far, climbing to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 multiple times, it doesn’t appear on Obama’s recently shared summer 2023 playlist — even though the playlist includes entries from hip-hop faves like GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion, and Saweetie.

The song spawned a browser game, inspired part of Serena Williams’ ESPY Awards monologue, and finally connected Kendrick Lamar to Gen Z and Gen Alpha fans. The song was even a big hit during the Olympics, with Team USA basketball stars Steph Curry and LeBron James debating its merits during shootaround.

It isn’t like Obama dislikes the Compton rapper’s music; he’s hung out with the rapper on several occasions, and even admitted to having him on a much more private playlist. He even predicted that Kendrick would topple Drake in a theoretical rap battle, eight years before the two actually came to lyrical blows. Maybe his excluding “Not Like Us” was an oversight, or perhaps he simply wanted to keep things kosher for the playlist, which still feels like it has some obligation to be at least a little wholesome and less haterific.