Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s beef has been by far the biggest story in rap this year. While the beef is firmly in the rearview mirror now, fans are still processing everything that unfolded in the beef. It didn’t help how quickly the beef unfolded. Diss tracks dropped in rapid-fire fashion one after another over a weekend last month. As those songs have hit the Hot 100 its become more and more clear that the beef was one of the most commercially appealing of all time. It included two songs, “Like That” and “Not Like Us” that debuted in the top spot on the Hot 100. It also included three other top-ten hits on the chart.
Kendrick Lamar in particular has seen a massive boost in streaming. Not only have his diss tracks been the bigger hits of the pair, but his back catalog has also racked up more and more streams. As of today, he has reached a new peak on the most listened to artists in the world chart. The list keeps track of where particular artists lie among the most popular in all of music. It’s been dominated by Taylor Swift and The Weeknd in the past few years. Now Kendrick Lamar has officially entered the top 10 for the first time in his career as he currently sits at the #10 spot. Consequently on the other side of the beef, Drake currently sits as the #6 most listened-to artist in the world.
Kendrick Lamar Enters The Top 10 Most Listened To Artists On Spotify
Kendrick Lamar has now entered the top 10 artists with the most monthly listeners on Spotify for the FIRST time in his career (74m) pic.twitter.com/lgYVGomc7k
Additionally, Kendrick Lamar was recently honored with a top 10 spot of a different kind. Apple Music has spent all week ranking their greatest albums of all time in a top 100 list. The top 10 was finally revealed today where Kendrick’s 2012 album Good Kid m.A.A.D City landed at the number 7 spot.
What do you think of Kendrick Lamar becoming one of the top 10 most listened-to artists on Spotify for the first time? Do you think his level of popularity will be maintained going forward even without the beef? Let us know in the comment section below.
Mustard is a fan of a new remix of his Kendrick Lamar song, “Not Like Us,” that Battlecat shared on Instagram, on Tuesday. When the beat-maker shared a clip of Soulection co-founder Joe Kay performing the remix during a recent DJ set, he captioned the post: “BANG THE CLASSICS WIT A NEW CLASSIC & THIS HAPPENS.” Amorphous handled production on the effort. In the comments section, Mustard, who produced the original song for Lamar, left several fire emojis.
Mustard teamed up with Lamar for the song amid his ongoing feud with Drake. In the lyrics, Lamar targets the Toronto rapper with bars about his crew allegedly being made up of pedophiles. He raps: “To any b*tch that talk to him and they in love / Just make sure you hide your lil’ sister from him / They tell me Chubbs the only one that get your hand-me-downs / And Party at the party playin’ with his nose now / And Baka got a weird case, why is he around? / Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles.”
LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 20: DJ Mustard attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Joe Kay popped up in the comments section as well to show love to Battlecat for sharing the clip. “Much love to the [goat emoji]’s,” he wrote. “Thanks for reposting this moment from our @soulection show. ‘We Can Freak It’ is one of my all time fave productions too. Shout out @theofficialamorphous on the flip.” Other comments came from fans who were loving the track. “One of the dopest basslines ever!! Love me some Korupt and Battle Cat,” one user wrote. Another added: “Battlecat the heart beat of So.Cali …”
Check out Battlecat’s post featuring the comment from Mustard above. “Not Like Us” has been dominating the charts since it debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, last. Be on the lookout for further updates on Mustard on HotNewHipHop.
Kendrick Lamar has added a new mansion to his real estate portfolio. According to The Wall Street Journal, the “Not Like Us” hitmaker dis coping the crib for over $40 million.
The purchase is one of the most expensive property purchases of 2024. The home once belonged to a trust of former Fox Corp. executive Viet Dinh and his wife, Jennifer Ashworth Dinh. The couple bought the home for $20 million in 2019.
The new crib is 16,000 square feet and has eight bedrooms in the main house. Additionally, there is a wine cellar, gym, pool, and guesthouse.
In more Kendrick Lamar news, is back on top of the Billboard Hot 100 with a Drake diss. Following the success of his scene-stealing “Like That” call out, Kendrick Lamar has placed a solo hit on top of the charts with “Not Like Us.”
Additionally, Lamar’s shade to Drake on “Euphoria” moves into the No. 3 slot from No. 11. “Like That” rebounds from No. 8 to No. 6. Drake gets a shot in on his own, with “Family Matters” hitting at No. 7.
According to Billboard, this is Lamar’s fourth Hot 100 No. 1 and 15 top 10s. Drake has a whopping 78 top 10 records, an all-time record.
“Not Like Us,” released on pgLang/Interscope Records/ICLG, storms onto the Hot 100 with a staggering 70.9 million official streams, 5 million radio airplay audience impressions, and 15,000 units sold in the U.S. for May 9. Remarkably, these numbers were achieved despite the track’s late release on Sunday, May 5, after the chart’s tracking week had already begun on May 3.
This debut marks the 1,171st song to claim the No. 1 position in the 65-year history of the Hot 100, and notably, it’s the 79th to accomplish this feat straight out of the gate.
Additionally, “Not Like Us” ascends to the top spot on the Streaming Songs chart, becoming Kendrick Lamar’s fifth chart-topper in this category. Its 70.9 million streams represent the highest weekly total among R&B/hip-hop tracks since YouTube user-generated content was excluded from chart calculations in 2020. Surpassing the previous record set by Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, which garnered 67.3 million streams in its debut week on rankings dated September 18, 2021.
Furthermore, the track dominates the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts right out of the gate, marking Lamar’s fourth No. 1.
In other chart news, “Euphoria” experiences a surge in streams, climbing to 49 million (up from 28.9 million in its initial frame). At the same time, its airplay audience dips slightly to 1.9 million (down from 2.5 million) and sales increase to 7,000 (up from 6,000) during the May 3-9 tracking period.
Completing Lamar’s trio of hits in the Hot 100’s top 10, “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin rises to No. 6 from its debut atop the chart on April 6. The track gains 22% in streams, reaching 34.2 million during May 3-9, along with a 13% increase in radio reach to 29.4 million and a 76% surge in sales to 3,000 units.
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” is the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. A song about Drake being an alleged predator is the number one song in the country. Let that sink in pic.twitter.com/ETm0VQPRSF
Kendrick has a 4 and a half minute and a 6 and a half minutes song at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.. insane lol. Bring back 3 verse rap songs please. pic.twitter.com/EqNukDwryU
— International Sleep⁷ 시차 (@SleepDeez) May 13, 2024
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” is the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. A song about Drake being an alleged predator is the number one song in the country. Let that sink in pic.twitter.com/ETm0VQPRSF
Though the beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake is likely over, the impact of their brief spat it likely to be felt for quite a while. One of the big reasons why is Kendrick’s final release in their back-and-forth, the DJ Mustard-produced “Not Like Us.” Instead of some of the more serious tracks that spawned from their beef, “Not Like Us” is a banger that fans latched onto immediately. The song soared to a number one debut on the Hot 100 with just 5 days tracking. This week it sits at the number two spot behind only Morgan Wallen and Post Malone’s new collaboration which debuted at number one.
Someone who seems to be a particular big fan “Not Like Us” is Kendrick’s former Top Dawg Entertainment label mate Doechii. During a recent performance she interpolated the song into one of her biggest hits. The success of her track “Persuasive” served as a massive leaping off point for her back in 2022. In particular, the track’s remix featuring SZA became a major fan favorite. Now she’s once again making additions to the track as she delivered lyrics from “Not Like Us” during her performance of it at a recent show. Check out the clip of her live mash-up below.
Earlier this year, a list of Top Dawg Entertainment artists expected to release a new album in 2024 made the rounds online. Included on the list was Doechii who has already begun teasing a potential new project. Most notably, she dropped the single “Alter Ego” which features JT of City Girls on it. The hard-hitting cut has racked up more than 8 million streams on Spotify since it first dropped last month.
What do you think of Doechii mashing up her song “Persuasive” with Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us?” Are you looking forward to the new album from the R&B songstress promised by TDE earlier this year? Let us know in the comment section below.
Kendrick Lamar took on Drake in what many are calling the biggest rap battle in the history of the genre. Overall, it was a messy fight with Kendrick taking the win thanks to hit records like “Not Like Us” and diabolical tracks such as “Meet The Grahams.” Although some felt like Drake’s hitmaking abilities would be too much to overcome, Lamar proved people wrong. Now, “Not Like Us” is the number-one track on the Billboard charts, and some are saying that this could be the song of the summer.
Over the last week or so, much has been made of the streaming numbers for all of the diss songs that were released. For instance, fans have been pitting “Family Matters” against “Not Like Us.” According to Rap TV, the Spotify numbers are not looking great for Drake. We say that because “Not Like Us” was streamed 70.9 million times in its first week, while “Family Matters” only hit 38 million streams. That means Kendrick almost doubled what Drake was able to do.
Furthermore, Kendrick even outstreamed Drake with “Euphoria” as that song hit a cool 49 million streams. As for Drake, “Push Ups” did 18 million streams although it had been out for a few weeks, so you can’t fault Drizzy for that one. Regardless, “Like That” continued to do huge numbers with 34 million streams. Lastly, “Meet The Grahams” had a great first week with a total of 27.7 million streams. Considering the haunting nature of this song, that is a pretty solid debut. Regardless, it seems as though the people have spoken, and they are giving Kendrick the final W.
Let us know what you thought of the rap battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that this was truly a blow out in favor of Kendrick? Which song from the beef are you listening to the most these days? 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.
Baka Not Nice has seemingly addressed Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” diss, in which the Compton rapper accuses the longtime OVO member of having a “weird case.” In 2015, he pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman and was sentenced to six months in jail. Additionally, he was charged with forcing the woman into prostitution, but that case was dropped when she refused to testify.
On Sunday, he shared a picture of himself on his Instagram Story with a caption that seemingly addressed the situation. “I STAY WITH INTELLIGENT PPL I’M NOT A FOLLOWER YOU CAN’T LEAD ME TO NO SLAUGHTER MEN LIE WOMAN LIE BUT PAPERWORK CAN’T,” he wrote.
Baka Not Nice & Drake Attend Raptors-Rockets NBA Game
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 8: Drake sits with Baka Not Nice as the Toronto Raptors play the Houston. Rockets during their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on April 8, 2022, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
Baka isn’t the only member of OVO that Lamar brings up on the song. He raps: “They tell me Chubbs the only one that get your hand-me-downs / And Party at the party playin’ with his nose now / And Baka got a weird case, why is he around? / Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles.” Drake fired back in response to the remarks with the song, “The Heart Part 6,” which he dropped a day after Lamar’s track. He raps: “Just for clarity, I feel disgusted, I’m too respected / If I was f*cking young girls, I promise I’d have been arrested / I’m way too famous for this sh*t you just suggested.” In the weeks since the chaotic weekend during which both artists dropped several diss tracks, the two have been silent.
Check out Baka’s latest Instagram post above, as caught by DJ Akademiks. Be on the lookout for further updates on Baka Not Nice as well as Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s beef on HotNewHipHop.
TI says that he was at a barbecue at Usher’s house when he heard Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” for the first time. He detailed the moment the party caught wind of the diss track during a recent interview on Big Boy’s Neighborhood.
T.I. began by revealing that he’s been hearing the song played in the clubs. “I was at Usher’s house. We were having a little get-together. A barbecue or what have you,” he began. He added: “Any social circle you gather during that time period, that’s gonna be the conversation. So everybody was, just as you said, listening to the records as they dropped.” He then explained that as they were listening to “Family Matters,” T.I. noticed that “Not Like Us” dropped. “Those are moments that hip-hop created,” he said. From there, he revealed that they all went to the club and both diss tracks played. “It all stimulates the attention of this thing that we do, what we know and love so much. So, I think that any time you got two giants in a field that are worthy opponents, you know that can match wits with one another, I feel like it’s gon’ be good for the game,” he said.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – FEBRUARY 14: T.I. attends Usher’s “Coming Home” Album Release Event at Red Martini on February 14, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)
While he does feel its good for the game of hip-hop, he did, however, add: “I will say this, they done kinda f**ked it up for some other people who were planning to drop, you know what I’m saying, in this period. I think the people were like, ‘D**n, I was gon’ drop but, you know, let me just see this through.’” Check out his full comments on the matter below.
Drake followed Lamar’s “Not Like Us” with “The Heart Part 6” the following day, but both have been silent in the time since. Be on the lookout for further updates on Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s feud on HotNewHipHop.
According to HITS Daily Double, across Lamar’s fiery tracks, in just this week (week ending 5/09), he supposedly pulled in an estimated $562,368. In the age of streaming, several musicians (such as Snoop Dogg) have expressed their frustrations with each platform’s pay model. On the flip side, for Lamar the feud has seemingly proven to be lucrative, specifically in relation to his streaming income.
“Not Like Us” alone reportedly grossed a total streaming revenue of $264,325 (58,739,000 counted streams). The second highest streamed (45,755,00) solo diss track from Lamar, “Euphoria,” is estimated to have earned $205,896. Lastly, with a total stream count of 20,478,00, Lamar’s “Meet The Grahams” supposedly brought in $92,147.
According to the outlet, the track to set it all off, Metro Boomin and Future’s “Like That,” also generated a pretty penny. With 29,978,000 counted streams, that track is estimated to have generated $134,900 in streaming income alone.
Now, these numbers could fluctuate based on Lamar’s royalty percentages (sound recording, mechanical rights, and the performance rights). Still, even if the final number dropped significantly, this is quite a massive payout for essentially airing out your grievances. Most people have to pay a therapist big bucks for that.
The Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef seems firmly in the rearview mirror as fans reflect on the entire beef to try and dissect who came out on top. But that hasn’t stopped the songs from racking up millions of streams and radio plays. The pair occupied a full quarter of the Top 20 on the Hot 100 with diss tracks alone this week. That included three in the top 10, four if you include the Future & Metro Boomin song “Like That” that kicked off the beat in the first place.
At the very top of all of it is Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” which debuted at number one on the Hot 100 with only 5 days of tracking. The song has been breaking Spotify records left and right including a record previously held by Drake for the most streams in 24 hours. Now the song has officially hit 1 million units sold in just 12 days. It’s the fastest that any song has hit the milestone so far in 2024 surpassing hits from megastars like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. In fact, it’s among the fastest selling songs of the entire decade so far to reach the milestone.
“Not Like Us” is expected to compete for a second week at the top spot on the Hot 100 next week. Artists like Billie Eilish and Tommy Richman will look to dethrone the rapper from the top spot in the coming weeks. His first true diss track of the beef “Euphoria” also made a big jump in its second week. It rose from its debut inside the top 15 into the top 3 on this weeks edition of the chart.
What do you think of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” continuing to rack up records for its sales numbers? Are you surprised it’s the fastest song to his 1 million units sold so far this year? Let us know in the comment section below.
Ralfy the Plug said the quiet part out loud when he alleged that Kendrick Lamar’s lingo and flow on the diss track, “Not Like Us,” is a trickle-down version of his brother Drakeo The Ruler’s style of rap. And while there were naturally a lot of dissenting opinions, many seem to agree with the statement. This was even before Ralfy brought it up. However, the nuances should not be ignored. K-Dot has always shown signs of being a student of rap first and foremost. While his style is innovative, there will always be similarities here and there. But is this a classic case of copping another artist’s flow? Or did Kendrick Lamar give Drakeo the Ruler a very subtle shoutout on the record-breaking “Not Like Us”?
Ralfy the Plug has previously expressed his thoughts on Kendrick Lamar’s music following the release of Lamar’s album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. On an episode of Bootleg Kev’s podcast, Ralfy criticized the album, specifically suggesting that it had “barbershop old n***a vibes” mixed with “politic music.” He particularly argued that Kendrick Lamar should not be hailed as the messiah of rap, especially when there were artists like his brother who had been releasing “heat no skips.”
Ralfy made it clear that he acknowledged a few records on the album as good. He also claimed to appreciate Kodak Black’s contributions. However, he did not want Lamar’s album to be seen as the saving grace of rap. He then further elaborated on his views on Twitter, stating: “Kendrick make the type of music you listen to when you on yo way to a job interview or when you at home doing homework so you got to put yo head phones on to block everybody out because knowledge is power I don’t be on that type shit don’t be mad at my opinion.” Unsurprisingly, this criticism was met with backlash.
Drakeo The Ruler’s Influence
Drakeo the Ruler’s rap style and lingo were truly distinct. His work quickly set him apart in the L.A. rap scene and beyond. Notably, his musical approach was characterized by a laid-back yet assertive delivery, often described as “creeping” through the beat. His music also often featured dense and claustrophobic beats, and he was recognized for his whispery vocal delivery and complex lyrics. Drakeo was also a pioneer of words. He was known for coining phrases like “flu flamming,” “uchies,” “Pippi Longstockings,” and “mud walking.”
However, Drakeo the Ruler himself confessed his unique style was influenced by a number of LA classics. He was greatly inspired by the battle rapper Cocky, who Drakeo admired for his smooth and calm delivery despite the aggressive content of his lyrics. Besides the delivery though, Drakeo was widely known for creating atmospheric music. His flow was unconventional; and he would often mumble in a blunt yet compelling manner. This stylistic approach is known as the “nervous” rap. Despite not being a chart-topper, Drakeo the Ruler defined a new generation of LA rap with his unique style and language.
Did Kendrick Lamar Pay Homage To Drakeo The Ruler?
Kendrick Lamar has long been associated with the old school style of West Coast rap. After all, K-Dot is a proud Compton native. Beyond that, Kendrick seems to be quite distant from newer acts. However, a second listen to “Not Like Us” shows that some aspects of Kendrick Lamar’s track give off similar vibes to Drakeo the Ruler’s work.
For one, there are the lyrics. Words and phrases like “Deebo,” and “certified boogeyman I’m the one that upped the score with ‘im,” seem to carry Drakeo the Ruler’s signature on them. Evidently, one can argue that words like these are direct effects of the LA rap scene. But it’s also enough to claim that Drakeo’s shadow looms large over the track. “Walk em down I know he got some ho in him” and “man call an amperlamp tell ‘em breath bro” both mirror Drakeo’s art. In fact, the entire first verse on the track seems to be a testament to Drakeo’s legacy.
So it’s not a stretch to say that Kendrick Lamar is adopting Drakeo the Ruler’s flow. But what’s most important is identifying Kendrick’s allegiance to the West Coast. It’s definitely worth mentioning the similarities, as well as the homage, but Drakeo the Ruler is not the only artist K-Dot references on the track.
Kendrick, a master of his craft, is not one to shy away from drawing inspiration from his contemporaries. His silence on adopting the new style championed by Drakeo doesn’t diminish the evidence presented in his music. But then it also raises the question of Kendrick’s intentions to emulate this rap style on his diss track against Drake, especially when the Canadian rapper previously collaborated with Drakeo before his passing. Moreover, the production by DJ Mustard — known for his “ratchet” style West Coast beats — adds another layer of complexity.
Despite the rumors of Mustard’s alleged falling out with Drakeo the Ruler, the beat for “Not Like Us” does carry the essence of his sound. It’s quite evident that fans of both artists will easily pick up on it. However, a simpler theory is that Kendrick is simply branching and trying out a newer West Coast sound, one that’s inspired by the younger homegrown LA artists.
Both Kendrick Lamar and Drakeo the Ruler’s music often falls squarely into the tradition of classic L.A. rap. However, what makes them stand out is their wit, as well as their refined and vivid perspectives. They are both authentic and original artists, known to adapt to the flows of the legends before them. Despite his untimely death, Drakeo the Ruler’s legacy continues through his music. Evidently, Kendrick Lamar’s work, whether consciously or not, pays homage to this legacy. Regardless, they will forever be influences within the genre of West Coast Hip Hop.
pic.twitter.com/lgYVGomc7k
CLASSICS WIT A NEW CLASSIC & THIS HAPPENS.” Amorphous handled production on the effort. In the comments section, Mustard, who produced the original song for Lamar, left several fire emojis.
