Kendrick Lamar Shares His Take on "Not Like Us," While Fans Offer Their Own Interpretations

Within five months of its release on YouTube in July 2024, Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" song garnered over 193 million views. Needless to say, the track quickly became a hit.

Though many perceive it as a diss aimed at Drake, the song holds other meanings, which Kendrick discussed in an interview with SZA for Harper's Bazaar, published in October 2024. Let’s break down the lyrics and explore what they truly mean.

Many believe that "Not Like Us" is a diss track aimed at Drake, but Kendrick revealed its deeper meaning in his Harper's Bazaar interview with SZA. Laughing when asked about it, Kendrick explained, "'Not Like Us' is the energy of who I am, the type of man I represent. Now, if you identify with the man that I represent..."

In true interview fashion, SZA jumped in asking for Kendrick to elaborate more by breaking down what he means by the type of man he is. "This man has morals, he has values, he believes in something, he stands on something. He’s not pandering."

He continued, "He’s a man who can recognize his mistakes and not be afraid to share the mistakes and can dig deep down into fear-based ideologies or experiences to be able to express them without feeling like he’s less of a man."

He added, "If I’m thinking of 'Not Like Us,' I’m thinking of me and whoever identifies with that."

While some have associated Kendrick Lamar with an angry demeanor due to his style and lyrics, he told SZA in their interview that he doesn't "believe [he's] an angry person." He clarified, though, that he does "believe in love and war, and I believe they both need to exist."

While Kendrick never mentioned anyone by name or confirmed that the song is a diss, fans read between the lines. Putting his take on the song aside and digging into the juicy details, here’s what fans believe "Not Like Us" really means.

Reddit user @ScaryGent pointed out that the mention of "OV-Hoes" is a clear jab at Drake and his crew, with OVO Sound being Drake's label and the owl logo symbolizing his brand. The scene where Kendrick is doing pushups is seen as a response to a diss Drake sent Kendrick, saying, "Drop and give me fifty." Kendrick not only dropped the pushups but also dropped the record.

The clowns dancing in the video and the use of bright colors are seen as a nod to Compton, Kendrick's hometown, pushing back against Drake's claims that he no longer visits the city. To further fire back at Drake, Kendrick also included his fiancée, Whitney Alford, in the video, with her wearing a white beater, a subtle response to the abuse allegations Drake had thrown around.

It seems there’s a lot to unpack in Kendrick's hit, which racked up over 193 million views in just five months. That’s a huge contrast to the 5 million views Drake’s latest record managed to garner in three months, highlighting just how impactful "Not Like Us" has been.