Kendrick Lamar may have dropped the final blow in his long-standing feud with Drake earlier this year with the diss track “Not Like Us,” but for Lamar, the song goes beyond musical rivalry. In a recent interview with his “All the Stars” collaborator SZA for Harper’s Bazaar, Lamar opened up about the personal significance behind the fiery anthem.
Released in May 2024, “Not Like Us” brought an end to the back-and-forth diss tracks between the two Grammy winners, marking the conclusion of a feud that started when Lamar rejected comparisons to Drake and J. Cole in his verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s song, “Like That.” Drake had implied the three were equals in his 2023 song “First Person Shooter,” but Lamar swiftly dismissed the notion. After months of intense musical jabs, fans declared Lamar the victor with the release of “Not Like Us,” produced by DJ Mustard, which quickly went viral and became a summer anthem.
Speaking with SZA, Lamar reflected on the song’s personal significance, noting that “Not Like Us” is more than just a diss track. It’s an expression of his core values and the type of man he strives to be.
“He has values, he believes in something, he stands on something,” Lamar said, referring to the persona he embodies in the song. “He’s a man who can recognize his mistakes and not be afraid to share them… [He] 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.”
While the track is infamous for its direct hits at Drake, the interview focused on Lamar’s broader philosophy, with no mention of his rival. Instead, Lamar emphasized that “Not Like Us” represents a deeper reflection on personal growth and self-awareness.
Lamar also shared insights on his approach to balancing “love and war” in his music, suggesting that his creative process is about allowing both to “exist and flow” through him.
Though “Not Like Us” has been a smash hit, Lamar said that music is not his “end goal.” Instead, he values using music as a tool to connect with the youth and share meaningful stories. “Music is just a vessel to get me there,” he told SZA, stressing the importance of communication beyond the music itself.
As Kendrick Lamar gears up for his return to the Super Bowl halftime stage next year on February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, fans can expect to see more of this evolved, introspective version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper. Despite the diss track’s success, Lamar is looking toward the future, using his platform to engage and inspire audiences far beyond the charts.
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