Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” and its references have appeared in TikTok dances for middle school proms, marching bands, and even utilized  by a weatherman. The  hysteria has consumed popular culture, creating a line in the sand on what’s authentic and what’s disingenuous .

With Kendrick’s “The Pop Out,” concert in Los Angeles on Juneteenth, the entire West came out to support and give resistance to Drake’s claim that he got more love than K. Dot in his own city. When Doctor Dre whispered “ I see Dead People,” over the DJ Mustard produced hit, and NBA Basketball star Russell Westbrook and YG danced all over the “ Not Like Us,” set which he performed five times for good measure. Hip-Hop fans understood we were witnessing Drake’s public crucifixion and funeral.

In an article I published on May 5th for Diggiwaxx,https://digiwaxx.com/drake-vs-kendrick-whos-ahead-on-the-score-card/ I had this mega battle with Drake and Kendrick Lamar being close. At the time I had Drake’s “Family Matters,” as the best song in the combat exchange. And though I knew K. Dot came on strong with four songs in one week. I felt like Drake won points for seeming more truthful. Kendrick’s accusation of Drake having a daughter and being a pedophile had no supporting evidence and I felt at the time it came across as a desperate attempt to defame Drake. My article  did not age as well as I anticipated.   The  public and internet declared  Kendrick as the decisive winner. The impact of “Not Like Us,” changed everything for Drake and the outcome of this battle.

So the question is what is it about “Not Like Us” that made it such an anthem and viral sensation? Here are 10 reasons I mustered up, get it ( DJ Mustard). Ha Ha, I crack myself up sometimes, lol. 

1. DJ Mustard gifted Kendrick a taunting piano chord that was the perfect backdrop for Kendrick’s expose of Drake’s fraudulent ways.
2.  Kendrick picked Drake apart by highlighting his close proximity to Atlanta rappers for cultural acceptance, even going so far to call him a “colonizer.”
3. The “Ov Ho”side to side dance is hilarious.
4. The clever connections to Karl Malone, Tekashi 69, and Bill Cosby all either guilty or accused of inappropriate sexual assaults on women is genius.
5. The line about beating Drake and hiding the Bible if God was watching has shock value that only elite emcees can bring to the table .
6. He lived up to certified boogeyman mystique, Kendrick is not one to play with.
7. “Not like Us, “becomes an anthem, at a perfect time while people are outside, the summer.
8. It felt like we got more music from K. dot in a week than we got all of 2024.
9. Just when Drake was looking like Thanos, K.Dot not only stole his thunder he sent him to Hip- Hop exile for the foreseeable future.
10. K. Dot utilized the diss moment at ” The Pop Out” to unite the West Coast gangs in a sign of celebration and  unity.

It feels good to finally admit my wrongs, and to see what the majority saw quite early on. Kendrick  created a significant hip hop moment, highlighting Drake for clout chasing artists when beneficial, and unified what seems like the entire world in ensuring the rapper who created the song “God’s Plan,” was instead destined to be exposed as a “liar.” Drake is as quiet as a church mouse these days with music right now, let’s see if he can reincarnate out of the  pet cemetery Kendrick Lamar buried the For All The Dogs  pop Star in.

By David Lopez

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