Kendrick Lamar put a cap on his months-long feud with Drake by releasing a music video for his hit music “Not Like Us,” which dissed the Canadian rapper.
Lamar launched the video on Independence Day. He beforehand held a live performance known as “The Pop Out” on Juneteenth, the place he carried out “Not Like Us” six occasions. Many followers seen the timing of those occasions as digs towards Drake, who Lamar accused of stealing Black American tradition in his diss tracks.
The “Not Like Us” music video has obtained over 13 million views as of Friday morning.
Many followers on-line praised the video and seen it as a celebration of Compton, Calif., the place Lamar is from, and the West Coast. Others delighted in Lamar’s continued jabs at Drake.
The video seems to make a number of references to Drake, together with the inclusion of an owl piñata and a stay owl in a cage. The owl is a mascot for Drake’s label October’s Very Personal, or OVO. Whereas Lamar was hitting the piñata, the music video flashed the disclaimer: “No Ovhoes have been harmed throughout the making of this video.”
There are additionally references to Toronto, the place Drake is from, within the video. Mustard, the producer who made the “Not Like Us” beat, is featured within the music video sporting a Toronto Blue Jays hat. NBA participant DeMar DeRozan, who’s from Compton however beforehand performed on the Toronto Raptors, additionally makes a cameo within the video. Lamar gave DeRozan a shout out in “Not Like Us” whereas dissing Toronto by the road: “I’m glad DeRoz’ got here house/Y’all didn’t deserve him neither.”
Lamar additionally seemingly made enjoyable of among the claims set forth in Drake’s diss tracks towards him. He’s seen doing push ups on cinder blocks within the video, which individuals interpreted as a reference to Drake’s diss towards Lamar, “Push Ups.” Lamar additionally featured his fiancée Whitney Alford and youngsters, whom Drake claimed have been estranged from Lamar.
The 2 rappers have been embroiled in a rap beef since earlier this yr. Whereas many followers caught by their favourite artists, it’s broadly believed that Lamar gained the battle due to how well-liked and pervasive “Not Like Us” has grow to be. Some stated that “The Pop Out” live performance on Juneteenth was Lamar’s “victory lap” in his lyrical battle with Drake.
Lamar additionally teased an unreleased observe in the beginning of the “Not Like Us” video, which followers speculated hinted at a brand new venture from the rapper.