Kendrick Lamar has undoubted had one of the biggest songs of the summer with “Not Like Us.” Since its release, the song has garnered debate on the true meaning of the song and whether or not it is a direct snub to Drake and his friends.
In a recent conversation between Kendrick and SZA for Harper’s BAZAAR, Kendrick clarified what the phrase really means, giving his own explanation of the song. SZA asks Kendrick, “What does ‘Not Like Us’ mean to you?” to kick things off, to which Kendrick responded, “‘Not Like Us?’ ‘Not Like Us’ is the energy of who I am, the type of man I represent.” He breaks down this “man” he speaks of, sharing with SZA, “Now, if you identify with the man that I represent…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. If I’m thinking of ‘Not Like Us,’ I’m thinking of me and whoever identifies with that.”
Defining the phrase, Kendrick stayed away from pointing any fingers. Though, fans can deduce for themselves if it is directed to Drake or not. Kendrick clearly aimed for annihilation with songs like “Meet The Grahams” and “Not Like Us,” later turning “Not Like Us” to possibly the biggest hip-hop record of the year.
