College bands turn up the heat with fiery arrangements of Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us'

Nowhere in the country is mainstream culture personified more than college bands that incorporate the latest trends into their arrangements and performances faster than just about any other section of the community. This summer has been no different, especially with the release of Kendrick Lamar's viral song "Not Like Us."

Ahead of the college football season, bands are incorporating the hit single into their arrangements at warp speed. The song went viral after musicians Drake and Kendrick Lamar went on a viral spree of releasing diss songs aimed at each other, with the latter one-upping the former.

A clip of the Florida A&M college band commonly known as the Marching 100 playing the hit single went viral on various social media platforms.

The release of Lamar's song made fans crave the band season, especially in HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Popular musician and personality Joe Budden referred to it during his podcast.

“YOU BETTER THANK YOUR F**KING HEAVENS UP ABOVE THAT IT IS NOT HBCU SEASON!” Joe Budden said. "They gonna kill it!"

Former College band member praises Kendrick's hit

Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" is not only blowing up in professional sports and former Florida A&M marching band member Jana Lynn Walker highlighted its cultural significance to HBCUs and during an episode of her X "After Hours" space, she explained why it was the perfect band song.

“From the beginning fanfare that would be emblazoned by the brass and woodwind sections, supported by the backbone beat by the percussion to the sousaphones driving that bass line, the song has the ability to turn a crowd into a community,” Walker said.

“HBCU bands uniquely keep the spirit of the Black culture experience alive through music, and with Kendrick’s ‘Not Like Us’ showing its cultural relevance as well as being a smash hit, playing it is not only a no-brainer but a welcomed gift to the repertoire,” she added.

Since its release, Lamar's song has gone mainstream in the sports world and has been used in Los Angeles Dodgers games, the NBA playoffs and at a Feyenoord football match.

WNBA teams (the Las Vegas Aces, Seattle Storm and Chicago Sky) have adopted it as a team anthem; the defending national champions, the Michigan Wolverines used it as a soundtrack to their 2024 season.

It promises to be a fun few months as college bands take up the viral hit and make variations that will keep fans entertained for ages.