“Not like us is the energy of who I am, the type of man I represent” - Kendrick Lamar explains the meaning behind his No.1 diss track

From beefing with Drake to being announced as the headliner for the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show, Kendrick Lamar has dominated the pop culture landscape this year.

Yesterday, October 21, Kendrick Lamar sat down for an exclusive interview with Harper's BAZAAR. While touching on topics like faith and music, the rapper also discussed his No.1 diss track, Not Like Us, which earned him eight awards at the 2024 BET Award Ceremony.

According to Kendrick, Not Like Us reflects the morals and values he represents. The rapper explains he's a person who "recognizes" his own mistakes when he says:

"Not like us is the energy of who I am, the type of man I represent. This man has morals, he has values, he believes in something, he stands on something. He's not pandering. He's a man who can recognize his mistakes and not be afraid to share the mistake."

Lamar's diss track, Not Like Us, released in May, quickly became 2024's most significant hip-hop track, garnering almost a billion streams on Spotify alone. The Billboard chart-topper broke several opening-day and streaming records, many of which had been previously set by Drake.

"Certified Lover Boy? Certified p---philes / Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, Dot, f--k 'em up / Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, I'ma do my stuff / Why you trollin' like a b---h? Ain't you tired? / Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A minor." - Kendrick Lamar raps on 'Not Like Us.'

Lamar's unapologetic and explicit lyricism, aiming at Drake and the entire OVO collective, is regarded as the definitive blow in his feud with the Canadian rap icon.

While Drake responded with The Heart Part 6 a day later, the diss track failed to generate the same level of attention, amassing 24 million views on YouTube, where it was exclusively released.

---

SZA interviews Kendrick Lamar for Harper's BAZAAR's October exclusive

The interview with Kendrick Lamar for Harper's BAZAAR was reportedly conducted in August at a hotel suite in Santa Monica.

The rapper requested that the publication allow his former labelmate and All the Stars collaborator, SZA, to conduct the hour-and-a-half-long interview. The feature highlighted how K-Dot explains he "processes information" best through meaningful connections with peers.

From spirituality and emotional cleansing to creativity, the artists delve into deep conversations about their artistry and individuality during the exclusive. Transitioning from Kendrick being in touch with his feminine side, SZA asks Lamar a "hypermasculine" question about his No.1 diss track and what Not Like Us meant to him.

"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." - Kendrick Lamar said.

SZA then shifts the conversation, bringing up claims of Kendrick Lamar being an "angry individual." The singer dismisses the idea as a misconception by comparing the Compton rapper's energy to that of spiritual figures, such as yogis or monks.

Rappers Kendrick Lamar (L) and SZA (R) perform together on day 1 of the Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 13, 2018, in Indio, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

When addressing these perceptions, Kendrick explains why he doesn't believe he's an angry person while highlighting his belief in the co-existence of both "love and war." He elaborates:

"I don't believe I'm an angry person. But I do believe in love and war, and I believe they both need to exist. And my awareness of that allows me to react to things but not identify with them as who I am. Just allowing them to exist and allowing them to flow through me. That's what I believe."

---

With Kendrick Lamar set to headline the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime show, fans online are fueling speculation around an upcoming album from the Compton rapper.

A new LP from K-Dot will mark his career's sixth studio album, officially following up on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which was released in 2022.