Kendrick Lamar Releases Video for Not Like Us, Taking a Victory Lap for the West Coast

July 2024 · 4 minute read

After filming in his native Compton and performing the song six back-to-back times at his “The Pop Out” concert last month, Kendrick Lamar has released the long-awaited video for “Not Like Us,” the biggest hit from the beef between him and Drake.

The clip, directed by Dave Free and Lamar, celebrates the West Coast with a few digs at Drake and his OVO crew. The video begins with Tommy the Clown letting Lamar into a metallic room before the rapper does push-ups on cinder blocks — a nod to Drake’s track “Push Ups,” after Drake referenced a photo of Lamar doing the exercise as part of its rollout.

Related Stories

Multiple cables winding together creating one big cable VIP+

The Great Cable Rollup That Will Never Be

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 07: Guillermo del Toro and Robert Eggers seen at a Special Screening of Focus Features' "Nosferatu" at Directors Guild Of America on November 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Focus Features via Getty Images)

Oscar Voters, Don’t be Scared of ‘Nosferatu’: Director Robert Eggers Explains His Gothic Horror Vision at First Screening (EXCLUSIVE)

Soon, Lamar is hitting an owl piñata, a reference to Drake’s OVO owl, with a disclaimer at the bottom of the screen reading, “No OVHoes were harmed during the making of this video.” Lamar then hits the streets driving a car with the song’s producer Mustard riding shotgun.

Popular on Variety

Fans have already taken note that Lamar’s fiancée Whitney Alford and their two children appear dancing in a living room in the video. Alford was a talking point in one of Drake’s diss songs, “Family Matters,” where the Toronto rapper claimed that the video’s co-director and Lamar’s longtime associate Dave Free fathered one of Lamar’s children with Alford.

Needless to say, the video for “Not Like Us” is something of a victory lap for Lamar, who arguably emerged the victor in the beef that ignited earlier this year with Drake.

VIP+ Analysis: Streaming Data on Rap’s ‘Big Three’ Proves 2024 Is the Year of the Rap Beef

Of all the songs in the back-and-forth between the two, “Not Like Us” became the biggest hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a Song of Summer contender.

Lamar recently performed the song six times at his “The Pop Out” concert in his native Los Angeles, which took place on June 19. For the event, he repped for his hometown, bringing out a team of musicians including Dr. Dre, YG, Tyler the Creator, Schoolboy Q and more.

Read More About:

Jump to Comments

More from Variety

Most Popular

Must Read

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Variety Confidential

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXOAjqasrKGTZLumw9Joop6mlKe2pLeMpZimmaJiu7DAjKWgpJ1dqsBuwsidnKhlYWeAd3yVaW5wcF8%3D