The Kendrick Lamar victory lap continues.
The Compton rapper lastly launched the music video for “Not Like Us,” his now-legendary Drake diss observe, on Thursday. The video, which comes after Lamar carried out the tune six instances in a row at his joyous “The Pop Out” live performance final month, might be described because the cap on Lamar’s definitive victory over Drake within the beef between the 2 rappers that dominated popular culture for a lot of this 12 months.
The video options a number of references to Drake and his OVO label, and reveals Lamar celebrating with West Coast hip-hop luminaries, in addition to containing a number of delicate and not-so delicate references to the feud.
Directed by the Lamar and Dave Free, the video options a number of cameos from distinguished West Coast figures, together with “Not Like Us” producer Mustard, who can also be carrying a Toronto Blue Jays cap in one of many extra apparent jabs at Drake. Additionally featured are Tommy the Clown, Compton-born NBA star (and former Toronto Raptors participant) DeMar DeRozan, in addition to Anthony “Prime Dawg” Tiffith, CEO of Prime Canine Leisure label.
The video begins with the rapper doing push-ups on cinder blocks in a room accessed by Tommy the Clown. The scene is a reference to Drake’s “Push Ups,” in the course of the launch of which Drake referenced a photograph of Lamar doing push-ups.
Additionally featured are Lamar’s associate Whitney Alford and their two kids. The Drake tune “Household Issues” alleged that Free fathered one among Lamar’s kids with Alford. In a really clear shot again at Drake, Alford, Lamar and the youngsters are seen dancing collectively within the video.
The video options a number of visible references to owls, the fowl related to Drake’s OVO label. There are pictures of an owl resting on Lamar’s arm, pictures of an owl in a cage, in addition to a scene of Lamar smashing an owl piñata, whereas a disclaimer flashes throughout the display studying, “no OVHoes had been harmed in the course of the making of this video.” There are a number of location references within the video, too, together with Tam’s Burgers and the Compton courthouse.
The battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar took the world by a storm in Could, with every musician releasing a number of diss tracks in opposition to one another. Each tune, as The Hollywood Reporter‘s Shaheem Reid wrote, had extra “excellence, pettiness in addition to some ingenious fight zone technique” than the final. Many really feel Lamar gained the feud — “Not Like Us” is statistically the most well-liked tune, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Scorching 100 — with the sure-to-be viral music video the cherry on the highest.