Here we go again… Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has broken another Spotify record once held by rival Drake with his 2018 hit “God’s Plan.” This time it’s about the fastest rap song ever to surpass 700 million streams on the platform, and you probably already know the discussion around it. K.Dot fans are cheering for the win, and OVO fans want Kendrick to thank the 6ix god for his success. Either way, both groups are arguing over meaningless number talk. Nothing will change the Compton lyricist’s win, and it would take about 85 more tracks of this level of success to even come close to the Toronto superstar’s numbers at the DSPs.
Furthermore, their post-beef movement further polarizes fans and makes them form judgments about the Kendrick Lamar/Drake feud, confusing their preference for one artist or the other with an analysis of the isolated feud itself. The former showed up for a Juneteenth show and music video and stayed quiet the entire time. The latter just dropped a new batch of tracks that many believe are him attempting to rekindle his various feuds in 2024. So people are either labeling this as desperate or are perfectly content with the mere existence of new music, regardless of quality… Such is the state of public discourse in music culture this year.
Kendrick Lamar breaks another Spotify record for “God’s Plan”
Fans of Kendrick Lamar have even pointed out that he predicted some of Drake’s new views in these IG drops, though that’s just a speculative theory up for interpretation. This is just one example of how this feud has become more about fans vs. fans than rapper vs. rapper since the release of “The Heart Part 6.” Another example is that Drizzy’s every move has fallen victim to public scrutiny and, in the eyes of many, cannot be separated from the context of the fight. Much like Big vs. ‘Pac and Jay vs. Nas before it, we’re now at the exhausting point where the least talked about parts of their rivalry are their actual lyrics against each other.
For fans of hip-hop culture and music in general, this is a pretty disappointing level of hostility. At least a lot of people were instead focusing on both the gang unity that Kendrick Lamar was promoting and Drake’s commitment to giving fans what they love about him. But for every new record that “Not Like Us” breaks in the future – and believe us, it will – fans will once again show their blind support in full force. Many lines from the fight have aged like fine wine, but “Hey, Drake, they’re not slow” is certainly at opposite ends of the spectrum for both extreme fan bases.
About the author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started as a weekend writer in 2022 and has developed an in-depth knowledge of hip hop news and releases since joining the team full-time. Whether it’s regular reporting or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to seek out the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him most is finding interesting pop culture stories, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip hop and its contemporary productions. In particular, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. A proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up to date on the archipelago’s local scene and its greatest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced several short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on various genres and musicians. Hardcore punk and go-go music informed much of his coverage during his time at George Washington University in DC. His favorite hip hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.
…
