Kendrick Lamar has done it again. On Thursday, he released the highly anticipated music video for “Not Like Us.” In case you haven’t noticed, not like us has already had quite the run since its release. Last month, Kendrick’s “Ken and Friends” pop out concert show took place when he performed the song 6 times. As if that isn’t already a “6 God” reference within it self, Kendrick continues to experiment with his word play in the “Not Like Us” visual. Here are the Top 5 hidden gems in the “Not Like Us” visual.
Kendrick Lamar foreshadows “Dark Lane Demo Tapes”
Kendrick starts out with a bang. With this reference you may or may not have caught automatically. During this scene, Kendrick is seen in an almost altercation with a mysterious man while the mysterious man never touches him. Immediately, he is swept away leaving Kendrick untouched. This scene references a scene in Drake’s “Family Matters” video. It also closely resembles Drake’s 2020 album cover for the album “Dark Lane Demo Tapes.”
A-Minor Hopscotch
This reference highlights one of the most popular bars within “Not Like Us.” For this scene, Kendrick Lamar takes a crip walk across a game of hop scotch. While one may note this as childhood nostalgia, Kendrick is taking shots at Drake’s alleged involvement with younger girls. Earlier this year a video resurfaced online of Drake performing in 2010 where he invited a young fan on stage who happened to be 17 years old. In May, Tia Jayed identified herself via Instagram as the girl in the video while debunking any inappropriate conduct between her and Drake during that performance.
Kendrick Lamar drops and gives us 50
This reference is the most self explanatory. Kendrick is seen isolated doing pushups on a pair of cinder blocks. He is responding to Drake’s “Push Ups” Diss track. The song also holds lyrics stating “Drop and give me 50.” Kendrick does just that with ease.
The Family Matters
Kendrick Lamar brings it back home with this reference. In this scene highlights his family as he includes his Fiancé Whitney Alford and their two precious children. This scene responds to Drake’s “Family Matters” diss to Kendrick where he alleges Kendrick being the father of only one of his two children. “I heard one of them Lil Kids might be Dave Free,” Drake alleged. Kendrick also responded by including Dave Free as co-director of the music video.
The Owl becomes the Caged Bird
In conclusion, the last of the five hidden gems may be the most noticeable of them all. Kendrick Lamar is featured holding an owl prior to placing him in his cage. This reference calls out Drake’s Ovo brand. The logo’s owl has become one of the most recognizable modern day Hip-Hop brands overall. Kendrick is seen placing the owl back into the cage before walking away. Additionally, this scene pulls a deeper meaning. Maya Angelo’s 1969 novel “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” also holds weight in this scene. In terms of Drake, this signals him potentially sticking to his element which includes singing. Kendrick maintains control as the bird is now in the cage. What is your favorite reference in this video?
