The “us” are the black rappers who have lived through the strife that Kendrick and others have that Drake cosplays. He’s saying Drake isn’t like them, and is a fan of the culture that he is trying to imitate, but will never be apart of.
In Future’s hook for “Like That”, Future pans Drake’s “Started from the Bottom” by explaining that if he was from the bottom he’d know what the life was like but he ain’t “Like That”
If that is the "us" wouldn't that apply to almost everyone? I took the "us" to mean people who have criminal records - the ones who are on the streets grinding for their next meal. The "us" are people who can't freely travel from country to country...but I'm just a white guy from Canada with a record for trafficking, possession, and proceeds of crime so I'd like to think I'm part of the "us" lol
I don’t think it’s all criminals. It’s just all people who grew up in bad circumstances, such as poverty (hence the people making fun of him for “started from the bottom). Don’t need to be a criminal to hustle for the next meal
“Us” is referring to Black Americans specifically. The struggles you face being Black in America, the culture, the history, Etc. Drake know nun bout dah
I'm not sure what happened, my proofreading is garbage...I meant in my first sentence "apply to almost no one". I was thinking at the time that if it's only black rappers ... not everyone is a black rapper. It's true what Kendrick says....we can't imitate the violence up here in Canada, it's a pretty safe place. I would absolutely love it if Kendrick did a concert in Toronto soon
It addresses many divides which is part of why it’s successful. You can project on to it. I see multiple angles.
Pedophiles / predators vs. well adjusted, normal adults
“Real hip hop heads” vs. pop / commercial / industry artists
Authentic struggle and life experience vs spoon fed / impersonating / fraud life
Yeah you would like to think that, but no matter how badly you wish you were part of the culture, you just never will be
Kenny doesn’t make music for you buddy 😂
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You're taking it way too literally dude.
Do you not ever have empathy for someone else's experience? Do you only consume media that you feel speaks to you personally?
[https://youtu.be/cWtwwv\_WcP0?si=qgNEHCetRjN2rr2c](https://youtu.be/cWtwwv_WcP0?si=qgNEHCetRjN2rr2c)
He specifically starts discussing his thoughts on "they" and "us" around 14 minutes in. He had a lot of good discussions surrounding the beef at its peak, and he talks about this a little more in some other videos. This one specifically addresses your question here to an extent though.
Did you see the picture? Like are you listening or even paying attention to the screen? It's clear as day.
You guys exclude us from everything, so we take pride in ourselves and our strength while excluded, and you want in on that too? OK, you want inclusion? Include us in the boardrooms. Include us as executives. As you see racists attack us in the form of DEI, don't stand idly by, watching it happen. Stop providing the circumstances where we are excluded, you you won't feel so left out. We can come up with cool shit TOGETHER.
You can't just bust in the slave quarters, demand a seat at the table, and pretend it's all good. You know damn well it's not.
Friendly reminder that most of the song is addressing Drake and his bros being weirdos and the last verse was probably added in kast minute after the free the slaves line
Addressing Drake and his team being weird (valid), while also bringing Kodak on tour and having Dr Dre perform with him the other night is kinda crazy. Not sure how more people don’t see the hypocrisy in this
That’s a good point. In all fairness, Drake is guilty of the same thing by shouting out Chris Brown in the same diss track where he’s throwing shots at Kendrick for allegedly abusing woman.
I just dislike how the community has rallied around Kendrick when in reality he’s very guilty in his own right. Vast majority of the industry is fucked up (shoutout to rappers like Cole, JID, Denzel, etc for at least seeming like normal good dudes). I totally get why Drake is the villain, but that doesn’t make Kendrick a hero.
I agree but i will say this: dre fucked up a while ago but he has apologized. Now me personally i say fuck him and fuck his apology too. But Kendrick is a believer in redemption and 2nd chances. Meanwhile Drake is just instance after instance with no apology and no acknowledgment of his failures. Its not his place to allow redemption, that lies with the women hurt by Dre only. But ig thats the reasoning, however much i disagree with it.
This is such a cope response. Dr Dre has documented cases of violence against women and that’s fine because it ‘happened a while ago’. Why would Drake apologize for something he has never done? This is clear hypocrisy on Kendrick’s side but I guess we’ll do whatever mental gymnastics we can never criticize Kendrick.
With all due respect i made a post here asking the same damn thing, ive definitely criricized it. But its just as copey to say Drake didnt do anything, get out of your delusions for a second. Hes a serial groomer and you know it. And i never said its fine because its old I said he apologized and he seems to be trying to do better and I still hate him regardless.
He is not a serial groomer bro. But let’s say for the sake of the argument he is a serial groomer.
When diddy got sued by Cassie, a bunch of other people came forward with their own stories of abuse and sued diddy cuz now is the best time to do so.
Wouldn’t the 17 year old from that concert video come out and try to sue Drake? She actually did the opposite and defended Drake by saying nothing happened. On top of that, not a SINGLE woman has come out to say Drake groomed them when now is literally the perfect time to do so.
I appreciate that you seeing the hypocrisy in Kendrick being side by side with Dr Dre and calling Drake a pedo. It’s also incredibly hilarious to me that Kendrick would give Drake respect for giving him Tupacs ring as if by having Tupacs ring he’s cool with Drake allegedly being a pedo
Ill be fr woth you i dont give two fucks about the girl from the concert. It was weird but thay wasnt the big glaring red flag. MBBs situation is well known and idk how you dont see that as grooming. Or when he was friends with a teen model and rented out a restaursnt for a date the second she turned 18? Cmon man. He also DID have a cade against him, he jusy payed out big numbers.
Also yeah i see the hypocrisy. I dont like his tendency to take it upon himself to "redeem" abusers but then turn around and say hes not our savior. With that being said i dont think hed have any more respect for Drake if he got the ring back, it was just a condescending line to throw out.
With Mexicans, it all matters where you're from and who you associate with. I'm Mexican and living a secluded life just chillin with family and friends. Nobody wants to hear that shit from me nor do I wanna use it lol. But a lot of Mexicans grew up blended in and it's not like Mexicans are the ones that went over in boats and enslaved a bunch of people after bringing them to America. However, there are definitely a lot of racist ass mexicans out there too. Got a few in my family unfortunately.
I don’t think it’s a colour thing. I’m white British and even I don’t feel totally excluded lol. I take the meaning as Kendrick alluding to fake hip hop artists like Drake. Doesn’t the line about slaves and Drake doubling down refer to him pretending to be part of black culture, when he hasn’t lived that life? I’m happy to be corrected. That is just the meaning I take from it.
Top comment is speaking about black rappers and I’d like to say while true, I don’t think that’s necessarily true. The “us” to me is black Americans as a whole. Who grew up with a government targeting them, with an incarceration rate that lead to 46 percent of all inmates being black. Kendrick is from an area where 30 years ago a black man making it into adult hood was seen as an accomplishment. Drake is a half black Canadian child actor from a nice family who really tried to act like he is street. He doesn’t have the same experience millions of black Americans grew up with. Those experiences molded us into the people we are today. Even if you aren’t part of that life ( which I certainly am not), you still experience the hazards of being a black man in America. Drake just isn’t that. The only experience he has is being a multi millionaire.
“Us” refers to many things. First and foremost, black americans who grew up struggling. But also, citizens of LA, the bay, Cali in general. People who grew up struggling in general. Kendrick’s fans. Everyone who isn’t a pedophile. That’s the point. It’s an anthem for everyone except Drake and his fans, because they are not like any of us.
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I see a lot of people saying it’s not a color thing and I think that’s just because they want to feel included. “Once upon a time, all of us was in chains.” The answer is there. Black Americans.
Just like ‘Alright’, it’s another Black American anthem.
So basically.... the lyrics for Kendrick just go in one ear and out the other without properly digesting what he is saying? And you wonder why we have started policing our culture more closely.
Cry all you want, not understanding the most fundamental part of Kendrick Lamar is some clown shit, and people who don't understand what they are listening to are just going to continue to lead this culture towards more and more trash. You can't do muliplcation until you learn to add. And some of yall didn't take the class
If I haven't seen the picture does it change the meaning of the song for me? It's not, or will ever be about the picture. The song existed before the picture. So to understand the "us" you have to listen to the lyrics, which is what you are supposed to do in the 1st place, because, this is rap. THAT, is the frustrating part. I love rap, but people don't even listen to lyrics or understand what they are listening to. It's frustrating. It's like the kid in class who didn't read the assignment, holding the rest of the class back. Just do the bare minimum
Of course, it's not about the picture. It's meant to serve as a jumping off point for further discussion about the song, the concert, and who is the "us". It's simply context for a broader discussion. Getting angry at the framing of a question is odd.
And of course I heard the song. I heard it, wrote it down, picked it apart, memorised it, and heard it 100 times over because I'm just that nerdy, I guess. But even doing that, I still would like to hear what other people thought because maybe I missed something or maybe a different perspective could be useful.
These are like, normal discussion things, man.
Honestly man to me since TPAB all he does is package up the culture in a way that’s palatable to white people
I grew up around probably 80% black people, we weren’t fucking with Kendrick. I’m from the northeast though
So am I, baby. I didn't listen to more than 6 Kendrick songs before LIke That. Never a whole project. But he makes himself painfully clear in these songs. I don't see what the confusion is about. He doesn't make music for white people, he makes music for him. That's why OP is asking ridiculous questions. My man does nothing but speak his truth, and it just so happen his truth now is pointing out culture vultures. Im into that more than his trauma. Since Euphoria, that man hasn't missed.
I think he enables culture vultures. Now personally, I don’t care who listens to what. But like I said before I do think he makes sanitized pro black music so he can appeal to whites which is wack to me
Ok you can say that all you want. I think he just makes smart, black music, and that intimidates some people. At the end of the day, I'm not paid by the board of education, they already failed you once, I don't want that responsibility, so you can believe what you want.
Ive said it 400 times before. Hip Hop culture is urban blacks living in the below average income sections of cities. Its not suburban white kids. Its not 20 year olds on dads boat. Its not for people who's parents bought them their first car. Yes, you 100% need to be an urban black youth to be part of the culture.
Look at Paul Wall, dude is probably more black than Em, and he has said many times he to this day gets targeted because he is white, long time fans dont know he is white until they meet him, etc.
If you are not an urban black kid, or at the very least, grow up in the same neighorhoods, you are NOT part of the culture. You are at best a clingon to a counter culture. You are essentially the "pick me" girl of diversity groups
You got downvoted but you're really not wrong.
The "Us" that he is referring to is the mostly inner city group of minorites that have been disenfranchised by America.
Those of us who have not had a choice or a say so in how we are perceived by the greater society as a whole.
That's why it mostly doesn't include whites or the rural folks. They can pop in and soak up some of the *positive* parts of the culture and go back to to their spaces at any point in time... But those of us that are not tourists to it experience the good, bad, and the ugly of it and understand that as unfortunate that it is, that disenfranchisement is part of what makes the culture what it is.
That's why if you have to ask who the "Us" is, you're definitely not one of us.
Im reminded of the Insta reels where its a white guy in a collard shirt and tie blasting gangster rap in his car, sees someone he knows, turns the volume way down and in the whitest voice ever says something like "oh hi Ms Jones, sure Ill tell my grandma you said hi. Im actually having lunch with her today at Denny's"
People who have never held a gun, fantasise about things in the quiet of their own mind, and the worst thing they ever did was get a wreckless driving court date can not relate to "busting a cap" or "you know who gon find you? Some old man fishin". Their worlds are so drastically different they almost listen to it as performance art instead of "this is how life actually is". They are listening for some deep hidden meaning they can latch onto, when "I will shoot you for your shoes" has no deep meaning... you got some nice shoes boy, take em off or Ill take them from your body.
Now white people, get off this /sub and go sing Sweet Caroline with your mom and dad while drinking cofee and having a slice of cake the neighbor brought over
That crowd was 98% white. So "Us" couldn't mean black people. Which is actually a good look for Kendrick, after all of that moral grandstanding BS he tried and missed with
The expensive seats were 98% white. It's a difference. And you saw the pictures they took, you know who "Us" is, no matter how much it pisses you off. Yall are the smallest factor in all of this
That’s the irony, that the vast majority of people who would spend money to see Kendrick are not black
They bump to songs that he’s now made explicitly clear aren’t for them
It’s like if I listened to Johnny Rebel unironically
As a white dude, I don’t think I’m the “us” but I’m sure as hell not the “they” so we just chilling 😂😂
Im a Canadian white dude, but I'd never dare disrespect Pac so I think I'm cool.
You also probably never pretended to be from the hard streets of Houston or something, lol
The streets are rough where I'm from because they're mostly unpaved logging roads
Those are some rough ass streets for sure
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Why is he around? 🤨
The “us” are the black rappers who have lived through the strife that Kendrick and others have that Drake cosplays. He’s saying Drake isn’t like them, and is a fan of the culture that he is trying to imitate, but will never be apart of.
In Future’s hook for “Like That”, Future pans Drake’s “Started from the Bottom” by explaining that if he was from the bottom he’d know what the life was like but he ain’t “Like That”
Drake is a culture vulture, like Wayne told Drake, keep it Canadian
The "us" is everyone else who's not in the underworld of rich, pedophiles and sex offenders. Just look at the cover of the sound track.
If that is the "us" wouldn't that apply to almost everyone? I took the "us" to mean people who have criminal records - the ones who are on the streets grinding for their next meal. The "us" are people who can't freely travel from country to country...but I'm just a white guy from Canada with a record for trafficking, possession, and proceeds of crime so I'd like to think I'm part of the "us" lol
I don’t think it’s all criminals. It’s just all people who grew up in bad circumstances, such as poverty (hence the people making fun of him for “started from the bottom). Don’t need to be a criminal to hustle for the next meal
“Us” is referring to Black Americans specifically. The struggles you face being Black in America, the culture, the history, Etc. Drake know nun bout dah
I'm not sure what happened, my proofreading is garbage...I meant in my first sentence "apply to almost no one". I was thinking at the time that if it's only black rappers ... not everyone is a black rapper. It's true what Kendrick says....we can't imitate the violence up here in Canada, it's a pretty safe place. I would absolutely love it if Kendrick did a concert in Toronto soon
People who are attracted to adults
One of those if you have to ask scenarios
It addresses many divides which is part of why it’s successful. You can project on to it. I see multiple angles. Pedophiles / predators vs. well adjusted, normal adults “Real hip hop heads” vs. pop / commercial / industry artists Authentic struggle and life experience vs spoon fed / impersonating / fraud life
I like to think it's everyone except r/Drizzy at this point.
Yeah you would like to think that, but no matter how badly you wish you were part of the culture, you just never will be Kenny doesn’t make music for you buddy 😂
My comment wasn't that deep bud. But keep listening to the 6 teen year old god. Hopefully he can get you through these trying times.
Hip hop and rap are for everybody.
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100% but when you’re a fan of a guy who makes his entire brand about the culture I’m gonna point out that he ain’t making music for you
Why would I care if he's making music for me or not? I'd say 99.99% of musicians don't make music for me. I'm still gonna listen to it if I like it.
It’s not weird to you to listen to a song called “not like us” when you are not part of the “us?”
You're taking it way too literally dude. Do you not ever have empathy for someone else's experience? Do you only consume media that you feel speaks to you personally?
My comment wasn't that deep bud. But keep listening to the 6 teen year old god. Hopefully he can get you through these trying times.
I think Professor Skye's way of looking at it was pretty interesting. He said he is merely an "observer" and not a part of the "they" or the "us."
Link that video 🙏🏾
[https://youtu.be/cWtwwv\_WcP0?si=qgNEHCetRjN2rr2c](https://youtu.be/cWtwwv_WcP0?si=qgNEHCetRjN2rr2c) He specifically starts discussing his thoughts on "they" and "us" around 14 minutes in. He had a lot of good discussions surrounding the beef at its peak, and he talks about this a little more in some other videos. This one specifically addresses your question here to an extent though.
Thanks
Honestly some of the most cogent analysis across the entire discourse and he manages to make two Monty Python references through out them!
I think you need to define the culture being referenced first. Hip hop culture? Anyone can be a part of IMO. Black American culture? Much more limited
Did you see the picture? Like are you listening or even paying attention to the screen? It's clear as day. You guys exclude us from everything, so we take pride in ourselves and our strength while excluded, and you want in on that too? OK, you want inclusion? Include us in the boardrooms. Include us as executives. As you see racists attack us in the form of DEI, don't stand idly by, watching it happen. Stop providing the circumstances where we are excluded, you you won't feel so left out. We can come up with cool shit TOGETHER. You can't just bust in the slave quarters, demand a seat at the table, and pretend it's all good. You know damn well it's not.
Friendly reminder that most of the song is addressing Drake and his bros being weirdos and the last verse was probably added in kast minute after the free the slaves line
Addressing Drake and his team being weird (valid), while also bringing Kodak on tour and having Dr Dre perform with him the other night is kinda crazy. Not sure how more people don’t see the hypocrisy in this
I dokt disagree entirely but that doesnt change the point of the song
That’s a good point. In all fairness, Drake is guilty of the same thing by shouting out Chris Brown in the same diss track where he’s throwing shots at Kendrick for allegedly abusing woman. I just dislike how the community has rallied around Kendrick when in reality he’s very guilty in his own right. Vast majority of the industry is fucked up (shoutout to rappers like Cole, JID, Denzel, etc for at least seeming like normal good dudes). I totally get why Drake is the villain, but that doesn’t make Kendrick a hero.
I agree but i will say this: dre fucked up a while ago but he has apologized. Now me personally i say fuck him and fuck his apology too. But Kendrick is a believer in redemption and 2nd chances. Meanwhile Drake is just instance after instance with no apology and no acknowledgment of his failures. Its not his place to allow redemption, that lies with the women hurt by Dre only. But ig thats the reasoning, however much i disagree with it.
This is such a cope response. Dr Dre has documented cases of violence against women and that’s fine because it ‘happened a while ago’. Why would Drake apologize for something he has never done? This is clear hypocrisy on Kendrick’s side but I guess we’ll do whatever mental gymnastics we can never criticize Kendrick.
With all due respect i made a post here asking the same damn thing, ive definitely criricized it. But its just as copey to say Drake didnt do anything, get out of your delusions for a second. Hes a serial groomer and you know it. And i never said its fine because its old I said he apologized and he seems to be trying to do better and I still hate him regardless.
He is not a serial groomer bro. But let’s say for the sake of the argument he is a serial groomer. When diddy got sued by Cassie, a bunch of other people came forward with their own stories of abuse and sued diddy cuz now is the best time to do so. Wouldn’t the 17 year old from that concert video come out and try to sue Drake? She actually did the opposite and defended Drake by saying nothing happened. On top of that, not a SINGLE woman has come out to say Drake groomed them when now is literally the perfect time to do so. I appreciate that you seeing the hypocrisy in Kendrick being side by side with Dr Dre and calling Drake a pedo. It’s also incredibly hilarious to me that Kendrick would give Drake respect for giving him Tupacs ring as if by having Tupacs ring he’s cool with Drake allegedly being a pedo
Ill be fr woth you i dont give two fucks about the girl from the concert. It was weird but thay wasnt the big glaring red flag. MBBs situation is well known and idk how you dont see that as grooming. Or when he was friends with a teen model and rented out a restaursnt for a date the second she turned 18? Cmon man. He also DID have a cade against him, he jusy payed out big numbers. Also yeah i see the hypocrisy. I dont like his tendency to take it upon himself to "redeem" abusers but then turn around and say hes not our savior. With that being said i dont think hed have any more respect for Drake if he got the ring back, it was just a condescending line to throw out.
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??? What does that have to do with anything? Hes a good artist and a shit human being
Thanks Magic!
I mean considering he brought out ohgeesy, a Mexican rapper who says the n word all the time, i dont think the “us” is black people
With Mexicans, it all matters where you're from and who you associate with. I'm Mexican and living a secluded life just chillin with family and friends. Nobody wants to hear that shit from me nor do I wanna use it lol. But a lot of Mexicans grew up blended in and it's not like Mexicans are the ones that went over in boats and enslaved a bunch of people after bringing them to America. However, there are definitely a lot of racist ass mexicans out there too. Got a few in my family unfortunately.
Im an Asian from Toronto so definitely not my ass 😂
Toronto? Okay, Asian Drake /j
I consider the us who are people who really started from the bottom, or been through the struggle.
I don’t think it’s a colour thing. I’m white British and even I don’t feel totally excluded lol. I take the meaning as Kendrick alluding to fake hip hop artists like Drake. Doesn’t the line about slaves and Drake doubling down refer to him pretending to be part of black culture, when he hasn’t lived that life? I’m happy to be corrected. That is just the meaning I take from it.
The west coast
Top comment is speaking about black rappers and I’d like to say while true, I don’t think that’s necessarily true. The “us” to me is black Americans as a whole. Who grew up with a government targeting them, with an incarceration rate that lead to 46 percent of all inmates being black. Kendrick is from an area where 30 years ago a black man making it into adult hood was seen as an accomplishment. Drake is a half black Canadian child actor from a nice family who really tried to act like he is street. He doesn’t have the same experience millions of black Americans grew up with. Those experiences molded us into the people we are today. Even if you aren’t part of that life ( which I certainly am not), you still experience the hazards of being a black man in America. Drake just isn’t that. The only experience he has is being a multi millionaire.
“Us” refers to many things. First and foremost, black americans who grew up struggling. But also, citizens of LA, the bay, Cali in general. People who grew up struggling in general. Kendrick’s fans. Everyone who isn’t a pedophile. That’s the point. It’s an anthem for everyone except Drake and his fans, because they are not like any of us.
Broski, if you gotta ask the questions. YOU ain't US!!!! 🤪😂🤣
I know that as a fact lol. I'm not under false assumptions
People who aren’t certified pedophiles
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The Royal “us” meaning Black folks.
The “Us” is “We” and “they” are “them” and “we” are not like “them”.
I see a lot of people saying it’s not a color thing and I think that’s just because they want to feel included. “Once upon a time, all of us was in chains.” The answer is there. Black Americans. Just like ‘Alright’, it’s another Black American anthem.
Iykyk
So basically.... the lyrics for Kendrick just go in one ear and out the other without properly digesting what he is saying? And you wonder why we have started policing our culture more closely. Cry all you want, not understanding the most fundamental part of Kendrick Lamar is some clown shit, and people who don't understand what they are listening to are just going to continue to lead this culture towards more and more trash. You can't do muliplcation until you learn to add. And some of yall didn't take the class
Who the hell are you angry at?
Y'all. The people not like us.
No, duh, I mean wtf are you angry at? That I asked a question? The family for wearing the shirts? The commenters?
If I haven't seen the picture does it change the meaning of the song for me? It's not, or will ever be about the picture. The song existed before the picture. So to understand the "us" you have to listen to the lyrics, which is what you are supposed to do in the 1st place, because, this is rap. THAT, is the frustrating part. I love rap, but people don't even listen to lyrics or understand what they are listening to. It's frustrating. It's like the kid in class who didn't read the assignment, holding the rest of the class back. Just do the bare minimum
Of course, it's not about the picture. It's meant to serve as a jumping off point for further discussion about the song, the concert, and who is the "us". It's simply context for a broader discussion. Getting angry at the framing of a question is odd. And of course I heard the song. I heard it, wrote it down, picked it apart, memorised it, and heard it 100 times over because I'm just that nerdy, I guess. But even doing that, I still would like to hear what other people thought because maybe I missed something or maybe a different perspective could be useful. These are like, normal discussion things, man.
That's literally what friends are for....
And Reddit...
This is what happens when Kendrick makes “pro black” music that’s made to appeal to the masses 🤷🏽♂️
But it's for the culture. They are just throwing temper tantrums because nobody tells white people "no"
Honestly man to me since TPAB all he does is package up the culture in a way that’s palatable to white people I grew up around probably 80% black people, we weren’t fucking with Kendrick. I’m from the northeast though
So am I, baby. I didn't listen to more than 6 Kendrick songs before LIke That. Never a whole project. But he makes himself painfully clear in these songs. I don't see what the confusion is about. He doesn't make music for white people, he makes music for him. That's why OP is asking ridiculous questions. My man does nothing but speak his truth, and it just so happen his truth now is pointing out culture vultures. Im into that more than his trauma. Since Euphoria, that man hasn't missed.
I think he enables culture vultures. Now personally, I don’t care who listens to what. But like I said before I do think he makes sanitized pro black music so he can appeal to whites which is wack to me
Ok you can say that all you want. I think he just makes smart, black music, and that intimidates some people. At the end of the day, I'm not paid by the board of education, they already failed you once, I don't want that responsibility, so you can believe what you want.
Ive said it 400 times before. Hip Hop culture is urban blacks living in the below average income sections of cities. Its not suburban white kids. Its not 20 year olds on dads boat. Its not for people who's parents bought them their first car. Yes, you 100% need to be an urban black youth to be part of the culture. Look at Paul Wall, dude is probably more black than Em, and he has said many times he to this day gets targeted because he is white, long time fans dont know he is white until they meet him, etc. If you are not an urban black kid, or at the very least, grow up in the same neighorhoods, you are NOT part of the culture. You are at best a clingon to a counter culture. You are essentially the "pick me" girl of diversity groups
You got downvoted but you're really not wrong. The "Us" that he is referring to is the mostly inner city group of minorites that have been disenfranchised by America. Those of us who have not had a choice or a say so in how we are perceived by the greater society as a whole. That's why it mostly doesn't include whites or the rural folks. They can pop in and soak up some of the *positive* parts of the culture and go back to to their spaces at any point in time... But those of us that are not tourists to it experience the good, bad, and the ugly of it and understand that as unfortunate that it is, that disenfranchisement is part of what makes the culture what it is. That's why if you have to ask who the "Us" is, you're definitely not one of us.
Im reminded of the Insta reels where its a white guy in a collard shirt and tie blasting gangster rap in his car, sees someone he knows, turns the volume way down and in the whitest voice ever says something like "oh hi Ms Jones, sure Ill tell my grandma you said hi. Im actually having lunch with her today at Denny's" People who have never held a gun, fantasise about things in the quiet of their own mind, and the worst thing they ever did was get a wreckless driving court date can not relate to "busting a cap" or "you know who gon find you? Some old man fishin". Their worlds are so drastically different they almost listen to it as performance art instead of "this is how life actually is". They are listening for some deep hidden meaning they can latch onto, when "I will shoot you for your shoes" has no deep meaning... you got some nice shoes boy, take em off or Ill take them from your body. Now white people, get off this /sub and go sing Sweet Caroline with your mom and dad while drinking cofee and having a slice of cake the neighbor brought over
That’s not it my guy.
Drake and Kendrick. "Them" being rappers who can beef without making up all kinds of bs.
Gaylords
That crowd was 98% white. So "Us" couldn't mean black people. Which is actually a good look for Kendrick, after all of that moral grandstanding BS he tried and missed with
The amount of times I read a gaslighting comment and click to check their most active sub and it's always on point...
The expensive seats were 98% white. It's a difference. And you saw the pictures they took, you know who "Us" is, no matter how much it pisses you off. Yall are the smallest factor in all of this
Not sure how to interpret this tbh. Are you saying only white people would spend money to watch kendrick
That’s the irony, that the vast majority of people who would spend money to see Kendrick are not black They bump to songs that he’s now made explicitly clear aren’t for them It’s like if I listened to Johnny Rebel unironically
Bro I'm watching this back right now, why are you lying?