"Not Like Us" emerged in 2024 as a standalone single, defying conventional marketing strategies and aligning with Kendrick’s tendency to disrupt expectations. While not part of a new album, it is often linked to his Grammy-winning "Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers" (2022), extending its introspective and confrontational tone. The track quickly dominated charts, breaking streaming records and reigniting discussions about authenticity in rap. It also sparked speculation about rivalries, particularly its implicit connection to the ongoing Drake-Kendrick feud, where Kendrick critiques fame’s pressures and the commodification of identity.

Lamar uses a comically exaggerated Southern accent and opens the track with the whispered line, "Pssst: I see dead people". Lyrical Content and Context The song is a direct response to Drake's track " Family Matters

. The song became a massive cultural and commercial phenomenon, breaking numerous streaming records and winning all five of its nominations at the 67th Grammy Awards , including Record of the Year Song of the Year Production and Musical Style The track was produced by