Not Like Us – English Lyrics

• By: Kendrick Lamar

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Kendrick Lamar's electrifying "Not Like Us" to explore not just a powerful diss track, but a masterclass in lyrical depth, cultural commentary, and West Coast hip-hop artistry. Through its raw emotion and intricate wordplay, this song offers a unique window into contemporary American English, showcasing slang, cultural references, and storytelling that will deepen your understanding of modern hip-hop and its social landscape. Its impact and widespread virality make it an essential listen for anyone keen to grasp the nuances of current English-language music and its cultural conversations.

[English]

[AMBIENT SOUND]

♪ (HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...) ♪

♪ I AM... ♪

♪ REINCARNATED ♪

♪ I WAS STARGAZING ♪

♪ LIFE GOES ON, HONEY ALL MY BABIES (GYAH, GYAH) ♪

♪ WOKE UP, LOOKIN' FOR THE BROCCOLI ♪

♪ HOT KEY, KEEP A HORN ON ME, THAT KAMASI ♪

♪ IP OWNERSHIP THE BLUE PRINT IS BY ME ♪

♪ MISTER GET OFF I GET OFF AT MY FEET ♪

[KNOCKING RHYTHMICALLY]

[TOMMY THE CLOWN] WHAT'S THE PASSWORD?

[KENDRICK WHISPERS] I SEE DEAD PEOPLE.

YOU LATE.

[BLOWS WHISTLE]

♪♪♪

♪ (MUSTARD ON THE BEAT, HO) ♪

♪ AYY, MUSTARD ON THE BEAT, HO ♪

♪ DEEBO, ANY RAP NIGGA, HE A FREE THROW ♪

♪ MAN DOWN, CALL AN AMBER LAMPS, TELL HIM, "BREATHE, BRO" ♪

♪ NAIL A NIGGA TO THE CROSS, HE WALK AROUND LIKE TEEZO ♪

♪ WHAT'S UP WITH THESE JABRONI-ASS NIGGAS TRYNA SEE COMPTON? ♪

♪ THE INDUSTRY CAN HATE ME, FUCK 'EM ALL AND THEY MAMA ♪

♪ HOW MANY OPPS YOU REALLY GOT? I MEAN, IT'S TOO MANY OPTIONS ♪

♪ I'M FINNA PASS ON THIS BODY, I'M JOHN STOCKTON ♪

♪ BEAT YOUR ASS AND HIDE THE BIBLE IF GOD WATCHIN' ♪

♪ SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA POP OUT AND SHOW NIGGAS ♪

♪ CERTIFIED BOOGEYMAN, I'M THE ONE THAT UP THE SCORE WITH THEM ♪

♪ WALK HIM DOWN, WHOLE TIME I KNOW HE GOT SOME HOE IN HIM ♪

♪ POLE ON HIM, EXTORT SHIT, BULLY, DEATH ROW ON HIM ♪

♪ SAY, DRAKE, I HEAR YOU LIKE 'EM YOUNG ♪

♪ YOU BETTER NOT EVER GO TO CELL BLOCK ONE ♪

♪ TO ANY BITCH THAT TALK TO HIM AND THEY IN LOVE ♪

♪ JUST MAKE SURE YOU HIDE YOUR LIL' SISTER FROM HIM ♪

♪ THEY TELL ME CHUBBS THE ONLY ONE THAT GET YOUR HAND-ME-DOWNS ♪

♪ AND PARTY AT THE PARTY, PLAYIN' WITH HIS NOSE NOW ♪

♪ AND BAKA GOT A WEIRD CASE, WHY IS HE AROUND? ♪

♪ CERTIFIED LOVER BOY? CERTIFIED PEDOPHILES ♪

♪ WOP, WOP, WOP, WOP, WOP, DOT, FUCK 'EM UP ♪

♪ WOP, WOP, WOP, WOP, WOP, I'MA DO MY STUFF ♪

♪ WHY YOU TROLLIN' LIKE A BITCH? AIN'T YOU TIRED? ♪

[WITH CROWD] ♪ TRYNA STRIKE A CHORD AND IT'S PROBABLY A-MINOR ♪

♪ THEY NOT LIKE US, THEY NOT LIKE US, THEY NOT LIKE US ♪

♪ THEY NOT LIKE US, THEY NOT LIKE US, THEY NOT LIKE US ♪

[KENDRICK] ♪ YOU THINK THE BAY GON' LET YOU DISRESPECT PAC, NIGGA? ♪

♪ I THINK THAT OAKLAND SHOW GON' BE YOUR LAST STOP, NIGGA ♪

♪ DID COLE FOUL, I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU STILL PRETENDIN' ♪

♪ WHAT IS THE OWL? BIRD NIGGAS AND BURNT BITCHES ♪

♪ GO, THE AUDIENCE NOT DUMB ♪

♪ SHAPE THE STORIES HOW YOU WANT, HEY, DRAKE, THEY'RE NOT SLOW ♪

♪ RABBIT HOLE IS STILL DEEP, I CAN GO FURTHER, I PROMISE ♪

♪ AIN'T THAT SOMETHIN'? B-RAD STANDS FOR BITCH AND YOU MALIBU MOST WANTED ♪

♪ AIN'T NO LAW BOY, YOU BALL BOY, FETCH GATORADE OR SOMETHIN' ♪

♪ SINCE 2009, I HAD THIS BITCH JUMPIN' ♪

♪ YOU NIGGAS'LL GET A WEDGIE, BE FLIPPED OVER YOUR BOXERS ♪

♪ WHAT OVO FOR? THE "OTHER VAGINAL OPTION"? ♪

♪ PUSSY ♪

♪ NIGGA BETTER STRAIGHTEN THEY POSTURE, GOT FAMOUS ALL UP IN COMPTON ♪

♪ MIGHT WRITE THIS WITH A DOCTRINE, TELL THE POP STAR, "QUIT HIDIN'" ♪

♪ FUCK A CAPTION, WANT ACTION, NO ACCIDENT, AND I'M HANDS-ON ♪

♪ HE FUCK AROUND, GET POLISHED ♪

♪ FUCKED ON WAYNE GIRL WHILE HE WAS IN JAIL, THAT'S CONNIVIN' ♪

♪ THEN GET HIS FACE TATTED LIKE A BITCH APOLOGIZIN' ♪

♪ I'M GLAD DEROZ' CAME HOME, Y'ALL DIDN'T DESERVE HIM NEITHER ♪

♪ FROM ALONDRA DOWN TO CENTRAL, NIGGA BETTER NOT SPEAK ON SERENA ♪

♪ AND YOUR HOME BOY NEED SUBPOENA, THAT PREDATOR MOVE IN FLOCKS ♪

♪ THAT NAME GOTTA BE REGISTERED AND PLACED ON NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH ♪

♪ I LEAN ON YOU NIGGAS LIKE ANOTHER LINE OF WOCK' ♪

♪ YEAH, IT'S ALL EYES ON ME, AND I'MA SEND IT UP TO PAC, AYY ♪

♪ PUT THE WRONG LABEL ON ME, I'MA GET 'EM DROPPED, AYY ♪

♪ SWEET CHIN MUSIC, AND I WON'T PASS THE AUX, AYY ♪

♪ HOW MANY STOCKS DO I REALLY HAVE IN STOCK? AYY ♪

♪ ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, PLUS FIVE, AYY ♪

♪ DEVIL IS A LIE, HE A 69 GOD, AYY ♪

♪ FREAKY-ASS NIGGAS NEED TO STAY THEY ASS INSIDE, AYY ♪

♪ ROLL THEY ASS UP LIKE A FRESH PACK OF 'ZA, AYY ♪

♪ CITY IS BACK UP, IT'S A MUST, WE OUTSIDE, AYY ♪

♪♪♪

♪ THEY NOT LIKE US, THEY NOT LIKE US, THEY NOT LIKE US ♪

♪ THEY NOT LIKE US, THEY NOT LIKE US, THEY NOT LIKE US ♪

♪ ONCE UPON A TIME, ALL OF US WAS IN CHAINS ♪

♪ HOMIE STILL DOUBLED DOWN CALLIN' US SOME SLAVES ♪

♪ ATLANTA WAS THE MECCA, BUILDIN' RAILROADS AND TRAINS ♪

♪ BEAR WITH ME FOR A SECOND, LET ME PUT Y'ALL ON GAME ♪

♪ THE SETTLERS WAS USING TOWN FOLK TO MAKE THEM RICHER ♪

♪ FAST-FORWARD, 2024, YOU GOT THE SAME AGENDA ♪

♪ YOU RUN TO ATLANTA WHEN YOU NEED A CHECK BALANCE ♪

♪ LET ME BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU, THIS THE REAL NIGGA CHALLENGE ♪

♪ YOU CALLED FUTURE WHEN YOU DIDN'T SEE THE CLUB (AYY, WHAT?) ♪

♪ LIL BABY HELPED YOU GET YOUR LINGO UP (WHAT?) ♪

♪ 21 GAVE YOU FALSE STREET CRED ♪

♪ THUG MADE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU A SLIME IN YOUR HEAD (AYY, WHAT?) ♪

♪ QUAVO SAID YOU CAN BE FROM NORTHSIDE (WHAT?) ♪

♪ 2 CHAINZ SAY YOU GOOD, BUT HE LIED ♪

♪ YOU RUN TO ATLANTA WHEN YOU NEED A FEW DOLLARS ♪

♪ NO, YOU NOT A COLLEAGUE, YOU A FUCKIN' COLONIZER ♪

♪ THE FAMILY MATTER, AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER ♪

♪ IT WAS GOD'S PLAN TO SHOW Y'ALL THE LIAR ♪

♪ MM ♪

♪ MM-MM ♪

♪ HE A FAN, HE A FAN, HE A FAN (MM) ♪

♪ HE A FAN, HE A FAN, HE A... ♪

[WITH CROWD] ♪ FREAKY-ASS NIGGA, HE A 69 GOD ♪

♪ FREAKY-ASS NIGGA, HE A 69 GOD ♪

♪ HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE ♪

♪ HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE ♪

[KENDRICK] ♪ FREAKY-ASS NIGGA, HE A 69 GOD ♪

♪ FREAKY-ASS NIGGA, HE A 69 GOD ♪

[WITH CROWD] ♪ HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE ♪

♪ HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE ♪

[KENDRICK] ♪ LET ME HEAR YOU SAY, "OV-HO" (OV-HO) ♪

♪ SAY, "OV-HO" (OV-HO) ♪

♪ THEN STEP THIS WAY, STEP THAT WAY ♪

♪ THEN STEP THIS WAY, STEP THAT WAY ♪

[WITH CROWD] ♪ ARE YOU MY FRIEND? ♪

♪ ARE WE LOCKED IN? ♪

♪ THEN STEP THIS WAY, STEP THAT WAY ♪

♪ THEN STEP THIS WAY, STEP THAT WAY ♪

♪♪♪

[MUSIC ENDS]

[CROWD] ♪ ARE YOU MY FRIEND? ♪

♪ ARE WE LOCKED IN? ♪

♪ THEN STEP THIS WAY, STEP THAT WAY ♪

♪ THEN STEP THIS WAY, STEP THAT WAY ♪

[CHEERING AND SCREAMING]

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

[MAN ON LOUDSPEAKER] ...NOW Y'ALL WANNA DO IT AGAIN?

[CROWD] YEAH!

[MAN ON LOUDSPEAKER] OH, WE GOTTA DO ONE THING. BACK UP.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hate /heɪt/ A2	verb - to dislike intensely
options /ˈɒpʃənz/ B1	noun - choices or possibilities
body /ˈbɒdi/ A1	noun - the physical structure of a person or animal
hide /haɪd/ A2	verb - to put something out of sight
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection
troll /troʊl/ B2	verb - to make deliberately offensive or provocative online postings
chord /kɔːrd/ B2	noun - a group of musical notes sounded together
respect /rɪˈspekt/ B1	verb - to admire or have consideration for
audience /ˈɔːdiəns/ B1	noun - the people attending a public event
stories /ˈstɔːriz/ A1	noun - narratives or accounts of events
law /lɔː/ A2	noun - a system of rules
action /ˈækʃən/ A2	noun - the fact or process of doing something
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives
truth /truːθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being true
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm finna pass on this body, I'm John Stockton

  ➔ Use of "finna" (a colloquial contraction of "fixing to") indicating immediate future intention.

  ➔ The phrase "I'm finna pass on this body" means "I am about to disregard/destroy this opponent/situation." "Finna" emphasizes immediacy. It's informal and adds to the aggressive tone.

• Beat your ass and hide the Bible if God watchin'

  ➔ Conditional clause using "if" with the present continuous tense ("God watchin'").

  ➔ The line expresses a hypothetical situation where the speaker would assault someone and hide evidence (the Bible) if God were observing. "Watchin'" is a colloquial shortening of "watching."

• What's up with these jabroni-ass niggas tryna see Compton?

  ➔ Use of "What's up with..." to express confusion or annoyance. Use of a compound adjective "jabroni-ass" to describe "niggas". "Tryna" as a contraction of "trying to."

  ➔ The phrase "What's up with..." indicates the speaker's frustration. "Jabroni-ass" is an insulting adjective. "Tryna see Compton" implies outsiders attempting to infiltrate or understand Compton.

• Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young

  ➔ Indirect speech: "I hear you like 'em young" (reporting what the speaker heard about Drake).

  ➔ "I hear you like 'em young" is indirect speech, suggesting the speaker has heard rumors or allegations about Drake's preferences.

• You better not ever go to cell block one

  ➔ Use of "better" to express strong advice or a warning. The structure is "You better + base form of the verb."

  ➔ "You better not ever go to cell block one" serves as a stark warning, implying potential danger or retribution if Drake were to enter that location (likely a prison block).

• Ain't no law boy, you ball boy, fetch Gatorade or something

  ➔ Use of double negative "Ain't no" for emphasis. Use of imperative verbs ("fetch") to give orders/commands.

  ➔ The line mocks someone (likely Drake) by stating he is not a "law boy" (enforcer of rules) but rather a "ball boy" (someone who retrieves balls during sports). "Fetch Gatorade or something" is a demeaning command.

• He fuck around, get polished

  ➔ Use of the bare infinitive ("fuck around") with the omission of "if he" which implies a conditional clause. Passive voice: "get polished."

  ➔ "He fuck around, get polished" implies if someone messes around or acts foolishly, they will be dealt with harshly. "Get polished" is a euphemism for being physically harmed or killed.