Awesome piece. I'm a leo too. I honestly hope you tackle Meet The Grahams at some point. To me it's the most cinematic of the diss tracks and I think you're talent for contextualizing music and film would converge awesomely. Happy belated.
Thank you!!! I actually went into Meet the Grahams on my last Kendrick video, I wouldn’t say I like it as much as I love this video but you might enjoy that! And shoutout the leos
@@TheCompanyMan It's my favorite as well. It displays the most virtuosity, the best lyricism, the most novel angles at Drake, the deepest metaphors, and the tightest construction. It serves as the axle upon which his narrative turns, which was touched on in the video: how Drake, through a lack of understanding and growth, alienates himself from the culture and his peers. It sounds the best to me, and it has Kendrick reaching deep into his Biblical symbolism bag, something he is evidently fond of through his naming his son Enoch, who is a controversial messianic figure in the Apocrypha (books outside the accepted Biblical canon). 616 itself is numerology for what would later turn into 666 in the Book of Revelations. I had a lot of fun figuring out who the other two archangels mentioned in the song were after he signalled that to be the number and gave Raphael as the "free space". I attribute the other two to Uriel ("Your reality can't hide behind WiFi") and Michael ("Ask what Mike would do"). I realize he's also talking about his 3 friends whose lives were cut short and his family, but deep-diving on obscure topics is something I love in Hip Hop, and I was really excited to see Kendrick do so (not that he makes surface-level music, far from it, but that he rarely nerds out in his music compared to, say, my favorite MC, Aesop Rock (not to be confused with A$AP Rocky)).
@@collinbeal Drake will never take "circadian rhythms of a shooting star" from this man and in fact, I love the line more cause of how it lived rent free in Drake's head lmao
@@beatsbyreupI have a theory. I feel like Kendrick declining the First Person Shooter feature and Cole joining was planned to help set up an initial jump to diss before the jumpscare of disses came out. Kendrick got a chance to break into the palace at the detriment of Cole's "reputation". However 7 Minute Drill completely contradicts this.
Whatever bro, the whole world been saying kdot catch phrases even 3-year-olds. The talk hasint died down and the People are going to be talking about this moment for yearsssssssssss
I’m a 32 year old man grew up in church, once a youth leader and once admired by many in my old community. I went through hardship after hardship and honestly I felt Kendrick was the only person who gets what I learned about life. As I child Ive seen a lot of things. Experienced things that no child should experience or encounter at any stage of their life. As an adult I was praised and stabbed in the back. Spat upon, lied on, assaulted, abused, loved hated, used, and sacrificed. Hit a level of depression so low that I became an emotion zombie. Just a lump of flush walking without purpose. This led me to hate others as they hated me. But the person I hated the most was myself. I hated what I allowed to happen. I hated what happened out of my control. I hated death and despised life. Writing and music became my outlet. My brothers needing their oldest brother was my drive to not snap and end my own life. I was a leader against my own will. The man of the house at 7 years old. Bullied in school, abused by my mother, a foster kid, molested from both male and female all before the age 10, etc; I understood Kendrick’s music back when he first came out because I used truth as the principle that exceeded my own religious views. At my last ground zero of depression at 24 years old there was no one to help me. No parent, no pastor, no god. Just me in a cold empty apartment rocking in a fetal position in darkness. Then I met someone who was in pain like me. A friend. A woman the same age who was s/a’d by an ex but remained quiet like me. Because we were taught to be strong and endure. It was then a light flickered that showed me that everything in life is connected. It started with forgiving my parents, myself, and previous friendships and relationships. Learning to love and accept myself. Learning that it’s ok to be weak. To feel scared. To crumble. It’s ok to be in pain when something or someone hurts you. It’s ok to speak up. It’s ok to be rejected by others. We’re human. I grew with Kendrick through his music. People at my job are witnesses to this. I say all of this to say I genuinely appreciate that people such as yourself understand “The heart” of his messages. To take thorough time to examine yourself through is his music and see that at the end of the day we’re all connected. We are all impacted by one another. Both directly and indirectly. Our struggles are and our success is something we all can relate to in some way. We understand what it’s liked to be praised, accepted, admired, but we all know what it’s like to be rejected, looked down upon, enemies to ourseleves and our self destructive way of thinking. We’re weak but stronger than what we realize. Kendrick used this beef to remind humans including Drake that it’s ok to be who you are in its originality. You don’t have to be somebody based on a world you didn’t grow up in but you also don’t have to visibly carry what you went through either. that doesn’t mean you wasn’t impacted by it. Kendrick teaches that acceptance of one’s self first helps you understand how to properly understand one another. He teaches you the weight of your actions and makes you consider your decisions and the impact they have not only on your life as well as the lives of others. He checks you on the ways that your choices selfishly impacts the lives of others. He warns you to not pretend to be what others struggle to live. Be you. And whoever your meant to reach, will be reached. Great channel and I look forward to seeing not just your channel grow but you as a beautiful and wonderful person as well both inside and out. And I mean this sincerely as a fan.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 thank you for sharing you story. We are all on different paths on similar journeys.. we must learn to show grace to others especially even if they don’t deserve it Bless up
5 minutes in and I already think this is better than that video essay who said the Kendrick is gatekeeping and ghostwriting is okay cause pop stars do it all the time
Honestly, ghost writing is okay as long as you’re open about it. It’s when you’re disingenuous (Drake) that I’ve got a problem. Hell, I struggle with my wording, so if I could give some blueprint for someone to work with (ie, make good LMAO), it wouldn’t be a problem as long as I openly state as such. Being creative is hard, and I say that as an artist.
It's less about ghostwriting itself and more of ghostwriting in *Rap*. where, above most other genres, the lyricism is the very center of rap. every other genre has its defining traits instrumentally (jazz has focus on brass and strings, rock always highlights electric guitar/bass & drums no matter what variation, etc.) but rap has always been focused on lyrics. its basically just spoken poetry on a beat (word to Hobo Johnson for being a very bare bones example of that). You can usually tell what genre a song is by instrument and overall sound alone, but rap can have any other genre as its instrumental so long the rapper can work with it (popular example of this is from Kendrick Lamar himself with For Free from To Pimp A Butterfly. that is a whole ass jazz score with kdot's voice working as the sax). Rap is basically supposed to be a show of pen for the rapper, it is modern day poetic wordsmithing. The issue with having ghostwriters as a rapper is that it basically takes away the point of rap as an art. Like receiving praise for a story or drawing that is AI generated, or something. Half of the point is the artist's own creativity and skill with words, and how they develop that skill get better at writing their own bars. It's also partially why people dislike mumble rap, because it also takes away the main point of rap as a genre, via taking away emphasis on the words.
@@urgae9125"Honestly, ghost writing is okay as long as you're open about it". 🤦🏾 said NO TRUE HIP HOP ARTIST (or fan for that matter) EVER. Yes if you want to be considered a pop star yes it's "okay". If you are wanting to be considered a TRUE MC. It will NEVER be okay.
@@urgae9125 it is different getting a writer in the booth to give feedback and improvement on your lyrics, it is another thing to have a writer write entire songs for you (like Drake did), RAP means literally "Rhythm And Poetry", what would you think of Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson if you found out that they paid someone else to write those poems for them? The point is that Drake was killing the Poetry and self expression that RAP is all about. That type of stuff can get you dropped in the writing industry, why should it be different for Rap?
Considering the title of the song and the verse where he calls Drake a culture vulture, that is quite literally what he did. I can't ignore the shitty comments on ghostwriters on Todd's part, though.
6 mins in and I agree. Kendrick was offering Drake redemption all the way up to meet the grams after Drake said what he said about Kendrick’s wife and kids Kendrick ends the song with “fuck a rap battle this a long life battle with yourself” then the not like us is a big F*fk You hahaha
Wow I made it to the end and I cannot believe you're only 20 (happy belated birthday!!) As a 32yo woman, let me tell you, you got it A LOT more figured out than most people my age or my parents' ages even lmao. Stunning video, really great psychological deep dive and i agree with everything you said. And high five mmatbs/THP5 lovers, these will age like fine wines and become the classics Kendrick has said they will be one day. With patience. Maybe the only thing I disagree with is that he thinks it failed in its purpose. Maybe it didn't capture the masses to the point he expected, but he knows it will, one day. :) I also think a great bar people overlook in context of mmatbs is "my temperament bipolar I choose violence", very Gemini of him lol. To me, where mmatbs is Healing, and like you said, acting out and choosing anger is also part of the human experience. Being human is what he is and represents. And I love that he "let" himself have and participate in this beef after the self healing journey of MM. Anyway idek what I was even trying to say, but your video was amazing, the others as well and you're so young making these, you'll go very far if you keep it going. Wishing you all the best thank you for this 😊
So it’s funny a lot of people don’t understand the John Stockton line. John Stockton is one of the greatest passers in NBA history. And his teammate got a 13-year-old pregnant when he was 20. All facts (love your videos)
People still have it wrong. It's a double entendre. Imma pass ON this body. That's referencing all the victims of his assists and the pick n roll. Then yes its a silent shot at Malone.
“I’m finna pass on this body, I’m John Stockton,” is not misunderstood😂🤣 and it has many meanings. Karl Malones impregnating a 13 year old pedo past, the fact that passing on a body means to die, and Stockton is the all time assist leader in the NBA with “Stockton to Malone” being the famous phrase in basketball when they played. Nobody didn’t get it though lol
Analyzing the parallels between Heart Part 5 and Not Like Us was GENIUS and it makes me appreciate both songs alot more. Also the editing and visual references to kendrick's videos were perfect!
As someone who also just turned 20, it feels weird to think about. This was my first video of yours and I'm hooked, I've loved this song for the last few months but your analysis blew my mind. Keep up the great work
Yes! The heart part 5 is an absolute fav of mine too:) what you mention about the importance of the last line and its placement in the album isn’t something I’d have ever thought of but makes so much sense- I’d love to hear more of your thoughts on it! I’ve seen it mentioned plenty that an unintended consequence of this beef was people revisiting Kendrick’s catalogue, *especially* Mr morale. But it feels like a logical and intentional outcome in hindsight, I absolutely agree with you that the two are intrinsically/purposefully linked. Really appreciate your breakdown of the specific parallels, its a fresh view on it and a very solid one too given the added context of the pop out/music video and the overall impact now that some time has passed
This video flowed so well and was paced so smartly that it flew by and felt like it was half the length it is. The editing and the writing especially made all the information so digestable. Music video essays in my opinion are so much harder to write then other ones but you make it look easy. As always, awesome stuff, so looking forward to more.
Its insane to me that this is the video i was watching when Kenny announced performing at the Super Bowl +1 sub for sure, your content is literally magical
ive been watching a lot Elden Ring lore videos lately and its wild the parallels of the heart pt 5 and not like us with the laws of regression and order. the law of regression, law as in universal law, sounds very similar to the way you used regression in this video. a coming together within Oneself. the law of order is the opposite, its outward aggression, the act of enforcing order onto others. hopefully this makes sense, im a little high. love your style, will definitely watch more of your content
Great job on the video. I always love your point of view. Keep rocking in the free world, making us think deeper than the surface level. You a real one.
I’m so petty.. I think it’s freaking HILARIOUS that the Grammys is a week before the Super Bowl. Drake is somewhere crying in the fetal position right now. 😂😂
The respect you get from the community and culture in this comment section speaks volumes to the respect that you have for not only the culture itself but the craft that it’s built around. You deserve to go far in music journalism and I wish you success.
You do incredible work. Thank you so much. One thing I wanted to note about mm&bs is the pervasive context of recovery and getting sober, which ties into some of the shots at Drake as well as his past works - "u" off of TPAB for example. Mother I Sober
The artistic deeper meaning of Kendrick’s works are mirrored by the way you’ve put this video together. It’s awesome. A delight. The haze was worth it in the end huh?
Great video. I thoroughly enjoyed your take on all of this. Btw, I hit that game theory joke at the exact same time and I cracked up, it's great finding a creator with similar humor
This is the best breakdown I’ve seen so far and I’m glad this is the approach you took. I’ve been waiting on someone to give this perspective. Thought I was gonna have to do it myself
This is one of the most thoughtful, insightful, probative, inspiring and provocative Rap commentaries that I have ever ingested😳. It reads like a MINI NOVEL. It feels like flesh and insatiable cravings. The emotional tug is undeniable. The untimed release is inescapable. Sometimes you have to become THE PLOT to adequately reveal its true essence. You always have to discern the heart to be moved by its palpitations. Indeed: I was inextricably moved by this 'visually cascading' presentation. I felt a certain unity with your well reasoned and always cerebral conclusions. I found kinship while immersing my consciousness in the intellectual light beams of another "Kendrick Spirit". Thank you for taking the time to feel the POETIC ENERGY that flows through all Kendrick creations. THEY NOT LIKE US🤯..!
And people were saying no youngsters are listening to Kendrick, dude is boring.... Mr Morale wasn't for the young and here you are explaining it nicely 👏👏great analysis love it
This was an excellent video. First of all I want to say if you ever read this it is very comforting to see someone talk about Mr. Morale with as much passion as you do. It has become my favorite album of all time across genres. I play this album multiple times a day and you still brought up things that made me view it from a different perspective or unpacked layers of it that I really hadn't seen myself. I think that you did a great job tying the album back around to the Heart part 5 particularly the theme of Kendrick being a proxy for humanity and all of the good and bad that comes with it. I get kind of upset when I see people trash this album and so I'm glad you mentioned that it didn't have the cultural impact that maybe you or I would have liked. But that Not Like Us (and what I assume will be his next musical journey) is able to touch many of the same themes but in a way that is more accessible to the average listener. Mr. Morale is a spoon full of medicine. Not Like Us is candy with medicine in it.
This was a really well composed essay and video. As a 40-something white guy, the title of this video did not come as a surprise to me but even knowing I'm am outsider, I sing along to the refrain with my own personal THEYs in mind that aren't like "us".
I enjoyed listening to this so damn much. You were able to put into words the exact experience I had around Kendrick's recent material (including Mr Moral) and it's so refreshing.
I got distracted by you doing push ups and had to rewatch a couple times Edit: Happy 20th Birthday!! As a 19 y/o it's cool getting to be one year away from buying your own alcohol😭
I'm turning 30 this year, and seeing someone crossing the gap I went through a decade ago with such foresight heartens me. Media literacy is not dead among young adults, and you are living testament to that. Keep up the great work. You have a new subscriber in me. As for future topics to cover, perhaps you could take a look at and give your thoughts on the album _The Impossible Kid_ by Aesop Rock? He's my favorite MC, and his album in many ways mirrors MMATBS, but with a less serious tone most of the time and through the eyes of a legacy underground rapper, talking about depression, his tendency to alienate others, and his experiences with therapy.
Ok, love this! I was intrigued but you really got my attention. Good fresh take and way to move the conversation forward as far as Kendrick’s art is concerned. New fan! Thanks!
Definitely need a 6:16 breakdown. I think it's the best and yet most underrated diss song of the entire beef. What's The Dirt had an interesting take on it, but it would be good to get yours. Subscribing now in the hope of seeing that essay one day
I just hit 25:07 and I could not agree more now with the sentiment of Not Like Us teaching the values behind MMaTBS. The parallels between the album and what this track wants people to understand is incredible - all while secretly wrapped up as a banger song that can unite everyone together. AND with Drake as the face of the enemy because of what he’s done to the culture. Incredible video, easiest subscribe of my life.
Such a wonderful video. I very much agree that not like us is informed by Mr morale and communicates the message of it in a manner that was more digestible. However, I feel like this was all more premeditated than we realized, as suggested on his family ties feature and, to me, on N95 with the lyrics “taking ten steps then I’m taking off top 5.” The idea being, I’m healing myself and then I am coming for everyone, and there is only one conceivable name in the top 5 in this moment that would be a worthwhile opponent. I think this is further supported by the middle phrase of 6:16 in LA where he appears to be reckoning with the idea of “going to war” and what it means regarding his personal growth, the opportunity before him to set things straight and cement himself as an even greater legend and cultural figure in face of what he knows what he has to do and what it will take to get there.
really enjoyed this analysis and think it gave a new perspective just like you hoped it would! i think your theory for the next album definitely has its merit but i could also totally see kendrick doing a complete 180° from MMATBS and doing an album which has cultural impact like GKMC or TPAB but is digestible by a mass audience in the way that not like us was (also, this album would be full of bangers). one of the reasons i say this is bc i like the way you positioned the heart pt 5 as a teaser/bookend for MMATBS and offer that not like us may be the same for an upcoming album- if kendrick already took the time to do self reflection, acceptance, and storytelling and then went on to unify so much of hip hop/Black america, i could see a continuation of this self-aware, strong-willed, confident kendrick in an upcoming project. lmk what you think!
@@goodbyealex that’s definitely a solid theory, if that does happen I really want to see how Kendrick balances that next chapter with all the stuff he was saying on Mr. Morale about not being a musical savior anymore
@@makingmediamatter it’ll for sure be interesting to see especially since he verbally claimed the throne of hip hop yet again in “like that” and hasn’t walked back on anything since then i think his “savior complex” that he wanted to leave behind was people viewing him as a near-perfect being-his journey through therapy and his realizations of his life experiences led him to acknowledge his personal flaws and put his ego in check now that kendrick’s loyal fans have a more holistic understanding of him and his personal growth journey, i think he could totally take a more “aggressive” approach in whatever he does next, all the while still being very self-aware and reflective
Raz, you’ve been one of my favorite creators for years not because of just how succinctly you put my feelings into words, and despite this being a ramble it might be one of my favorites you’ve done. Something about asoiaf just sticks out to me despite its terrible latter seasons nothing has ever quite hit me like this show so seeing you express your love for it in this special way. It hit. Thanks and stay fleezy
Only one chance to win a championship. No round 2s
"NO OVHOES WERE HARMED DURING THE MAKING OF THIS VIDEO ESSAY". You're so dope lol love your work, always.
Shoutout curtissking!
This being recommended after his Super Bowl announcement is gold
Same that's how I got here 😁
this title aged extra well after kendrick's new announcement
Awesome piece. I'm a leo too. I honestly hope you tackle Meet The Grahams at some point. To me it's the most cinematic of the diss tracks and I think you're talent for contextualizing music and film would converge awesomely. Happy belated.
Thank you!!! I actually went into Meet the Grahams on my last Kendrick video, I wouldn’t say I like it as much as I love this video but you might enjoy that! And shoutout the leos
@@makingmediamatter Oh dope. Can't believe I missed that one. I'll check it out. Then 6:16 it is. That's my favorite joint of the 4.
@@TheCompanyMan
It's my favorite as well. It displays the most virtuosity, the best lyricism, the most novel angles at Drake, the deepest metaphors, and the tightest construction. It serves as the axle upon which his narrative turns, which was touched on in the video: how Drake, through a lack of understanding and growth, alienates himself from the culture and his peers.
It sounds the best to me, and it has Kendrick reaching deep into his Biblical symbolism bag, something he is evidently fond of through his naming his son Enoch, who is a controversial messianic figure in the Apocrypha (books outside the accepted Biblical canon). 616 itself is numerology for what would later turn into 666 in the Book of Revelations.
I had a lot of fun figuring out who the other two archangels mentioned in the song were after he signalled that to be the number and gave Raphael as the "free space". I attribute the other two to Uriel ("Your reality can't hide behind WiFi") and Michael ("Ask what Mike would do"). I realize he's also talking about his 3 friends whose lives were cut short and his family, but deep-diving on obscure topics is something I love in Hip Hop, and I was really excited to see Kendrick do so (not that he makes surface-level music, far from it, but that he rarely nerds out in his music compared to, say, my favorite MC, Aesop Rock (not to be confused with A$AP Rocky)).
@@collinbeal Drake will never take "circadian rhythms of a shooting star" from this man and in fact, I love the line more cause of how it lived rent free in Drake's head lmao
@@GoliathWarfare Drake probably had to google what it means 😂
I listen to Dot religiously. I do my own deep dives. But I ALWAYS learn more than just one important detail everytime you upload about this man.
Question. Do you think Cole helped Kendrick "line up" Drake for a 1v1, then for the headshot (kill)?
@@beatsbyreupI have a theory.
I feel like Kendrick declining the First Person Shooter feature and Cole joining was planned to help set up an initial jump to diss before the jumpscare of disses came out. Kendrick got a chance to break into the palace at the detriment of Cole's "reputation". However 7 Minute Drill completely contradicts this.
@@beatsbyreup Kendrick was ready to smoke both Cole & Drake.
Same been a fan of KDOT since I was 12
United in hate. 💅
I hate different 😂
@@og_mante5138 lol
I knew you were going to delete my comment nga but watch this
We just hate frauds and FANs.
I’ve been hating on someone
It's not the song of the year. It's the song of the decade and biggest diss track of all time
Not even top 20. Holy glaze
Top 5 all time easily, but not #1
Whatever bro, the whole world been saying kdot catch phrases even 3-year-olds. The talk hasint died down and the People are going to be talking about this moment for yearsssssssssss
i think tupacs is bigger but this is def second
@@MRKOCAINNwhat's top 4 then?
‘Super Bowl Level’ and he announces he’s headlining the Super Bowl next year 😂😂😂
Dude 😂 this title aged WELL 🍷
I’m a 32 year old man grew up in church, once a youth leader and once admired by many in my old community. I went through hardship after hardship and honestly I felt Kendrick was the only person who gets what I learned about life. As I child Ive seen a lot of things. Experienced things that no child should experience or encounter at any stage of their life. As an adult I was praised and stabbed in the back. Spat upon, lied on, assaulted, abused, loved hated, used, and sacrificed. Hit a level of depression so low that I became an emotion zombie. Just a lump of flush walking without purpose. This led me to hate others as they hated me. But the person I hated the most was myself. I hated what I allowed to happen. I hated what happened out of my control. I hated death and despised life. Writing and music became my outlet. My brothers needing their oldest brother was my drive to not snap and end my own life. I was a leader against my own will. The man of the house at 7 years old. Bullied in school, abused by my mother, a foster kid, molested from both male and female all before the age 10, etc; I understood Kendrick’s music back when he first came out because I used truth as the principle that exceeded my own religious views. At my last ground zero of depression at 24 years old there was no one to help me. No parent, no pastor, no god. Just me in a cold empty apartment rocking in a fetal position in darkness. Then I met someone who was in pain like me. A friend. A woman the same age who was s/a’d by an ex but remained quiet like me. Because we were taught to be strong and endure. It was then a light flickered that showed me that everything in life is connected. It started with forgiving my parents, myself, and previous friendships and relationships. Learning to love and accept myself. Learning that it’s ok to be weak. To feel scared. To crumble. It’s ok to be in pain when something or someone hurts you. It’s ok to speak up. It’s ok to be rejected by others. We’re human. I grew with Kendrick through his music. People at my job are witnesses to this. I say all of this to say I genuinely appreciate that people such as yourself understand “The heart” of his messages. To take thorough time to examine yourself through is his music and see that at the end of the day we’re all connected. We are all impacted by one another. Both directly and indirectly. Our struggles are and our success is something we all can relate to in some way. We understand what it’s liked to be praised, accepted, admired, but we all know what it’s like to be rejected, looked down upon, enemies to ourseleves and our self destructive way of thinking. We’re weak but stronger than what we realize. Kendrick used this beef to remind humans including Drake that it’s ok to be who you are in its originality. You don’t have to be somebody based on a world you didn’t grow up in but you also don’t have to visibly carry what you went through either. that doesn’t mean you wasn’t impacted by it. Kendrick teaches that acceptance of one’s self first helps you understand how to properly understand one another. He teaches you the weight of your actions and makes you consider your decisions and the impact they have not only on your life as well as the lives of others. He checks you on the ways that your choices selfishly impacts the lives of others. He warns you to not pretend to be what others struggle to live. Be you. And whoever your meant to reach, will be reached. Great channel and I look forward to seeing not just your channel grow but you as a beautiful and wonderful person as well both inside and out. And I mean this sincerely as a fan.
Powerful comment, thank you
Dang this is beautiful. Worth the read and worth every word of hard-earned wisdom. Thank you
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 thank you for sharing you story. We are all on different paths on similar journeys.. we must learn to show grace to others especially even if they don’t deserve it
Bless up
Thank you for sharing. Your story resonated a lot with me. Stay blessed my dear.
Love you brother. Your pain and story is too familiar… you are not alone. Don’t stop going.
The PUSH UPS, tho 🤣 19:35
Had to go above and beyond in this one🤣
😂
we need more people diving into the meaning of modern rap, as it seems like it’s lost on so many. thanks for the insightful work you do!
5 minutes in and I already think this is better than that video essay who said the Kendrick is gatekeeping and ghostwriting is okay cause pop stars do it all the time
Honestly, ghost writing is okay as long as you’re open about it. It’s when you’re disingenuous (Drake) that I’ve got a problem. Hell, I struggle with my wording, so if I could give some blueprint for someone to work with (ie, make good LMAO), it wouldn’t be a problem as long as I openly state as such. Being creative is hard, and I say that as an artist.
It's less about ghostwriting itself and more of ghostwriting in *Rap*. where, above most other genres, the lyricism is the very center of rap. every other genre has its defining traits instrumentally (jazz has focus on brass and strings, rock always highlights electric guitar/bass & drums no matter what variation, etc.) but rap has always been focused on lyrics. its basically just spoken poetry on a beat (word to Hobo Johnson for being a very bare bones example of that). You can usually tell what genre a song is by instrument and overall sound alone, but rap can have any other genre as its instrumental so long the rapper can work with it (popular example of this is from Kendrick Lamar himself with For Free from To Pimp A Butterfly. that is a whole ass jazz score with kdot's voice working as the sax).
Rap is basically supposed to be a show of pen for the rapper, it is modern day poetic wordsmithing. The issue with having ghostwriters as a rapper is that it basically takes away the point of rap as an art. Like receiving praise for a story or drawing that is AI generated, or something. Half of the point is the artist's own creativity and skill with words, and how they develop that skill get better at writing their own bars.
It's also partially why people dislike mumble rap, because it also takes away the main point of rap as a genre, via taking away emphasis on the words.
@@urgae9125"Honestly, ghost writing is okay as long as you're open about it". 🤦🏾 said NO TRUE HIP HOP ARTIST (or fan for that matter) EVER. Yes if you want to be considered a pop star yes it's "okay". If you are wanting to be considered a TRUE MC. It will NEVER be okay.
@@urgae9125 it is different getting a writer in the booth to give feedback and improvement on your lyrics, it is another thing to have a writer write entire songs for you (like Drake did), RAP means literally "Rhythm And Poetry", what would you think of Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson if you found out that they paid someone else to write those poems for them? The point is that Drake was killing the Poetry and self expression that RAP is all about. That type of stuff can get you dropped in the writing industry, why should it be different for Rap?
Considering the title of the song and the verse where he calls Drake a culture vulture, that is quite literally what he did. I can't ignore the shitty comments on ghostwriters on Todd's part, though.
6 mins in and I agree. Kendrick was offering Drake redemption all the way up to meet the grams after Drake said what he said about Kendrick’s wife and kids Kendrick ends the song with “fuck a rap battle this a long life battle with yourself” then the not like us is a big F*fk You hahaha
Also "you lied about the only artist that could offer you some help"
Wow I made it to the end and I cannot believe you're only 20 (happy belated birthday!!)
As a 32yo woman, let me tell you, you got it A LOT more figured out than most people my age or my parents' ages even lmao.
Stunning video, really great psychological deep dive and i agree with everything you said. And high five mmatbs/THP5 lovers, these will age like fine wines and become the classics Kendrick has said they will be one day. With patience. Maybe the only thing I disagree with is that he thinks it failed in its purpose. Maybe it didn't capture the masses to the point he expected, but he knows it will, one day. :)
I also think a great bar people overlook in context of mmatbs is "my temperament bipolar I choose violence", very Gemini of him lol. To me, where mmatbs is Healing, and like you said, acting out and choosing anger is also part of the human experience. Being human is what he is and represents. And I love that he "let" himself have and participate in this beef after the self healing journey of MM.
Anyway idek what I was even trying to say, but your video was amazing, the others as well and you're so young making these, you'll go very far if you keep it going. Wishing you all the best thank you for this 😊
The fact that KDot is performing at the Super Bowl is just the best. 😅
if kendrick sneezes imma need you to make a video on it, thank you🙏🏾
@@tayksintern will do🫡
@makingmediamatter If Kendrick is doing the Superbowl ima need you to make a video on it.
Kendrick just opened his mouth, and imma put my di
So it’s funny a lot of people don’t understand the John Stockton line. John Stockton is one of the greatest passers in NBA history. And his teammate got a 13-year-old pregnant when he was 20. All facts (love your videos)
AND he’s known specifically for passing to that teammate. “Stockton to Malone” is etched in the minds of anyone who watched the NBA in the 90s
People still have it wrong. It's a double entendre. Imma pass ON this body. That's referencing all the victims of his assists and the pick n roll. Then yes its a silent shot at Malone.
“I’m finna pass on this body, I’m John Stockton,” is not misunderstood😂🤣 and it has many meanings. Karl Malones impregnating a 13 year old pedo past, the fact that passing on a body means to die, and Stockton is the all time assist leader in the NBA with “Stockton to Malone” being the famous phrase in basketball when they played. Nobody didn’t get it though lol
Analyzing the parallels between Heart Part 5 and Not Like Us was GENIUS and it makes me appreciate both songs alot more. Also the editing and visual references to kendrick's videos were perfect!
Fire essay. Love all the fun lil shots of you just pondering stuff in here.
As someone who also just turned 20, it feels weird to think about. This was my first video of yours and I'm hooked, I've loved this song for the last few months but your analysis blew my mind. Keep up the great work
Yo!!!
Its almost as if u predicted KDot to be the Superbowl Act!!!
Great Call!
Appreciate all the effort you put into this. I loved all the little nods and references to Kendrick's videos you used in your shots!
This is actually insane foreshadowing…
Downloading this to watch it later. I’m a minute n I’m in the comments n I see ntg but good reviews so imma be watching on my night shift later
Yay more making media matter videos!!!!
Love you lil sis! Keep up the good work!
A 6:16 in LA vid would be dope!
Yes, would love to see this!
Yes! The heart part 5 is an absolute fav of mine too:) what you mention about the importance of the last line and its placement in the album isn’t something I’d have ever thought of but makes so much sense- I’d love to hear more of your thoughts on it!
I’ve seen it mentioned plenty that an unintended consequence of this beef was people revisiting Kendrick’s catalogue, *especially* Mr morale. But it feels like a logical and intentional outcome in hindsight, I absolutely agree with you that the two are intrinsically/purposefully linked. Really appreciate your breakdown of the specific parallels, its a fresh view on it and a very solid one too given the added context of the pop out/music video and the overall impact now that some time has passed
Smart title change!
Well, would you look at that
about halfway through this video and I love it, ur goated
This video flowed so well and was paced so smartly that it flew by and felt like it was half the length it is. The editing and the writing especially made all the information so digestable. Music video essays in my opinion are so much harder to write then other ones but you make it look easy. As always, awesome stuff, so looking forward to more.
Means the world to hear that, thank you!!!
W title that aged a lil too perfectly…
Now he performing at the Super Bowl lmao
He is performing at the Super Bowl again so this video is perfect
I bet Kendrick will do the 17 pushups at the Super Bowl as well.
Its insane to me that this is the video i was watching when Kenny announced performing at the Super Bowl
+1 sub for sure, your content is literally magical
i wrote this comment before you called this script magic 😮
ive been watching a lot Elden Ring lore videos lately and its wild the parallels of the heart pt 5 and not like us with the laws of regression and order. the law of regression, law as in universal law, sounds very similar to the way you used regression in this video. a coming together within Oneself. the law of order is the opposite, its outward aggression, the act of enforcing order onto others.
hopefully this makes sense, im a little high. love your style, will definitely watch more of your content
Another banger. Good shit, slay queen.
Great job on the video. I always love your point of view. Keep rocking in the free world, making us think deeper than the surface level. You a real one.
I’m so petty.. I think it’s freaking HILARIOUS that the Grammys is a week before the Super Bowl. Drake is somewhere crying in the fetal position right now. 😂😂
Aged like wine
most underrated yt channel i stg
The respect you get from the community and culture in this comment section speaks volumes to the respect that you have for not only the culture itself but the craft that it’s built around. You deserve to go far in music journalism and I wish you success.
You do incredible work. Thank you so much. One thing I wanted to note about mm&bs is the pervasive context of recovery and getting sober, which ties into some of the shots at Drake as well as his past works - "u" off of TPAB for example. Mother I Sober
You are now my favorite TH-camr. Like button: SMASHED. Notification bell: MASSAGED.
Dude, the video essays have been great but the EDITING went crazy in this video 🔥
The artistic deeper meaning of Kendrick’s works are mirrored by the way you’ve put this video together.
It’s awesome. A delight. The haze was worth it in the end huh?
Nah you really called it with that title
I had to come back. 😂 yall got jokes. Did you know kdot got super bowl halftime 2025 in Louisiana.
Love the “evil twin” to the big steppers take.
aged like wineeeeeeeeee
1:47 Jumpscare
All let TH-cam slide this time for recommending this Channel dope vid 👌🏼
Great video. I thoroughly enjoyed your take on all of this. Btw, I hit that game theory joke at the exact same time and I cracked up, it's great finding a creator with similar humor
SO GLAD TO SEE THIS KIND OF POST FROM YOU!!! Really love the editing and style to this essay.
Super Bowl level line aged well
This is the best breakdown I’ve seen so far and I’m glad this is the approach you took. I’ve been waiting on someone to give this perspective. Thought I was gonna have to do it myself
i like this video. you make smart points about the song and the song rocks and a very nice job❤
Thanks for improving my Friday
@@circle11111 it’s what im here for
This is one of the most thoughtful, insightful, probative, inspiring and provocative Rap commentaries that I have ever ingested😳.
It reads like a MINI NOVEL. It feels like flesh and insatiable cravings. The emotional tug is undeniable. The untimed release is inescapable.
Sometimes you have to become THE PLOT to adequately reveal its true essence. You always have to discern the heart to be moved by its palpitations.
Indeed: I was inextricably moved by this 'visually cascading' presentation. I felt a certain unity with your well reasoned and always cerebral conclusions.
I found kinship while immersing my consciousness in the intellectual light beams of another "Kendrick Spirit".
Thank you for taking the time to feel the POETIC ENERGY that flows through all Kendrick creations.
THEY NOT LIKE US🤯..!
Bro insane title considering he doing the Super Bowl next year
New info as of today if people think I’m baiting
Yea ngl I was just fast with the title change but happy to see it’s getting some more eyes on this project of mine!!
Love the vibes, content, perspectives etc. happy belated
I always love that when you upload videos more Kendrick vs Drake news comes out XD (the super bowl announcement 2 days after this dropped)
And people were saying no youngsters are listening to Kendrick, dude is boring.... Mr Morale wasn't for the young and here you are explaining it nicely 👏👏great analysis love it
This was an excellent video. First of all I want to say if you ever read this it is very comforting to see someone talk about Mr. Morale with as much passion as you do. It has become my favorite album of all time across genres. I play this album multiple times a day and you still brought up things that made me view it from a different perspective or unpacked layers of it that I really hadn't seen myself. I think that you did a great job tying the album back around to the Heart part 5 particularly the theme of Kendrick being a proxy for humanity and all of the good and bad that comes with it.
I get kind of upset when I see people trash this album and so I'm glad you mentioned that it didn't have the cultural impact that maybe you or I would have liked. But that Not Like Us (and what I assume will be his next musical journey) is able to touch many of the same themes but in a way that is more accessible to the average listener. Mr. Morale is a spoon full of medicine. Not Like Us is candy with medicine in it.
Great analogy at the end there, happy to hear you got something out of my discussion on Mr. Morale and thank you for the support on the video!
youre right, shoutout Atlanta!
Thank You for Making Media Matter
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your thesis
This hits different after today's announcement... "NO ROUND TWOS" 🏆
This was a really well composed essay and video. As a 40-something white guy, the title of this video did not come as a surprise to me but even knowing I'm am outsider, I sing along to the refrain with my own personal THEYs in mind that aren't like "us".
This could've been a short.
TLDR: Kendrick and Drake were 2Pac and Puffy in their past lives.
I enjoyed listening to this so damn much.
You were able to put into words the exact experience I had around Kendrick's recent material (including Mr Moral) and it's so refreshing.
I got distracted by you doing push ups and had to rewatch a couple times
Edit: Happy 20th Birthday!! As a 19 y/o it's cool getting to be one year away from buying your own alcohol😭
I'm turning 30 this year, and seeing someone crossing the gap I went through a decade ago with such foresight heartens me. Media literacy is not dead among young adults, and you are living testament to that. Keep up the great work. You have a new subscriber in me. As for future topics to cover, perhaps you could take a look at and give your thoughts on the album _The Impossible Kid_ by Aesop Rock? He's my favorite MC, and his album in many ways mirrors MMATBS, but with a less serious tone most of the time and through the eyes of a legacy underground rapper, talking about depression, his tendency to alienate others, and his experiences with therapy.
Yes! Aesop Rock has been in my playlist since highschool I love his lyrical style
the push ups are great hahahah
Great work and Happy 20th Birthday 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Ok, love this! I was intrigued but you really got my attention. Good fresh take and way to move the conversation forward as far as Kendrick’s art is concerned. New fan! Thanks!
I have been calling for Not Like Us to be part of the halftime show at the Superball 😂 I so hope it happens
Not Like Us taught me that I knew nothing of true hate
Definitely need a 6:16 breakdown. I think it's the best and yet most underrated diss song of the entire beef. What's The Dirt had an interesting take on it, but it would be good to get yours. Subscribing now in the hope of seeing that essay one day
His take made it my fave of the diss
This was amazing. Thank you for your perspective.
This was such a well made video. Commenting for the algorithm.
Heart Part 5 is one of my favorite Kendrick tracks, thanks for shining some light on it 🙌🏾
Thank god the best youtuber posted
First time watching you, the way you word shit it so poetic I was sucked in
I've been waiting for this🤩
one of the best shot and composed video essays I've watched icl
Popped up in my recommendations after Dot's announcement, love this
I just hit 25:07 and I could not agree more now with the sentiment of Not Like Us teaching the values behind MMaTBS. The parallels between the album and what this track wants people to understand is incredible - all while secretly wrapped up as a banger song that can unite everyone together. AND with Drake as the face of the enemy because of what he’s done to the culture. Incredible video, easiest subscribe of my life.
Your videos are always great and provide an original look on everything!
We neeed that Heart Part 5 video 🙏
Such a wonderful video. I very much agree that not like us is informed by Mr morale and communicates the message of it in a manner that was more digestible. However, I feel like this was all more premeditated than we realized, as suggested on his family ties feature and, to me, on N95 with the lyrics “taking ten steps then I’m taking off top 5.” The idea being, I’m healing myself and then I am coming for everyone, and there is only one conceivable name in the top 5 in this moment that would be a worthwhile opponent. I think this is further supported by the middle phrase of 6:16 in LA where he appears to be reckoning with the idea of “going to war” and what it means regarding his personal growth, the opportunity before him to set things straight and cement himself as an even greater legend and cultural figure in face of what he knows what he has to do and what it will take to get there.
You're ability to engage with this at 20 years old is impressive.
really enjoyed this analysis and think it gave a new perspective just like you hoped it would!
i think your theory for the next album definitely has its merit but i could also totally see kendrick doing a complete 180° from MMATBS and doing an album which has cultural impact like GKMC or TPAB but is digestible by a mass audience in the way that not like us was (also, this album would be full of bangers).
one of the reasons i say this is bc i like the way you positioned the heart pt 5 as a teaser/bookend for MMATBS and offer that not like us may be the same for an upcoming album-
if kendrick already took the time to do self reflection, acceptance, and storytelling and then went on to unify so much of hip hop/Black america, i could see a continuation of this self-aware, strong-willed, confident kendrick in an upcoming project.
lmk what you think!
@@goodbyealex that’s definitely a solid theory, if that does happen I really want to see how Kendrick balances that next chapter with all the stuff he was saying on Mr. Morale about not being a musical savior anymore
@@makingmediamatter it’ll for sure be interesting to see especially since he verbally claimed the throne of hip hop yet again in “like that” and hasn’t walked back on anything since then
i think his “savior complex” that he wanted to leave behind was people viewing him as a near-perfect being-his journey through therapy and his realizations of his life experiences led him to acknowledge his personal flaws and put his ego in check
now that kendrick’s loyal fans have a more holistic understanding of him and his personal growth journey, i think he could totally take a more “aggressive” approach in whatever he does next, all the while still being very self-aware and reflective
Beautiful analysis. Thanks
Congratulations on a great piece and happy birthday!
Shout out Georgia State lol. Doing great work, I feel proud to see the hard work paying off
All I know is that Kendrick shows me I am not hating enough nor healing enough and THAT is why he is the GOAT.
Great Video, strong work…I always tell my kids “The only person that could hold you back from being great is you.” …. happy belated birthday🎂✌🏾
Raz, you’ve been one of my favorite creators for years not because of just how succinctly you put my feelings into words, and despite this being a ramble it might be one of my favorites you’ve done. Something about asoiaf just sticks out to me despite its terrible latter seasons nothing has ever quite hit me like this show so seeing you express your love for it in this special way. It hit. Thanks and stay fleezy
Before I say anything else, this video was awesome and you're awesome and Kendrick is a genius and them old school Gemini's don't play.