@@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.
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
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
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
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.
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 😊
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
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!
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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 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 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.
Haven’t seen your videos before, but your editing is beautiful. I was very captivated by the clips you chose, your transitions of “scenes/chapters”, and the one where you had your mouth showing, and your body, it felt like it was easier to understand what you were saying there more, not quite sure why lol. Besides that, the way you spoke throughout the whole video. Very well spoken, not quick, a perfect tempo, and your word choice along with the your flow of the terminology is very well respected and received. Keep it up!!
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
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
First and foremost Congratz on your evolution into adult hood! Happy Birthday. I thought you did an excellent job with this essay. It was clear and with substance, keep on driving with this effort and quality and there is no place you can’t go. I only had one morsel to add to your thought process that I saw a little differently than you. I believe Kendrick took pain staking details to define who is “Not Like Us”. Most people default to KDot just hating the hell out of Drake and that is obvious on the surface level but as we all know, Kendrick is not a surface level cat. I think what Kendrick is actually doing is far broader. It was an assassination of a person’s character. How they move. What they value. How they use others and misappropriate culture. How they are weird with young people and how they go about grooming them. How they put on for others only if there is something in return for them. All of these characteristics Drake has displayed directly or at least debatably. It is this “type” of person Kendrick is not like and wants the world to unite against. Drake unfortunately just became the spokesperson of that type. I think that resonated really well because it was the right message at the right time. Now people are digging back into KDots albums for a larger serving of that message. Masterful. Food for thought. Loved your work!!
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
This song is like the Caravaggio painting of David with Goliath’s head. With all the artists who dissed Drake and won, Drake was still standing. Kendrick managed to destroy any chances of Drake’s career ever going back to normal pre beef. This is the first time Drake has done so poorly on the charts and public reception has been shot that I rarely hear anyone playing his music.
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?
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🤯..!
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!
You are the ONLY person Ive seen who has recognized NLU's ability to powerful unite people together as a single universal "in-group" through the establishment of an "out-group" antagonist/target in Drake. It ignites are most base, kind of "bad" impulses towards effectively bullying, to create a moment of powerful universal community. First person to put to words what I felt, and put it to words so elagantly. I love it.
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
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 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.
Wow. I thought you were like in your mid 20s. You sounded pretty mature. Great video by the way. Happy belated birthday. Wishing you more blessings and success.
I think in The Heart part 5 is actually a critique of The Culture and how those who have wanted or worked to be accepted by it (The Culture) has led to their demise literally and figuratively - Will Smith, OJ, Kanye, Nipsey
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
The best part of this video was hearing that you did it at 19 shortly before turning 20. I’m not that much older than you (27) but I’m really impressed and happy to see someone your age take the time to do such a deep dive into art that is so deserving of it. Also, I made an attempt at my first video essay recently and I think I can learn a thing or two from your performance of your script 😅 Keep doing what you do and belated happy birthday! 🎉 You’re far from old and with the mind and mindset you have, I’m sure your 20s are going to be amazing! Subscribing to follow along your journey! 🙏🏾✨
This video is amazing. Very well done. I'm glad I found your channel and I'll definitely be subscribing and watching more now. You're so smart and talented at such a young age! Keep it up. Happy belated
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
Aaaaaaand I’m subscribed 🙏🏽 Very informative and well presented video essay Helped me appreciate kdot himself as a human and his artistry I always knew since listening to GKMC on CD back in 2012 he was different… what he talks about hits home every time for me personally when you come from and live in Southern California it’s way deeper than just the music! to be apart of this journey up until 2024 and after the beef it feels like more and more people are appreciative and understand kendricks work it’s nice to see that in live time For me Mr.Morale and the Big Steppers is another classic just like every album we have heard thus far and will hear in the near future (hopefully) 🤞🏾
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.
Only one chance to win a championship. No round 2s
Facts. It's over for Drake now. Big 3 consists of Kendrick, Cole and... Drake has been cast aside. Open room for someone new I guess 😅
"NO OVHOES WERE HARMED DURING THE MAKING OF THIS VIDEO ESSAY". You're so dope lol love your work, always.
Shoutout curtissking!
this title aged extra well after kendrick's new announcement
This being recommended after his Super Bowl announcement is gold
Same that's how I got here 😁
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
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
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’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.
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"
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.
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 😊
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!
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?
The fact that KDot is performing at the Super Bowl is just the best. 😅
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!
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.
‘Super Bowl Level’ and he announces he’s headlining the Super Bowl next year 😂😂😂
Dude 😂 this title aged WELL 🍷
The PUSH UPS, tho 🤣 19:35
Had to go above and beyond in this one🤣
😂
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
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
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!!!
Fire essay. Love all the fun lil shots of you just pondering stuff in here.
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
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!
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
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
Smart title change!
This is actually insane foreshadowing…
Well, would you look at that
Love the vibes, content, perspectives etc. happy belated
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
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
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 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!
Love you lil sis! Keep up the good work!
Another banger. Good shit, slay queen.
A 6:16 in LA vid would be dope!
Yes, would love to see this!
Yay more making media matter videos!!!!
about halfway through this video and I love it, ur goated
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.
W title that aged a lil too perfectly…
Haven’t seen your videos before, but your editing is beautiful. I was very captivated by the clips you chose, your transitions of “scenes/chapters”, and the one where you had your mouth showing, and your body, it felt like it was easier to understand what you were saying there more, not quite sure why lol.
Besides that, the way you spoke throughout the whole video. Very well spoken, not quick, a perfect tempo, and your word choice along with the your flow of the terminology is very well respected and received. Keep it up!!
@@vgoated_god1088 thank you so much! This comment was super kind and encouraging
Thank god the best youtuber posted
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
Dude, the video essays have been great but the EDITING went crazy in this video 🔥
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
First and foremost Congratz on your evolution into adult hood! Happy Birthday. I thought you did an excellent job with this essay. It was clear and with substance, keep on driving with this effort and quality and there is no place you can’t go. I only had one morsel to add to your thought process that I saw a little differently than you. I believe Kendrick took pain staking details to define who is “Not Like Us”. Most people default to KDot just hating the hell out of Drake and that is obvious on the surface level but as we all know, Kendrick is not a surface level cat. I think what Kendrick is actually doing is far broader. It was an assassination of a person’s character. How they move. What they value. How they use others and misappropriate culture. How they are weird with young people and how they go about grooming them. How they put on for others only if there is something in return for them. All of these characteristics Drake has displayed directly or at least debatably. It is this “type” of person Kendrick is not like and wants the world to unite against. Drake unfortunately just became the spokesperson of that type. I think that resonated really well because it was the right message at the right time. Now people are digging back into KDots albums for a larger serving of that message. Masterful.
Food for thought. Loved your work!!
i like this video. you make smart points about the song and the song rocks and a very nice job❤
SO GLAD TO SEE THIS KIND OF POST FROM YOU!!! Really love the editing and style to this essay.
He is performing at the Super Bowl again so this video is perfect
Lil sis. You are incredibly insightful! Thank you so much for blessing us with the fruits of your introspection
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 song is like the Caravaggio painting of David with Goliath’s head. With all the artists who dissed Drake and won, Drake was still standing. Kendrick managed to destroy any chances of Drake’s career ever going back to normal pre beef. This is the first time Drake has done so poorly on the charts and public reception has been shot that I rarely hear anyone playing his music.
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?
most underrated yt channel i stg
You are now my favorite UA-camr. Like button: SMASHED. Notification bell: MASSAGED.
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🤯..!
Great work and Happy 20th Birthday 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thank You for Making Media Matter
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your thesis
1:47 Jumpscare
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!
You are the ONLY person Ive seen who has recognized NLU's ability to powerful unite people together as a single universal "in-group" through the establishment of an "out-group" antagonist/target in Drake. It ignites are most base, kind of "bad" impulses towards effectively bullying, to create a moment of powerful universal community. First person to put to words what I felt, and put it to words so elagantly.
I love it.
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
Nah you really called it with that title
Fye shorty 🔥 and yes we want 6:16 in la and heart part 5 videos as well thugger
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 bet Kendrick will do the 17 pushups at the Super Bowl as well.
Your videos are always great and provide an original look on everything!
We neeed that Heart Part 5 video 🙏
Love the music video references with the camera shots you chose at the end of the vid lol you’re cool as hell I’m a sub now💁🏽♂️
Now he performing at the Super Bowl lmao
All let UA-cam slide this time for recommending this Channel dope vid 👌🏼
😮💨 love ur video essays, I can watch you talk hip hip alllll day 🥹😍
another video essay talking about Kendrick hating Drake, sure ill watch it, HELL, ill ENJOY it
Great job. Happy birthday and thank you for your perspective.
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🎂✌🏾
Great video, I like your camera work, its getting better at every video!
Heart Part 5 is one of my favorite Kendrick tracks, thanks for shining some light on it 🙌🏾
every vid you dropped been a banger, love the vids!!!🔥❤️
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.
Wow. I thought you were like in your mid 20s. You sounded pretty mature. Great video by the way. Happy belated birthday. Wishing you more blessings and success.
Love the “evil twin” to the big steppers take.
I think in The Heart part 5 is actually a critique of The Culture and how those who have wanted or worked to be accepted by it (The Culture) has led to their demise literally and figuratively - Will Smith, OJ, Kanye, Nipsey
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
This was amazing. Thank you for your perspective.
The best part of this video was hearing that you did it at 19 shortly before turning 20. I’m not that much older than you (27) but I’m really impressed and happy to see someone your age take the time to do such a deep dive into art that is so deserving of it.
Also, I made an attempt at my first video essay recently and I think I can learn a thing or two from your performance of your script 😅
Keep doing what you do and belated happy birthday! 🎉 You’re far from old and with the mind and mindset you have, I’m sure your 20s are going to be amazing!
Subscribing to follow along your journey! 🙏🏾✨
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)
Go ed girl. Sick video! Thanks for the input. Hope your 20s are as fun, but not as destructive as mine.
Yea this vid was crazy, you put a lot of things into words that I’ve had thoughts about and explained better than I ever could have 😅
one of the best shot and composed video essays I've watched icl
I can tell you will be big soon!! Wishing all the best for your success!
Thank you I needed this take. I’m new Kendrick fan and yea Mr Moral is very hard to decipher but I’m listening I know it’s worth it. Thanks
I had to come back. 😂 yall got jokes. Did you know kdot got super bowl halftime 2025 in Louisiana.
Articulate and informative. Great border edits. "NO OVHOES...." United in hate is wild🤣💯
This video is amazing. Very well done. I'm glad I found your channel and I'll definitely be subscribing and watching more now. You're so smart and talented at such a young age! Keep it up. Happy belated
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
@@makingmediamatter coming back to this thread because i think my prediction was pretty accurate!!!
Aaaaaaand I’m subscribed 🙏🏽
Very informative and well presented video essay
Helped me appreciate kdot himself as a human and his artistry I always knew since listening to GKMC on CD back in 2012 he was different… what he talks about hits home every time for me personally when you come from and live in Southern California it’s way deeper than just the music! to be apart of this journey up until 2024 and after the beef it feels like more and more people are appreciative and understand kendricks work it’s nice to see that in live time
For me Mr.Morale and the Big Steppers is another classic just like every album we have heard thus far and will hear in the near future (hopefully) 🤞🏾
Shout out Georgia State lol. Doing great work, I feel proud to see the hard work paying off
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.
Awesome!! Yes I love your videos and gotta hear your analysis on 6:16 in LA and Heart Part VI too, happy belated birthday!