“Not Like Us” is a confrontational and introspective diss track anchored in themes of authenticity, cultural integrity, and musical lineage. Kendrick Lamar positions himself as the defender of real hiphop values, contrasting them with what he sees as the manufactured, commodified persona of Drake and his affiliates. The track interrogates issues of cultural appropriation, sexual impropriety, and industry fakeness while reaffirming loyalty to his Compton roots. Repetition of the chorus (“they not like us”) emphasizes exclusion and moral dissonance. The aggressive hyphy-influenced production, combined with sharp lyrical content, reinforces the song’s insistence on moral and artistic realness over commercial posturing.