Explaining "Not Like Us" To Wypipo Part 2
The end of the second verse of “Not Like Us” is a CRUCIAL part of the song. Here he raises his voice and begins yelling like a brimstone preacher trying to chant away the devil. I think that’s exactly what he intends to do in this section—scare away the devil.
Yeah, it's all eyes on me, and I'ma send it up to Pac, ayy
[What Kendrick is doing here is aligning himself with Tupac, the Jesus Christ of hiphop in that he’s the embodiment of the spirit of hiphop. I don’t mean anything about Pac in pop culture, I mean the way that hiphop culture holds Pac up above all others and reveres him and practically worships him the way Christians worship Christ. Kendrick is saying I’m connected to him. (Pac is also yet another California hiphop icon so it’s another Cali reference.) All Eyez On Me is Pac’s album. This whole bit is like the preacher invoking Jesus. Kendrick is bringing the spirit of Pac into the conversation. Kendrick, in this line and in this battle, presents himself as the keeper of Pac’s flame, the protector of his legacy, and the true heir to Pac’s throne as the most hiphop person ever. Not the best, but the one who embodies and represents the culture the most deeply into their spirit. By aligning himself with Pac, Kendrick is again proving his hiphop credentials, making the case that he is hiphop while Drake is not.]
