Nine months after its initial release, Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us continues to dominate charts, earning him his first UK number-one single. The track, which delivered a final blow in his high-profile feud with Drake, saw a resurgence following Lamar’s record-breaking Super Bowl halftime show.
With Not Like Us streamed 6.4 million times in the UK last week, Lamar’s influence remains undeniable. His other hits, Luther and All The Stars (with SZA), have also re-entered the top five. In the US, Lamar continues his dominance, holding the top two spots with Not Like Us and Luther.
Drake, however, is far from staying silent. The Canadian rapper made a chart comeback this week, with three songs from his surprise joint album with PARTYNEXTDOOR, Some Sexy Songs 4 U, entering the UK top 40. The album, released on Valentine’s Day, has debuted at number three on the UK album charts.
Despite this resurgence, Lamar still holds the upper hand. His latest album, GNX, climbed to the number one spot on the Billboard 200, making history as he became the first rapper to have three albums in the top 10 simultaneously. His 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning album DAMN. sits at number nine, while his 2012 classic good kid, m.A.A.d city reached number 10.
Lamar’s growing influence was further cemented earlier this month when he won five Grammy Awards, including Record and Song of the Year for Not Like Us. His Super Bowl halftime show, which became the most-watched ever with 133.5 million viewers, only solidified his place at the top of the hip-hop world.
However, the Drake-Kendrick feud is far from over. Drake has taken legal action against Universal Music, Lamar’s label, for defamation and harassment over Not Like Us. The ongoing legal battle suggests tensions remain high between the two rap titans.
Elsewhere in the UK charts, Lola Young’s Messy was knocked off the top spot, with Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club climbing to third. Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet returned to number one on the album charts, boosted by a deluxe edition featuring a collaboration with Dolly Parton.
Meanwhile, London singer-songwriter Louis Dunford celebrated his debut album Be Lucky entering the charts at number eight, calling the achievement “absolutely buzzing.” His track The Angel (North London Forever), famously adopted by Arsenal fans, continues to gain traction.
As the rap world watches the next move in the Drake-Kendrick saga, both artists remain at the center of the music industry’s biggest headlines.
