Streaming platforms have turned music into a high-stakes game of numbers and bragging rights, but every so often, an artist drops a track that changes the whole equation. Enter Kendrick Lamar, the rap titan whose latest single, ‘Not Like Us,’ is making waves far beyond the usual hype. This is no regular drop; it is a history-maker shaking up the music scene and flipping the script on what streaming success looks like.

While streaming numbers rise and fall like charted waves, Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ crashed through every expectation, setting new highs that no rap song dared to touch before.

Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us breaks streaming barriers with historic surge

Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ just rewrote streaming history, racking up a staggering 2.84 billion plays across platforms, the most ever for a rap song. Dropped in May 2024, it blitzed to 100 million streams faster than any rap track before, hitting that mark in just nine days. One electric day alone saw 12.8 million streams, smashing the biggest single-day hip-hop record. Lamar did not just drop a hit; he straight-up shook the streaming game with this track.

The Billboard charts witnessed history with ‘Not Like Us’ climbing to number one on the Billboard Global 200 for four non-consecutive weeks, marking Kendrick Lamar’s first solo chart-topper there. Beyond peak positions, the track stayed powerfully present on the Billboard Hot 100 for a staggering 53 weeks, making it the longest-charting rap song in history. This level of endurance revealed the song’s universal appeal and Lamar’s unrelenting grip on hip-hop’s throne.

While ‘Not Like Us’ shattered streaming records and ruled the charts, Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy sweep and Super Bowl spotlight proved its power was not just digital, it was legendary in every arena.

Grammy sweep and Super Bowl heat: how Not Like Us became Kendrick Lamar’s ultimate power play

‘Not Like Us’ did not just conquer charts; it dominated award season, sweeping five major Grammy categories, including Record of the Year and Best Rap Song, at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. The track also lit up the stage as the centerpiece of Lamar’s electrifying Super Bowl LIX halftime show, where he reignited his legendary feud with Drake. Fans and critics alike declared it a performance to remember, transforming the song from a streaming giant into a live cultural milestone.

At its core, ‘Not Like Us’ is more than a commercial triumph; it tells a gripping story of one of hip-hop’s fiercest rivalries. This track has carved out a defining chapter in Kendrick Lamar’s career and marked a milestone in rap history, capturing the powerful collision of art, competition, and culture in a way that resonates far beyond the music itself.

What are your thoughts on Kendrick Lamar’s unstoppable rise with ‘Not Like Us’? Let us know in the comments below.