Dre Dre Credits Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” For Unifying Compton

Dr Dre has seen it all and done it all. He’s one of the pioneers of G-funk, and one of the most respected figures in the history of California hip-hop. His co-sign means a lot, which is why his appearance at the Pop Out show on Juneteeth was so special. Dr Dre introduced Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us,” in what turned out to be an iconic moment for the genre. Dre reflected on the performance during a chat with Complex Magazine, and how it was actually more important than fans might have realized at the time.

Dr Dre was questioned about Compton’s unity, or lack thereof, during the interview. He was fed a line from Vince Staples, who claimed that Compton gangs had been more unified than the media portrayed, and that Lamar’s Pop Out Show merely shined a light on it. Dr Dre disagreed with Staples’ take, but was hopeful that the success of “Not Like Us” will bring about change. “I’m not sure if that’s true or not,” Dr Dre asserted. “But I think Kendrick was able to bring that together for that moment. Hopefully that moment can move forward.”

Dre voiced uncertainty over the future, especially given the history of gang violence in the city. “I’m not sure if that’s possible or not,” he noted. “Because it’s gonna take more than just one event to get that accomplished. Once it’s done everybody goes home to their home teams. And then they go back.” The interviewer asked whether the Pop Out felt different from Dr Dre’s perspective, and he agreed. “It does feel different,” he noted. “But hopefully it can continue.” Snoop Dogg accompanied Dre during the interview, and he was similarly enthusiastic about Kendrick Lamar’s post-“Not Like Us” success.

Snoop Dogg was more aligned with Staples’ sentiments, but noted that someone of Kendrick Lamar’s caliber was needed to showcase it. “What Kendrick did was he united the whole city based off of him being a king,” the rapper noted. “Creating peace, giving homies the opportunity to come on stage. He’s about peace. He’s about love.” Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg credited Lamar’s big picture mentality to the fact that he doesn’t belong to any one gang. “He ain’t from no gang,” Snoop noted. “He’s from a city full of gangs and he unites cities.”