Here Are the Lyrics to Kendrick Lamar's Untitled "Not Like Us" Follow-Up
The song marks Kendrick's first new track since his No. 1 Drake diss "Not Like Us."
The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards found itself in direct competition with a surprise-dropped new track from Kendrick Lamar, who will next year be headlining the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in New Orleans.
While the song wasn’t shared alongside an official title when it first popped up on Dot’s Instagram with a photo of a beaten-up pair of black Air Force 1 shoes, most listeners have taken to calling it “Watch the Party Die,” or similar variations, based off the phrase’s repeated usage throughout the five-minute loosie. Two avenues of thought have emerged in the hours since the song first showed up out of nowhere on Wednesday night, thus sending YouTube reaction channels (not to mention the Complex News team) into scramble mode: Either Kendrick is again directing his frustrations at Drake, or he’s taking a broader approach.
The latter theory is bolstered by the timing of the song’s release, what with a good chunk of the present-day pop culture landscape having gathered at the UBS Arena for the VMAs. In that same vein, Kendrick’s announcement as the 2025 Super Bowl performer has been met with substantial debate largely focused on Lil Wayne seemingly having been passed over for the hometown opportunity. Weezy, of course, signed the 6 God to Young Money back in 2009, which would suggest an even wider take on the “Not Like Us” follow-up, namely that both avenues of interpretation could be accurate. Maybe Kendrick is not only again taking a critical look at Drake but at the industry at large.
Below, dissect the (unofficial) lyrics to the new track at your own pace and form your own assessment. As of this writing, the song has not kickstarted a full-fledged second act of Kendrick and Drizzle’s historic back-and-forth.
I think it's time to watch the party die
This shit done got too wicked to apologize
It's different, get him whacked and disqualified
We even kill the killers 'cause they like taking innocent lives
Burn a whole village, we start over, it's really that time
Why reason with these n***as if they can't see the future first?
Why argue with these clowns if the circus is well at work?
Just walk that man down, that'll do everyone a solid
It's love but tough love sometimes gotta result in violence
If you parade in gluttony without givin' truth to the youth
The graveyard is company, just tell us what casket to choose
They party more than bitches, tell me what are you working for?
They glorify scamming, you get chipped over this credit card
Influencers talked down 'cause I'm not with the basic shit
But they don't hate me, they hate the man that I represent
The type of man that never dick-ride 'cause I want a favor
The man that resides in patience, so where the soldiers at?
The one's that lost it all and learnt to learn from that
A thirst for life, head inside a book 'cause he concerned with that
Information that'll change his life because he yearns for that
Dedication, findin' out what's right 'cause he can earn from that
I feel for the women that deal with the clown and nerd shit
Can't blame them, today they ain't really got much to work with
How many bitches harder than a lot of you n***as?
Would trade all of y'all for Nip, I can't be proud of you n***as
God, give me life, dear God, please give me peace
Dear God, please keep these lame n***as away from me
Dear God, keep me shinin', the fuck do they really think?
Pocket-watching, you must be the police
God, bless these words, dear God, bless how I think
Dear God, draw the line, they tryna confuse 'em with me
Dear God, please forgive me, you knowin' how hard I tried
I think it's time for me to watch the party die
Get 'em gone, we gon' watch the party die
Send 'em home, we gon' watch the party die
I think it's time to watch the party die
Street n***as and the corporate guys, the rappers that report the lies
I need they families mortified
We can do life without 'em, get they bodies organized, tell me if you obliged
No more pillow-talkin', jumpstartin' neighborhood wars
Dirty-mackin' bitches because your spirit is insecure
The flashy n***a with nasty decisions using money as a backbone
I want his head cracked before he's back home
The radio personality pushin' propaganda for salary
Let me know when they turn up as a casualty, I want agony
Assault and battery, I see a new Earth
Filled with beautiful people makin' humanity work
Let's kill the followers that follow up on poppin' mollies from
The obvious degenerates that's failing to acknowledge the
Hope that we tryna spread, if I'm not his vote
Then you need to bring his fucking head, I’ll film that shit in hi-res
God, give me life, dear God, please give me peace
Dear God, please keep these lame n***as away from me
Dear God, keep me shinin', the fuck do they really think?
Pocket-watching, you must be the police
God bless these words, dear God, bless how I think
Dear God, draw the line, they tryna confuse 'em with me
Dear God, please, forgive me, you knowin' how hard I tried
I think it's time for me to watch the party die
Sometimes I wonder what Lecrae would do
Fuck these n***as up or show 'em just what prayer do?
I wanna be empathetic, my heart like Dee-1
But I will—
It's time to get these devils out the way, heavy metals on my sword
We settle hard disputes today, the ghetto Hollywood divorce
Say hello to your future fate, the culture bred with carnivores
You let 'em snack, they eat your face, the signatures is bein' forged
They wonder why I'm not enthused to drop
The more visible you get, the more your spiritual is tried
It's cynical to say I know these artists petrified
The end result in jail by Jezebel or drugged up full of lies
Critical, I know my physical is tested all the time
I'm pitiful, sunken place soon as I'm questionin' my pride
I'm seein' ghosts, blackin' out, relapsin' one thought at a time
I spare no feelings that ain't mine, I'm in my feelings when I slide, I mean
A n***a wonder what Lecrae would do
Terrace Martin said I'm mentally with layers, true
I flood the market with my best regards, I paid your dues
And so it's up, if you ain't one of ours, it's bad news
My n***a Jay Estrada said I gotta burn it down to build it up
That confirmation real as fuck, it ain't too many real as us
Lockin' in to what I trust, lookin' outside
The kids live tomorrow 'cause today, the party just died
