Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre recently opened up about the power of Kendrick Lamar’s music.
During an exclusive interview with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN for the live rendition of the Drink Champs podcast at Complexcon Snoop and Dre spoke about “Not Like Us” and its unexpected role in uniting the West Coast. Snoop, known for his leadership in the Hip-Hop community, explained how Kendrick’s Drake diss, which doubles as a coastal anthem, broke down long-standing gang divisions, making history in the process. Snoop started by recalling the powerful moment when Kendrick Lamar united multiple gangs on stage peacefully earlier this year when he performed at the Kia Forum aren for The Pop-Out concert.
“You’ve seen that stage where Kendrick was at that night at that concert, it was 98% Bloods up there,” Snoop Dogg said, setting the stage for a deeper conversation about the track’s cultural impact.
He then elaborated on the surprising outcome of Kendrick’s music, particularly “Not Like Us,” revealing how it transcended gang culture and helped mend old wounds.
“Let me tell you what that record did do, It unified the West,” he said.
According to Snoop, the song had a unifying effect, despite its controversial nature.
“So it may have been disrespectful, but it’s Hip-Hop, so it’s part of Hip-Hop,” he admitted. “I chose no sides because I have no individual cause with that. That’s the grown man going against the grown man.”
Snoop continued, adding what truly impressed him was how the hype from the song was able to bring rival gangs together.
“What it did do was unite the West and make everybody out here start looking at each other, like, how much love we got for each other,” he explained. “It was a Blood walk where the Bloods had a peace treaty. You had certain Crip gangs, they came together and became real friends as opposed to being enemies.”
Snoop credited Kendrick with playing a pivotal role in this cultural shift.
“So that record did a lot for us on the West as far as uniting,” he continued, “So we should speak on that.”
During a special live episode of @drinkchamps at #ComplexCon, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre spoke on the overarching impact of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” pic.twitter.com/PR7TkdTJVQ
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) November 18, 2024
N.O.R.E., intrigued by the conversation, shifted gears, asking Snoop about the dance associated with gangs and the culture attached to it.
Snoop was quick to explain, “It’s the walk.”
“If you a Crip, it’s the Crip walk. If you a Blood, it’s the B-walk.”
The mention of the dance had N.O.R.E. laughing, adding, “But now it’s white people walking!” To which Dr. Dre reacted in disbelief, urging N.O.R.E. to clarify. “Wait, say that again.”
Dre continued, “No, no. Wait. Say that again. Because most people don’t understand that and they don’t even know that that exists.” .
With Dre eager to educate listeners on this cultural nuance, Snoop dove deeper, explaining how gang members from both sides contributed to the creation of the dance.
“So when it comes to the gang culture, that dance was created by gang members,” Snoop said. “So on both sides, dance to the music, they dance with that in mind.”
He clarified that while the Crips had dominated the music scene, both Bloods and Crips had their own version of the walk, a cultural expression tied to their identities.
“If you a Blood, you put your gang first,” he added. “That’s the Blood walk. If you a Crip, that’s the Crip walk. But the Crips have been so dominant in the music industry that you think that that’s the only way that it’s done.”
Snoop continued, emphasizimg the inclusivity of the culture, noting that even artists from multiple generations who represent the red side participated in the same dance.
“When you see Kendrick, you see Quik (DJ Quik), you see YG, whoever you see that’s from the red side, they dance the same way we dance,” he pointed out. “Because it’s a culture thing. You know what I’m saying? It’s for the culture. They just represent for their side, but both sides are together. So it’s a unification.”
Dr. Dre concluded, adding, “And you cou;d never understand this s##t if you don’t understand the culture.”
Snoop Dogg previously echoed similar sentiments about Kendrick’s#### song earlier this year in June when he crowned the former TDE rapper the King of The West.
Watch the full clip above.