On an early May evening, Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux headed to the batter’s box in the third inning against the Florida Marlins when rapper Kendrick Lamar “Not like us” thundered from the loudspeakers. Set to walk-up music, the acclaimed Compton, California songwriter’s KO of Drake – punctuated by a deeply personal struggle – raised eyebrows. Lanier “DJ Severe” Stewart, the Dodgers’ musical director in control of song placement, was initially apprehensive about playing the bruising song.

“I’m a fan of both Drake and Kendrick. “I wanted to stay calm because I didn’t know how controversial the lyrics of ‘Not Like Us’ would be,” Stewart told Andscape. “But the song came together because now that Gavin and other players (around the league) have asked for it, I have a free license to play it.”

But few imagined that “Not Like Us,” a relentless diss track, can be chosen as the next ubiquitous sports anthem and potentially join jock jam favorites like “Queen”We will rock you“Ozzy Osbourne”Crazy train“Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock”Requires two” and “Usher”Yes!”

In only a month, Lamar’s song, produced by DJ Mustard, has already change into a well-liked favorite with Stewart. Dodgers resident DJ Fuze he used the track to fireplace up fans during pre-game warm-ups. Even renowned Dodgers organist Dieter Ruehle added a song that topped the charts to your traditional playlist.

Lamar has long embraced by the Dodgers faithful. Now the Pulitzer Prize-winning artist as well-known in Los Angeles culture as Pink’s Hot Dogs, Lowriders and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant has created a mainstream hit that transcended baseball’s hallowed cathedral of late Dodgers sportscaster Vin Scully.

“TNT was used”Not like us” during the NBA Playoffs broadcast. The song was played in arenas across the NBA, including: TD Garden in Boston to the Target Center in Minnesota (shout out to Timberwolves defenseman Anthony Edwards). Las Vegas Aces, defending WNBA champions, they added the anthem to your playlist, identical to me Chicago heaven AND storm in Seattle.

The Michigan Wolverines, the 2023 College Football Playoffs champions, clearly took sides once they used “Not Like Us” as the soundtrack to their Season 2023. And Lamar’s song was played abroad Feyenoord Rotterdam football match in the Netherlands.

“‘Not Like Us’ works on every level,” Stewart said. “The sport may be very competitive. People prefer to talk nonsense to the opposing side. Everyone will latch on to this refrain. It’s a really direct song. This mainly means declaring to the opposing team, “You’re not on my level.” “

And it is not nearly professionals. Marching bands from historically black colleges and universities have been followed on social media buzz around potential findings for “Not Like Us” this upcoming football season. Fans even publicized the potential most important drum choreography and march band sheet music.

For Jana Lynn Walker, Florida A&M graduate and former piccolo player in the university’s famed marching band “100,” “Not Like Us” has all the makings of an HBCU game day staple. Walker co-hosts the series X Spaces, wherein he breaks down and predicts that Lamar’s song will change into the homecoming favorite.

“From the very beginning of the fanfare that graced the brass and woodwind sections, backed by the underlying drum beat and the sousaphones driving that bass line, the song had the ability to transform a crowd into a community,” Walker explained. “HBCU bands uniquely uphold the spirit of black culture through music, and since Kendrick’s song ‘Not Like Us’ demonstrates its cultural significance as well as being a huge hit, playing it is not only an obvious but welcome addition to the repertoire.”

Sports anthems date back to “Take me out of here to play football”, a groundbreaking baseball song first written in 1908. Fast forward to 1977, when Chicago White Sox organist Nancy Faust heard fans at Comiskey Park singing the chorus of the 1969 hit “Na Na Hey, hey, kiss him goodbye” after 4 games with the Minnesota Twins. She then began playing the song when the opposing pitcher was faraway from the game, and it soon became a well-known song at sporting events. The modern sports anthem was born.

Today it’s unthinkable to not have heard the song Guns N’ Roses “Welcome to the jungle” roar in NFL stadiums, sending fans right into a frenzy during kickoff or witnessing NBA enthusiasts wave their arms backward and forward during Naughty by Nature’s celebratory performance “Hip-hop Bravo” fills arenas. Great sports anthems have a common element in that the best anthems often connect generations. Frankie Beverly and Maze’s 1981 classicBefore I let go” is as popular as the 1998 Juvenile jam “Back to that Azz Up” on the HBCU marching band playlist.

There are also evergreen songs, “Metallica”Enter Sandman” and the White Stripes’ moderate hit became a rallying cry in soccer stadiums around the world “Seven Nations Army” which have change into so synonymous with sports that one forgets that they’d a previous life. That’s why “Not Like Us” is so different from what Stewart described as the “low-hanging fruit” of jock rock glasses.

“I try to find songs that deviate from the norm,” said the veteran Dodgers DJ, whose playlist includes every part from ’60s guitarist Jimi Hendrix’s “”Fire” and the 1976 funk jam Cameo “The stiffness of death” to the classic by Tejano singer Selena “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and rapper Skee-Lo’s unassuming gem “I’d like” “I like to attract an older audience first, but I don’t want to make it that easy for them. I want fans to pay attention even when the team is on fire,” Stewart said.

Time will tell if “Not Like Us” inspires a sports anthem, say, “Whoomp!” 1993 Tag Team. (There It Is)” – a surprising crossover for the group, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. With over 4 million copies sold and a number of other high-profile television commercials, Cecil “DC the Brain Supreme” Glenn and Steve “Rolln” Gibson survived for much longer than their one-hit wonder duo status.

“Our bread and butter is halftime shows, NBA stadiums, NFL stadiums, MLB first pitches, and now we’re working on NHL third-quarter shows and the upcoming World Cup,” Glenn said. “Because “Whoomp!” (There It Is)” is universal throughout the world.”

As for “Not Like Us,” Tag Team is rooting for Lamar to hitch them in the pantheon of sports anthem royalty. “It shows right in your face: It’s catchy,” Gibson said. “No matter what the tone of ‘Not Like Us’ is, it’s exciting. When you hear this sound, something like House of Pain’s “Jump Around” will trigger. There’s something magical between Kendrick and that beat.”