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‘Not Like Us’ Producer Mustard on Kendrick’s First Reaction to His Beat, Timbaland’s Advice and Whether Grammys Matter

Mustard, producer on Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' diss track, discusses his first reaction to hearing it, its Grammys chances and more.

He may still be polishing his tennis game, but after more than a decade of making hip-hop hits, Mustard scored an indisputable ace this year, reaching his highest career peak to date as the beat-maker behind Kendrick Lamar ’s Billboard Hot 100 No. The release of “Not Like Us” did plenty to galvanize the West Coast scene on its own, but Lamar further cemented its place in hip-hop history when he hosted The Pop Out — Ken & Friends, a Juneteenth concert at the L.A.-area Kia Forum. There was something about his simple formula of “a bassline, clap and it’s over… maybe an 808,” as he puts it, plus that catchy producer tag “Mustard on the beat, hoe!” that attracted pop purists and hip-hop heads alike, making his work go off both at the club and on the radio.

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