Kendrick Lamar's standout track, Squabble Up, from his album, GNX, has generated a lot of buzz online, but mainly, for the slew of West Coast and Compton references. The Calmatic-directed video dropped on Monday, November 25, and serves as a sequel to his Not Like Us music video.
The video opens up with a sign of Lamar, clad in blue, standing next to a woman dancing. Behind him, a child is seen hanging off a freeway exit sign from LA's iconic 105 freeway. It lists three eastbound exits: Wilmington, Central, and Long Beach Boulevard, all of which are key areas tied to Compton, Lamar's hometown. But this is only the beginning.
Here are all of the easter eggs in Kendrick Lamar's Squabble Up music video
In Squabble Up, scraper bikes can be seen-- a nod to Oakland's hyphy movement. These modified bicycles were first introduced by Tyrone "Baybe Champ" Stevenson Jr. in 2006, and they stand for youth empowerment and resistance.
AKA Scraper Bike King, Tyrone began modifying these bikes with anything he could find-- scrap, cardboard, tinfoil, and paint. His goal was to divert the youth's minds and keep them trouble-free. Throughout the scene, dancers are seen "going dumb," a nod to the hyphy culture of the Bay Area popular at the turn of the millennium.
Another scene showcased David Hammons' "African-American Flag," which blends the colors of the Pan-African and U.S. Flags to stand for the identity of African-Americans living in the U.S. In the past, African slaves were prohibited from learning about their culture, and as a result, the flag was born as a symbol of resistance.
In the opening scene of the video, Kendrick Lamar can be seen sporting a blue hoodie. The woman next to him is seen striking a pose with a long firearm, a direct reference to Ice-T's 1998 Power album cover, his second studio album. The scene is a nod to Ice-T's influence on the West Coast's rap scene in its nascent years.
Notably, Ice-T himself took to X to weigh in with the caption “Respect." He also took to Instagram to share his excitement over Kendrick Lamar's music video:
"The 👑 @kendricklamar gave me some love… Now YOU have the POWER.”
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Squabble Up was initially titled Broccoli, and the rapper previewed the track just a few months ago. Co-producers of the track include Sounwave and Jack Antonoff. Per Billboard, the track is expected to clock in on next week's Billboard Hot 100.
Kendrick Lamar has been making strides in the industry just this year with the release of tracks like Future and Metro Boomin’s Like That as well as his own Not Like Us.
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