Many fans searching for this keyword are tracking down a specific piece of hip-hop history. In 2012, around the rise of Kendrick Lamar's landmark album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City , an official remix emerged titled Somebody That I Used to Know (Remix) on underground mixtapes like Slight Work 5 .
Lamar’s rendition, backed by his touring band, inverts this dynamic. The tempo is accelerated, and the instrumentation is thickened with live bass and sharper, more urgent drumming. This sonic shift is crucial. Where Gotye’s version sounds like the melancholic aftermath of a breakup, Lamar’s version sounds like the heated argument that caused it. The band creates a soundscape that demands attention rather than passive listening, setting the stage for Lamar’s high-energy vocal delivery.
The most famous direct link between Kendrick and Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" involves the song "" by T.I., featuring B.o.B. and Kendrick Lamar.
He has no writing, production, or vocal credits on any version of that track. Kendrick Lamar - Somebody That I Used To Know -...
In the leaked version featuring the actual Gotye sample, Kendrick Lamar delivers a masterclass in narrative storytelling that completely subverts the indie-pop theme of the original track. While Gotye sings about the pain of post-breakup alienation, Kendrick anchors his verse in the reality of evolving past childhood acquaintances and coping with the superficiality of newfound fame.
Kendrick Lamar has never officially recorded or released a version of "Somebody That I Used To Know." However, you might be thinking of one of these possibilities:
: He raps, "Hold up, is that you? / With them big ol' thighs after school?" and contrasts his success with her overdue car notes. Many fans searching for this keyword are tracking
Imagine for a moment that the track did exist. A legitimate studio collaboration where Kendrick Lamar rewrites Gotye’s verses. How would it play out?
The original version of the song was built directly on a massive, lush sample of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" .
It also highlighted an ongoing theme in his music: the tension between finding mainstream success and staying true to his authentic roots. In the remix, Kendrick proudly proclaims, "I'm grown now, I'm on my own now, I'm poppin'" . It is a prophetic statement, given that within a year of this remix's release, he would indeed be "poppin'" on an unprecedented, global scale. The Enduring Legacy of "Somebody That I Used To Know" The tempo is accelerated, and the instrumentation is
While there is no official collaboration, the internet has created a strong association between Kendrick Lamar’s style and the Gotye song due to .
The original composition by Gotye relies on spatial dynamics; it is defined by its skeletal percussion, the unique timbre of the sampled Winton four-string guitar, and a vocal delivery that is breathy and resigned. The song feels like a memory fading into the ether.
Critics and listeners often note the "hip-hop vs. pop" dynamic. Kendrick's verse, which includes lines about his new life and "having options," provides a sharp contrast to the vulnerable, almost haunting melody of the Gotye sample.
When the track landed in the hands of Kendrick Lamar and his engineering team, they didn't strip away Gotye's foundation. Instead, they adapted the tempo to fit Kendrick's rapid-fire West Coast delivery. The remix preserves the haunting xylophone-like pluck and the soaring vocal hook, but drops a subtle, driving percussion line beneath it. This transformed a desolate indie ballad into a dynamic canvas for storytelling. đź“ť Lyrical Analysis: Kendrick's "Hot Pursuit"