Dionne Warwick Explains Her Discomfort with Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ and Why She Prefers Privacy

Dionne Warwick, a legendary music icon with an extensive career spanning decades, has built her reputation on genuine talent and authenticity. In a recent segment with NPR titled “Nobody Asked for This (But I’m Gonna Tell You Anyhow),”Warwick evaluated a variety of popular songs.

This engaging segment, which she shared on Twitter on Friday (Sept. 27), highlighted her insights on tracks from artists such as Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Kendrick Lamar, and Sabrina Carpenter.

Warwick employed a unique rating scale, awarding each track a score of one to five “Dionnes.”She began with Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!”—a song that Warwick described as having “almost an ABBA feeling.”The track earned four-and-a-half Dionnes, as Warwick commended Roan for having her “own thing going on,”calling it “a wonderful thing.”

When Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”played, Warwick’s reaction shifted to one of frustration. “This is the look of ‘why’?”she said, alluding to her views on the ongoing public feud between Lamar and Drake.

“I don’t think that this should be a public thing,”she remarked.

Warwick ultimately refused to rate the track, stating:

“So as far as I’m concerned, I’m not going to rate this one.”

Dionne Warwick Shares Insights on Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, and Kendrick Lamar

Along with her opinions on Lamar and Roan, Dionne Warwick also shared her perspective on several other songs. One highlight was Sabrina Carpenter’s “Feather,”which Warwick found “refreshing”and “playful.”She praised Carpenter’s vocal performance and energy, giving the song three Dionnes, while noting, “It’s a fun song, but it doesn’t push boundaries.”Warwick also awarded Carpenter’s “Please Please Please”a rating of four-and-a-half Dionnes.

Charli XCX’s track “Guess”received a score of four Dionnes. Although Warwick admitted she was unfamiliar with Charli’s album “Brat,”she enjoyed the song and jokingly considered herself part of the “brat”category. “I possibly am,”she said with a smile.

Warwick’s disapproval of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track was not her only instance of declining to comment on public disputes. In April, a fan on X (formerly Twitter) asked her for her opinion on J. Cole’s involvement in another rap feud. Warwick’s response was straightforward:

“No. I will continue to mind my business.”

About Dionne Warwick

Dionne Warwick has sold over 100 million records globally and is celebrated for hits like “Walk on By,””I Say a Little Prayer,”and “That’s What Friends Are For.”Her collaborations with Burt Bacharach and Hal David during the 1960s and 1970s were pivotal in shaping the pop music landscape of that era, resulting in a multitude of chart-topping singles.

Warwick’s significant contributions to music have garnered her numerous accolades, including five Grammy Awards. In 2019, she was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing her incredible impact on the music industry.

Beyond her accomplishments in music, Warwick is also well-known for her philanthropic efforts, especially in AIDS research and prevention, and she has served as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Health.

Dionne Warwick’s critique of Lamar’s track comes at a pivotal time as he prepares for a major career milestone. Kendrick Lamar is scheduled to headline the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in February, as announced by the NFL.

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