Kendrick Lamar - Somebody That I Used To Know -... -

While the remix never became a massive commercial radio hit—largely due to the nature of unofficial, copyright-heavy unauthorized remixes in the early 2010s—it served a vital purpose in Kendrick’s discography.

Ironically, Gotye himself engaged in a massive mashup project centered on his own song. Following the incredible number of covers and parodies of "Somebody That I Used to Know" on YouTube, Gotye (real name Wouter Wally De Backer) compiled many of them into a mega-mashup titled "Somebodies: A YouTube Orchestra". The video combined audio and video from numerous YouTube user cover versions, creating a unique collective performance. While Kendrick Lamar was not included in that specific project, it speaks to the song's immense cultural footprint and its status as a canvas for reinterpretation.

Kendrick Lamar - Somebody That I Used to Know (Remix) Lyrics

A critical element of this specific performance is the inclusion of a feature from his then-label mate, Jay Rock (of TDE). This addition shifts the song from a solo cover to a collaborative effort, aligning it with the posse-cut structure often found in West Coast hip-hop. Kendrick Lamar - Somebody That I Used To Know -...

To save the star-studded track, producer Keno recreated an entirely new, original instrumental string backing that mimicked the emotional weight of the original sample without infringing on copyrights.

: The verse ends with a harsh dose of reality, looking at how the girl who once overlooked him ended up trapped in local cycles ( "Fast forward... And your three kids and three baby daddies same car note that's overdue?" ). The Legacy of the Remix

"Memories Back Then" was initially released as a single by Hustle Gang on April 22, 2013. While it had a brief run on the Billboard Hot 100, the track was more notable for its high-profile collaboration and the story behind its sample than for blockbuster chart success. Nevertheless, the song has endured as a deep cut for fans of all three artists, representing a moment where the brooding indie-pop of Gotye briefly intersected with mainstream hip-hop. While the remix never became a massive commercial

: Because of the popularity of Kendrick’s unreleased "Memories Back Then" verse, many fan-made mashups exist on platforms like YouTube that place his vocals directly over the original Gotye instrumental. Somebody That I Used to Know (Remix) Lyrics - Genius

Built upon a distinctive sample of Brazilian guitarist Luiz Bonfá's 1967 instrumental track "Seville," the song combined a xylophone-driven hook with raw acoustic textures.

The beat was eventually reworked into a new, original production to avoid legal trouble, but the "Gotye Version" leaked online and is still considered by many fans to be the superior rendition. 2. The "Slight Work 5" Remix The video combined audio and video from numerous

Kendrick focuses on the "used to know" aspect, framing it through the lens of a relationship that has fallen apart due to the pressures of success and the superficiality of a materialistic partner.

Kendrick opens the track by setting a nostalgic yet confrontational scene, immediately contrasting his past with his present success: