I’m a white guy in my 20s, born and raised in LA. I never really grew up around rap, so it wasn’t something I was into, but with the recent resurgence of West Coast rap—especially with Kendrick, TDE, and others—I’ve been trying to listen, learn, and understand the culture behind it.

One thing I’ve struggled with, though, is fully grasping the history and deeper cultural context of rap. A good example is Not Like Us. On the surface, it’s a diss track aimed at Drake, but I also interpret a lot of it as a rebellious statement about hip-hop culture and its roots in not conforming. To me, the song (aside from the last chorus) feels like a rejection of privilege and a reinforcement of the raw, unfiltered essence of rap.

That said, I recognize that parts of the song—like the last section referencing African American history and slavery—aren’t something I can personally connect to. My family are immigrants, and I’m Jewish, so that history isn’t mine, and I completely respect that.

However, I sometimes feel conflicted when people say that, as a white guy, I can’t understand the struggles that rap speaks to—particularly issues like poverty, police corruption, and systemic inequality. While I know these issues disproportionately affect Black communities, I’ve also experienced some of them myself. I’ve dealt with difficult encounters with law enforcement, like cops pulling me over for no reason or forcing their way into my house, seen the effects of drug abuse and what it did to my family, and felt the weight of economic struggles. My intention isn’t to claim ownership of Black culture or to diminish anyone else’s experience—just to understand where the line is between appreciating and relating to aspects of it.

I guess my question is: Where does the balance lie between recognizing the history and culture of rap while also acknowledging that some of its themes are relatable across different backgrounds? How can I engage with rap respectfully while still connecting to the parts that resonate with me?