He mocks the "overdue car notes" and "primadonna" attitudes of people who dismissed him before his fame, ending with a cynical "Fast forward, wait, is that you?".
"Anxiety" essentially "copy and pastes" the atmospheric backing of the Gotye track, creating a modern rap-pop hybrid that has been highly successful on rhythmic radio. Unreleased Tracks and Leaks
The "Somebody That I Used to Know" melody saw a major resurgence in the Kendrick-adjacent world with the release of by TDE artist Doechii . Kendrick Lamar - Somebody That I Used To Know -...
In this version, Kendrick delivers a characteristically intricate verse that flips the original song’s themes of heartbreak into a gritty narrative about social status and changing dynamics:
The intersection of and Gotye’s 2011 diamond-certified hit "Somebody That I Used to Know" is a fascinating piece of hip-hop history. While many modern listeners might assume it’s a recent AI-generated mashup, the connection actually dates back over a decade to a specific remix and a shared lineage of samples that continues through Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). The Official 2012 Remix He mocks the "overdue car notes" and "primadonna"
Outside of the 2012 remix, there are several "leaks" frequently discussed in fan circles: Kendrick Lamar – Somebody That I Used to Know (Remix)
The remix keeps Gotye's iconic chorus but recontextualizes it to represent the distance between Kendrick and the people from his past. The TDE Connection: Doechii’s "Anxiety" Produced by The Blessings
Kendrick raps about a former acquaintance who only acknowledges him once he’s "poppin'".
While "Anxiety" is often cited as sampling Gotye, both tracks actually share a foundational sample from Luiz Bonfá’s 1967 instrumental "Seville" .
Shortly after Gotye’s original track dominated the charts, an official featuring Kendrick Lamar was released in 2012 . Produced by The Blessings , the track appeared on the mixtape Slight Work 5 .