Kendrick Lamar might be able to add lifesaver to his resume with 'Not Like Us'
Kendrick Lamar's acclaimed diss track about Drake could help save a life, at least that's what the American Heart Association says.
In a Wednesday social media post, the non-profit organization said Lamar's five-time Grammy award winning song "Not Like Us" had the right tempo for hands-only CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, with 101 beats per minute.
"Mustard on the beat," the American Heart Association wrote in the post. "And it could help you save a life with Hands-Only CPR. If you see a teen or adult collapse, call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the rhythm of 'Not Like Us.'
Lamar has earned widespread acclaim and recognition from rap aficionados, peers and even critics for the track amid the revival of heated, long-standing rap battle against Drake. He was even tapped to headline the Super Bowl 59 halftime show, where he and former Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate SZA hit the stage in New Orleans with special guests Serena Williams and Samuel L. Jackson.
Lamar can potentially add lifesaver to his resume thanks to the American Heart Association shoutout.
"'Not Like Us' by Kendrick Lamar is 101 beats per minute, the perfect rate for performing compressions," Dr. Comilla Sasson, health science executive at the American Heart Association, said in a statement. "So, turn on that music, hopefully, and practice your CPR compressions. Your hands can save a life."
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Over 350,000 people experience a cardiac arrest annually
Sasson said CPR training is a "critical skill," one that can triple a person's chances of surviving a cardiac arrest.
"We hope we can turn our nation of bystanders into a nation of lifesavers," Sasson said.
More than 350,000 people, including 23,000 children, experience a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital every year in the U.S., which is why the American Heart Association is challenging everyone to make CPR and AED, or automated external defibrillator awareness and education a "permanent fixture" in communities all over the world, according to Sasson.
"We know that kids as young as nine years old can learn how to do CPR and kids up to four years old can actually learn how to call emergency response services, or 911," Sasson said.
How to perform hands-only CPR
Hands-only CPR, which can be performed on teenagers and adults, has shown to be as effective as in the first few minutes as CPR with breaths, Sasson said. It also only has two steps, making it "really simple" to learn.
- First, call 911 if you see a teen or adult collapse nearby
- Next, push hard and fast in the center of the chest at the rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute
The second step can be practiced at home with a pillow or mannequin to the beat of "Not Like Us," or any other American Heart approved track listed below.
'Not Like Us' and other American Heart Association approved tracks
Though the American Heart Association's post about "Not Like Us" certainly got some attention, it wasn't the only song the non-profit has cleared to help practice compressions. In fact, the American Heart Association recommended a handful of other songs from artists in recent weeks, from Chappell Roan to Bad Bunny.
Here's the most recent list of tracks shared by the American Heart Association:
- "EL CLúB" by Bad Bunny
- "squabble up" by Kendrick Lamar
- "peekaboo" by Kendrick Lamar
- "Please Please Please" by Sabrina Carpenter
- "Pink Pony Club" by Chappell Roan
- "TEXAS HOLD 'EM" by Beyoncé
- "BAILE INoLVIDABLE" by Bad Bunny
- "Jolene" by Dolly Parton
- "Alligator Bites Never Heal" by Doechii
- "1, 2 step" by Ciara
Contributing: Taylor Ardrey Brendan Morrow, Paste BN