Alma’s Place, a popular Compton restaurant, has refuted claims that Kendrick Lamar’s shooting of the Not Like Us music video resulted in revenue loss for the establishment. On Saturday, September 14, 2024, an article from the Los Angeles Times suggested that Alma’s Place was dissatisfied with city officials over disruptions and financial impacts stemming from the music video shoot.
Following this, internet personality DJ Akademiks, known for his commentary on hip-hop culture and recent support for Drake in their feud, shared an Instagram post referencing the article, stating that the restaurant had attributed blame to Lamar.
In response to this portrayal, Alma’s Place clarified their position with a comment on the post, declaring:
“THIS ENTIRE POST IS MISQUOT3D AND PUSHING A NARRATIVE THAT WE DO NOT REPRESENT. People, please do not believe everything you read. Words have been twisted and it’s not right.”
The restaurant emphasized that their grievances were directed at the city administration rather than Kendrick Lamar, characterizing the situation as a “city issue.”
“@akademiks you better be careful about misquoting people”- Alma’s Place addresses misinformation regarding Kendrick Lamar’s music video
Corina Pleasent, co-owner of Alma’s Place, also criticized DJ Akademiks for the misinformation, stating:
“@akademiks you better be careful about misquoting people and twisting words. WE NEVER Spoke To you, so how are you misquoting verbiage as fact!?”
The LA Times article indicated that Corina Pleasant claimed to have lost thousands of dollars due to the overwhelmed locations during the music video shoot, which drew large crowds. The article quoted her as saying:
“It was really disheartening to have the electricity on and gas. I’m just running everything and making no money. I literally was there for nothing, because the little money that I did make, I had to pay my staff with that.”
While the article depicted chaos outside Alma’s Place, it clarified that Corina expressed frustration towards the city for inadequate planning, stating that the establishment “blame(s) city officials for not providing any notice about the video shoot.”Additionally, it noted that Alma’s Place and other local businesses were pursuing compensation from either Kendrick Lamar, his company pgLang, or city authorities.
Furthermore, the LA Times also quoted Adelfo Antonio Garcia, co-owner of Sunny Express Gourmet Fast Food, who echoed Pleasant’s sentiments, noting that smaller businesses face the greatest challenges in such miscommunication scenarios.
According to a September 16 article by Billboard, in light of the criticism, Compton city officials announced plans to improve communication regarding film permits to better support local businesses. A spokesperson stated:
“Businesses in Compton, especially small businesses, are the backbone of our city. We want to continue to keep an open line of communication and do everything we can to support economic growth.”
Kendrick Lamar released his diss track Not Like Us in May 2024 during the ongoing rap feud with Drake. Many critics believe this track granted Lamar the upper hand in their rivalry. The music video was filmed in June and premiered on the Fourth of July.
As of now, Kendrick Lamar has not issued any public statements regarding this situation.
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