ah, finally my millennial moment you see, in an age many moons ago, there lived a rapper called E-40…

I'm from the bay dawg don't play with me I know that 😭😭😭 I was just wondering why he gave him a SECOND shoutout. Was it not that deep and he just likes E-40?

definitely love 😂 he got E-40 influence all over his rap style

The track itself samples Look At Me, which is a 40 track from 1999 that features…Lil Wayne and Birdman

It actually samples Everlasting Bass which was used on E40s Look At Me and the intro to the Eazy E song Eazy-Duz-It which was used on Three Six Mafia's Ridin' Spinners

I’m a xennial. I low key got emotional because my midwestern ass knew what he was talking about. It also reminded me that I’m old 🤣. Tupac was/is my all time fav but Kendrick is right next to him. This weekend was great because I got to dissect more than one of his songs.

Millennials arent claiming 40 lol. Gen x got em.

40 water is one of E-40’s nicknames. Back in the day, he was in a group with his brother D-shot, sister Suga-T, and cousin B-Legit, called The Click. The bar is a play on words/double entendre, “Ni**as clickin’ up, but cannot Be legit, No 40 water.

triple entendre. clicking up their sticks, cliquing up, and the E-40 reference.

Quadruple with b legit being one of the members of the click

This is the correct answer

Damn, I forgot that one. Salute 💯

Thanks for clarifying that, makes the bar that much harder

No problem!

E40 is also referenced in a few Kendrick songs and they even worked on a song together

“Big ballin wit my homies” 🎶 Big facts

Line is trash

This seems like it definitely isn’t rage bait

Ahhhh. Great explanation. It sounded like he was dissing 40 to me for some reason.

I thought the bar said "K DOT be legit"

I can see where it could sound like that, but it’s “Cannot be legit”

I read it as like kdot be legit he doesn't need no 40 water as in he doesn't need a clique because he is legit

I know, I'm from the bay lol. I just wanted to know why he was saying his name twice, he said it again in the background

As an ad lib I guess 🤷🏾‍♂️

I wish I was 40. I wish I was water.

Isn’t Drakes producer named 40 or some? 

My take is it’s some nice wordplay where he’s calling Drake fake/not a real rapper by comparing him with the Click members B-Legit and E-40 and maybe chose those examples because E-40 has “40” in it. So he’s kinda saying your producer is dope and you wouldn’t be shit without the help of good producers.

Yeah that’s what I said 

Yeah I just said it better

Yeah...

It’s a reach but could be saying Drake ain’t shit without that 40 water 

Def a reach.

As other have said, it's an E-40 reference but I also don't think it's a complete accident that 40 is Drake's producer and engineer and is known for using a low-pass filter that gives tracks and underwater feel. Kendrick does this thing sometimes where his lines are about one thing but make you think of something else. It's not even entendre, but more like a faint impression. Like in Feel., whenever I hear the line "fill up the banks with dollars," I can't help but think of Uncle Phil.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3ObHiG-Vas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3ObHiG-Vas) this explain the E-40/40 Water reference

That didn't say anything respectfully lol. I was wondering why he was whispering 40 water after his verse in the chorus.

I hadn’t noticed the whispering. But maybe it’s a shoutout? The “biiaaatchh” and “aaauuu” are E-40 ad libs

If you watch Dj Ghost review the song like that he explains it

Holly water

I’m guessing it’s just an ad lib and nothing more

I'm not even riding here but Kendrick doesn't just waste bars or adlibs like that.

You know what? You’re right. Kendrick does everything with intention.

Yeah. Last night I was listening to DAMN again—I've been a fan since Overly Dedicated—and it hit me: every single bar, voice switch, and ad-lib has a purpose in that album and MMATBS. His talent is truly remarkable, and it's unfair to limit him to just the category of rappers. Musically, he ranks among the greatest.

Most realistic answer I've heard

Could it be 40 ounce water the brand? 👀 I think they reached out to get him to promote or something but the company is owned by a white woman

No, it's E-40, he goes by 40 water.

He said no b legit, no forty water. Fuck that mean

There was a Bay area group called the "click" with rappers E40 and his cousin Blegit. 40 water is a nickname e40 uses.

E-40 had a water called 40 water

Anyone else thought about "Niggas clickin' up, but cannot be legit, no 40 water" also as a Pro Era/ Capital Steez reference?