Mustard Reveals The Rappers Who Passed On This Popular Kendrick Lamar Beat

DJ Mustard has revealed that multiple rappers passed on the instrumental for Kendrick Lamar‘s GNX track “Hey Now” before the rapper finally got his hands on the beat.

In an interview with People, the West Coast producer recalled playing the “Hey Now” beat for rap stars including YG and Quavo, both of whom decided to turn down the track.

“I played it for YG,” Mustard said of offering the instrumental, inspired by an East Coast classic, to his frequent collaborator. However, YG ultimately opted to go in another direction.

“I was trying to make a West Coast version of ‘Grindin’,” the boardsman continued, referencing the Clipse’s 2002 single, produced by the Neptunes. “That’s why it’s so empty like that,” he added. “That’s why it’s just weird sounds. [H]e didn’t end up doing it.”

Mustard then took the beat to Migos member Quavo, who snubbed the track due to it not fitting his particular cadence and delivery.

“After YG, And I played it for Quavo and I’m like, ‘Quavo man, if you get this, if you can connect to this song, I’m telling you,’ he’s like, ‘What the hell you want me to do to it? You want me to whisper on the beat?’ And I’m like, ‘Alright.’ So I didn’t force it on him.”

Mustard also shared that Ty Dolla $ign tried his hand at the “Hey Now” beat, even laying vocals over the track, but that he was never truly sold on that version, resulting in him putting the instrumental on the shelf. However, the 34-year-old hitmaker later pitched the beat to Kendrick Lamar, and the rest is history.

“I was talking to Kendrick one day and I was just like, ‘Man, I got this really weird-ass beat, but I really love it. Like, I know that I love this beat.’ And I sent it to him and right away he said, ‘Oh yeah, I got it.’ And I was like, ‘Alright.’ But still, I hadn’t heard it until I went to the ‘Not Like Us’ video shoot.”

Released on Kendrick Lamar’s critically-acclaimed surprise album, GNX, in November 2024, “Hey Now” features L.A. rapper Dody6 and marked the third collaboration between Kendrick and Mustard last year. The track was a commercial success and instant fan-favorite, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The pair worked together on K. Dot’s seismic chart-topping Drake diss “Not Like Us,” as well as on the hit GNX single “Squabble Up,” which also debuted atop the Billboard charts.