Mustard Says Several Rappers Turned Down Beat to Kendrick Lamar's 'Hey Now'

Mustard has revealed several other rappers turned down the beat for Kendrick Lamar's GNX standout "Hey Now."

In a new conversation with People, the Los Angeles native reflected on making the beat back in 2019 and sending it to rappers including YG and Quavo, who both had no idea what to do with it. The producer also gave it to Ty Dolla $ign, who ended up recording a song, but Mustard turned it down.

"I played it for YG … I was trying to make a West Coast version of 'Grindin'.' That's why it's so empty like that," the DJ said. "That's why it's just weird sounds. [H]e didn't end up doing it."

Mustard continued, "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 then shared how Kendrick ended up with the beat. According to Mustard, K.Dot took the beat but he didn't get to hear it until the video shoot for "Not Like Us."

"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,'" Mustard explained. "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."

Kendrick's "Hey Now" landed at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Mustard shared his excitement over the news in an Instagram Story, writing, "I'm just getting started #2 and #5!"