It happened. Just when you thought the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef had reached its absolute saturation point, Will Ferrell stepped in to remind us why he’s a comedy deity.
He didn’t just mention it. He lived it.
During the SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert at Radio City Music Hall in February 2025, Ferrell and his long-time comedy partner Ana Gasteyer resurrected their legendary music teacher characters, Marty and Bobbi Mohan-Culp. If you grew up watching Saturday Night Live in the late 90s, you know the drill. They take the most aggressive, sexually charged, or street-level hits and turn them into something your aunt would sing at a PTA meeting.
This time, the target was "Not Like Us."
The crowd went absolutely feral. Honestly, seeing a middle-aged man in a brown polyester suit try to navigate the cadence of a West Coast diss track is exactly what we needed in 2025. It wasn't just a gag; it was a cultural collision that shouldn't have worked, but somehow became the highlight of the entire anniversary special.
The Night Will Ferrell Took on "Not Like Us"
There’s a specific kind of magic when Will Ferrell plays Marty Culp. He has this wide-eyed, terrifyingly earnest sincerity. Before the music even started, he addressed the elephant in the room. He asked the audience if "Kenny Lamar and Drake Graham" were in the house.
He suggested they "hug it out."
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It was peak Culp energy. They weren't there to take sides; they were there to bring "fellowship" to the beef. But then the beat dropped. If you can call a dinky Casio keyboard rendition a "beat." Gasteyer handled the operatic backing vocals while Ferrell tackled the verses with a rhythmic accuracy that was actually kind of impressive, despite the cringe-factor of the character.
What Really Happened Backstage?
Questlove, who served as the musical director for the SNL 50 celebration, shared some wild details on social media afterward. Apparently, this wasn't some long-rehearsed bit. Ferrell literally went into a closet at Radio City Music Hall with his headphones on and memorized the "Not Like Us" lyrics in about twenty minutes.
Twenty minutes.
Most of us have been listening to that song for a year and still mess up the fast parts. Questlove mentioned being blown away by Ferrell's ability to lock into the rhythm and intonations of Kendrick's delivery so quickly. It’s a testament to why Ferrell has stayed relevant for three decades—he’s a technical performer disguised as a goofball.
Why the Culps Are the Perfect Vessel for This Parody
The brilliance of the Will Ferrell They Not Like Us performance lies in the contrast. "Not Like Us" is a brutal, career-altering diss track filled with heavy accusations and deep-seated industry hatred. The Culps, conversely, are the most non-threatening humans to ever exist.
They represent the "Altadena Middle School" energy.
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When Ferrell yells "Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop," it’s not a threat. It’s a rhythmic exercise for a spring assembly. Gasteyer’s operatic "A Minor" refrain turned a stinging accusation into a literal music theory joke. This is where the SNL writers really showed their teeth. They took the most talked-about line of 2024 and turned it into a literal search for the right musical key.
A Medley of Chaos
It wasn't just Kendrick. The duo actually performed a whole medley because, well, that’s what the Culps do. They touched on:
- Donna Summer’s "Love to Love You Baby" (which got real weird, real fast).
- Chappell Roan’s "Good Luck, Babe!"
- Doechii’s "Denial is a River."
But nothing hit like the Kendrick cover. The sight of Meryl Streep in the audience—who was actually sitting next to Martin Short—flipping the bird at the Culps while they performed was the cherry on top. It was a scripted moment (mostly), but it felt like the kind of spontaneous chaos that SNL used to excel at in its prime.
Is This the End of the Beef?
Look, Drake probably isn't laughing. He’s already been through a lot with this song. From the Super Bowl LIX halftime show where Kendrick performed it multiple times to the endless TikTok trends, the 6 God has had a rough run. But having an 80s-style music teacher version of your demise broadcast to millions on NBC?
That’s a different kind of sting.
Ana Gasteyer later told People that they actually debated whether or not to do the song. They were worried it might be too current or too controversial. But then they realized that Marty and Bobbi Mohan-Culp always want to reach their students "where they are." And where the students are, apparently, is in the middle of a rap civil war.
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Why This Matters for SNL’s Legacy
The Will Ferrell They Not Like Us moment proved that the "old guard" of SNL still has its finger on the pulse. In a world of short-form content and AI-generated parodies, there is no substitute for a physical comedian who is willing to look like a complete idiot for a laugh.
Ferrell’s commitment is what makes it work. He doesn't wink at the camera. He doesn't play it like he’s "above" the material. He plays Marty Culp as if this is the most important performance of the man's life.
Actionable Insights for Comedy Fans
If you haven't seen the clip yet, here is how to get the most out of the SNL 50 archives:
- Watch the full Homecoming Concert on Peacock. The "Not Like Us" bit is just one part of a larger, incredibly nostalgic set.
- Look for Questlove’s breakdown. His "Score: The Podcast" episode provides the best behind-the-scenes look at how the music for the anniversary was put together.
- Compare it to the originals. Go back and watch Ferrell and Gasteyer’s old sketches from the late 90s. The character DNA is identical, which makes the 2025 update even funnier.
This performance didn't just capitalize on a trend. It bridge-gapped generations of fans. Whether you're a Gen Z Kendrick stan or a Gen X Ferrell enthusiast, seeing these two worlds collide was a rare moment of monoculture that we just don't get much anymore.
Check out the "SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert" on Peacock to see the full, uncensored version. If you're a fan of comedy history, it's basically mandatory viewing at this point.