2,”, I was impressed but not blown away enough for him to take up room in my iPod. When I first heard O(verly) D(edicated)’s intro “The Heart Pt. Albeit a far cry from the free-flowing instrumentation that had him clutching golden gramophones on a tranquil February evening, the beats served as a precursor for the unassuming greatness that was around the corner. Kendrick Lamar EP’s score is riddled with jazzy arrangements layered with one-two drum patterns intended to keep the head nod consistent. Top Dawg Entertainment has maintained a buzz in the streets for some time now but at the time of the self-titled release, all eyes were on Jay Rock, who appears on the street savvy “I Do This,” an early bud of “Money Trees.” In fact, when Rapper Big Pooh invited the 90059 resident to the studio for his Delightful Bars album, Rock showed up with his then relatively unknown Black Hippy members and Kendrick earned himself a reliable connect to turn into a guest feature.ĭay one fans will forever point out that Kendrick has never been a conventional rapper made to narrate over conventional production.
#KENDRICK LAMAR ALBUMS 2014 PROFESSIONAL#
The project that birthed Kendrick Lamar sticking with his government name for professional usage showcased a very raw talent almost demo-like if one were to hop in a Delorean and analyze his future work. That said, Kendrick didn’t necessarily eclipse the sun on his debut like several rap legends molded in the 90s. The Kendrick Lamar EP (2009)īrilliance without the fanfare is still brilliance. Dot is cementing his legacy, one cinder block at a time.
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of his DX-perfect masterpiece, To Pimp a Butterfly, read below to see how K. It’s not getting caught up in the moment, it’s the truth: Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest to ever pick up a microphone, and we’re witnessing it in real time. And the music is transcending headphones and show stages, with “Alright” becoming a rallying cry for protesters fighting against police brutality. As he garners praise from peers, predecessors and fans alike, he leads copycats in one direction before completely leaving them behind within a year or two later. Since his independent album Section.80, he has proven his spot as rap’s golden child in every quantifiable measure.
And he’s still getting his 30 under 30 on. The Compton-bred superstar is in the midst of one of the best album runs that rap has ever seen. Hip Hop heads cried foul when Billboard placed Kendrick Lamar in its top 10 MCs of all time, but the music speaks for itself.