Halfway through 2024 and it has, undeniably, been the year of Kendrick Lamar. But before his explosive year, K. Dot was already that guy. His accomplishments and skills as an artist can only be rivaled by a few in history, making him one of the greatest of all time.
But how did he get here? What was his journey? This is the evolution of Kendrick Lamar.
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Born in Compton
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born to Kenneth Duckworth and Paula Oliver on June 17, 1987, in Compton, Calif. Prior to Kendrick’s birh, his parents lived in Chicago and left due to Kenneth’s gang affiliations.
Upbringing
Although Lamar is not a member of any particular gang, he grew up affiliated with the Pirus in Compton. He attended Centennial High School and graduated in 2005.
Whitney Alford
Lamar met his longtime fiancé, Whitney Alford, while they were in high school together. They have two children together.
Battle rapping
It was in high school that Lamar’s love of music blossomed, and he started to participate in freestyles and rap battles across South Central Los Angeles. It was at this time he gave himself the rap name, K. Dot.
Early mixtapes
Lamar’s first mixtape, “Youngest Head N***a in Charge” was released in April 2003. It was around this time he met Dave Free, who also attended Centennial High School. Free is the one who introduced Lamar to Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, who is the label head of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE).
Top Dawg Entertainment
Lamar signed with TDE in 2005 and became the second artist signed to the label, behind Jay Rock. After Kendrick, fellow Los Angeles MCs Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q signed to the label and formed the group, Black Hippy.
Early TDE projects
In 2009, he released his third mixtape, “C4,” which is essentially a tribute project to Lil Wayne’s 2008 mega album, “Tha Carter III.” While it showcased his raw talent, fans didn’t truly get who the man behind the music was. Later that year, he released his first project using his government name, “Kendrick Lamar” a self-titled EP.
”Overly Dedicated”
Although Lamar’s fourth mixtape, “Overly Dedicated,” could be downloaded for free, it was his first project that was put up for sale. It showed Lamar’s potential as a storyteller and intricate lyricist and featured notable songs such as “Michael Jordan,” “Average Joe” and “Ignorance is Bliss.”
Introduction to Dr. Dre
Legendary producer Dr. Dre was introduced to Lamar’s music while Dot and Jay Rock were on tour with Tech N9ne. The song that caught Dre’s attention was “Ignorance is Bliss” from “Overly Dedicated.” He would later sign a joint contract with Interscope Records and Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment.
”Section.80"
Lamar’s debut studio album, “Section.80" was released in July 2011 and showcased his ability to make a conceptual album like no other. Although it wasn’t a huge commercial success, it was a sign of things to come from Kendrick. Some standout songs from the album include “Rigamortus” “Ronald Reagan Era,” and “A.D.H.D.”
Drake’s Club Paradise Tour
In February 2012, Lamar joined Drake on his Club Paradise Tour, which also featured A$AP Rocky, J. Cole, Waka Flocka Flame, Meek Mill, 2 Chainz, French Montana, Chief Keef and others.
”good kid, m.A.A.d city”
Lamar’s much-anticipated major label debut with Interscope, “good kid, m.A.A.d. city” was released in October 2012 and was met with instant commercial success and critical acclaim. It’s considered one of the greatest albums of all time and is a masterclass in hip-hop storytelling. Some notable songs from the album include, “Money Trees,” “m.A.A.d. city” and “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst.”
”Control” Verse
In 2013, Lamar shook the hip-hop world with his guest feature on Big Sean’s “Control.” During his verse, he called out all his peers, saying that he wanted to take all of their “core fans.” The artists he called out included J. Cole, Big Krit, Wale, Pusha T, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean and Jay Electronica. This is what seemingly started his long-running feud with Drake.
BET Cypher
Lamar shook the hip-hop world again in 2013 during the TDE cypher at the 2013 BET Awards. He took more shots at Drake, rapping, “And nothing been the same since they dropped ‘Control,’ and tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes.” This is in reference to Drake’s 2013 album, “Nothing Was The Same,” as he felt a little salty about being mentioned in Lamar’s ‘Control’ verse.
”To Pimp a Butterfly”
In 2015, Lamar did it again and dropped another critically-acclaimed masterpiece, “To Pimp a Butterfly.” While it doesn’t have an accessible sound compared to his previous works, it still performed well commercially and earned Dot his first Grammy for Best Rap Album. Some of the standout songs include, “Mortal Man,” “Institutionalized” and “Alright.”
”Untitled Unmastered”
In 2016, as fans begged for new music from Lamar, he released “Untitled Unmastered,” an album full of B-sides that he created during the sessions for “To Pimp a Butterfly.”
”DAMN”
Lamar’s fourth studio album is his most commercially successful to date. It earned him his first solo number-one record on the Billboard Hot 100. He was also awarded Best Rap Album at the Grammys for his work. Notable tracks on the record include, “DUCKWORTH,” “DNA” and “ELEMENT.”
Pulitzer Prize winner
Lamar made history after he became the first musician outside of the classical and jazz genres to receive a Pulitzer Prize for music for his work on “DAMN.”
”Black Panther” Soundtrack
Lamar was tasked with curating the soundtrack for the 2018 film, “Black Panther.” Along with Lamar, the soundtrack featured several great artists including, The Weeknd, SZA, Schoolboy Q, Vince Staples, Future and James Blake
pgLang
In March 2020, Lamar and his close friend Dave Free launched their own imprint, pgLang. The first artist pgLang signed was Lamar’s cousin, Baby Keem.
”Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers”
Likely his most decisive album to date. The last album Lamar would drop on TDE, “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” is a dense album in which he gets extremely honest about his troubles as a son, boyfriend, and father. He still won a Grammy for Best Rap Album for his work. Some notable tracks on the record include, “N95,” “Savior” and “United in Grief.”
The Big Steppers Tour
When Lamar wrapped up “The Big Steppers,” it was the highest-grossing rap tour of all time before Drake broke that record the next year.
”Like That” Verse
The verse that changed everything (again). Lamar made a surprise appearance on Metro Boomin and Future’s album, “We Don’t Trust You,” where he took multiple shots at Drake and J. Cole, kicking off one of the greatest rap battles in hip-hop history.
Beef with Drake
Both artists released a total of four songs in the beef. Drake dropped, “Push Ups,” “Taylor Made Freestyle,” “Family Matters,” and The Heart Part. 5.” Lamar released “Euphoria,” “6:16 in LA,” and “Meet the Grahams,” and “Not Like Us.” Many of these songs were released within days of each other, representing one of the most exciting times in recent music history.
The Pop Out: Ken & Friends
Since Lamar was declared the winner of the beef by the masses, he organized a concert in Los Angeles to celebrate artists in the city. He famously performed “Not Like Us” five times in a row. This show took place on Juneteenth.
”Not Like Us” Music Video
One of the most-anticipated music videos in recent memory dropped on July 4 and is filled with imagery that takes shots at his rival Drake. It was the final nail in the coffin in the beef.
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