We all know Compton has produced many legendary acts since the pioneering group, NWA, came on the scene in the late eighties. We've since seen Compton's Most Wanted/MC Eiht, DJ Quik, The Game, and King Tee all emerge from this rough yet legendary city in Cali. Another legendary artist to put on for the CPT is Kendrick Lamar. We first got wind of the young Compton native with his early mixtapes within his TDE label such as The Kendrick Lamar EP and Overly Dedicated. However, it was his official debut album, Section.80, that got us on to what would become a massive talent that would help change the face of west coast hip-hop forever. More conscious than your average Compton emcee, he had an upbringing that saw him be in the streets, but not do a bunch of street things like many of his friends or peers would do. Instead, he took to the pen and would write some of the most incredible rhymes and verses to bless our ears this century. Observant and introspective, Kendrick would tackle socio-political issues, as well as community strength and weaknesses, depression, alcoholism, and other topics that made him relatable as anyone else you would encounter. His music reflected this, going away from the usual gangsta narrative one would expect and go towards a more artistic, poetic approach to his music. The multiple Grammy Award winner has seen highs and lows throughout his fifteen-year career, but he has a discography that continues to push artistic boundaries and challenge emcees to get their skills verbally and lyrically up. With that being said, let's rank this emcee's gifted and (at times) landmark discography. Let's get it!!!
8. The Kendrick Lamar EP
Production: Sounwave, Q-Tip, Nicolay, Black Milk, Jake One, others
Guests: Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, ScHoolboy Q, BJ The Chicago Kid, Punch, Rapper Big Pooh, others
While previously putting out a few mixtapes/EPs under the name K.Dot, this was the first effort he put out under his actual name (Kendrick Lamar Duckworth). This EP had him blistering tracks previously heard but also new original productions as well. The point of this project was to really get himself out to more of the masses, and cuts like "Vanity Slaves", "Let Me Be Me", and the Jay Rock-assisted, "I Do This" was evidence of his burgeoning talents and was certainly a precursor of things to come. Nothing incredibly spectacular with this effort, but nonetheless, this was an exhibition of his pen game how spirited his delivery was capable of being. The beginnings of a future legend were underway here.
7. O.D. (Overly Dedicated)
Production: Digi-Phonics, Quest-Love, others
Guests: Ab-Soul, ScHoolboy Q, Jhene Aiko, Alori Joh, BJ the Chicago Kid, others
Much like the aforementioned, The Kendrick Lamar EP, O.D. (Overly Dedicated) saw Kendrick propel his penmanship game even further, just starting with the non-stop, fiery (and at one point emotional) delivery, especially on "The Heart pt. 2". He tackles subjects such as relationships, self-doubt, and a sense of vulnerability sprinkled throughout the project, along with street wisdom. Other cuts such as the ScHoolboy Q-assisted, "Michael Jordan", "Night of The Living Junkies", and "Heaven & Hell" featuring the late TDE vocalist, Alori Joh, all demonstrated that he was among the new wave west coast emcees that needed a lot of attention, as O.D. was one more example of a gifted young artist on his way to stardom.
6. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
Production: The Alchemist, Digi-Phonics, DJ Khalyl, Boi-1nda, DJ Dahi, Baby Keem, Beach Noise, Cardo, others
Guests: Ghostface Killah, Summer Walker, Taylour Paige, Sampha, BLXST, Kodak Black, Baby Keem, others
Mr. Lamar's latest offering is the 2022 effort, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. An hour plus therapy session, disguised as a double album, Lamar pulls back the curtain to detail a young man who has struggled with his fame, his stardom, and his inner complexities and centered it all into one of the most jarring albums one could ask for. Tackling subjects such as domestic violence (the quite disturbing "We Cry Together" with actress Taylour Paige playing the role of his girlfriend), homophobia ("Auntie Diaries"), addiction ("Mother I Sober") and God-like pedestals brought on by fans ("Savior"), Lamar is raw to the bone here in occasionally unsettling, yet incredibly brave, moments. Musically, he stays in the trap, thick 808 trunk rattlers for the most part here, much like a large part of DAMN was. However, he still manages to deliver stellar lyrical performances over blends of soul, jazz, and west coast synths as well. This has become quite the polarizing album, as many have scoffed on it, deeming it steps down from previous material, or an even higher opus than other albums to come thanks to its artistic merit and highly transparent content. Whatever your view of this is, Mr. Morale is an album that will be talked about for many years to come. The themes of this album, along with the complex and divisive nature of much of the album, will surely convince anyone that Kendrick is among the most fascinating artists of his generation.
5. DAMN
Production: Mike WILL Made It, The Alchemist, 9th Wonder, Digi-Phonics, DJ Dahi, Cardo, others
Guests: Rihanna, U2, Zacari
How in the world do you follow something like To Pimp A Butterfly? How is this even possible? Kendrick attempted to answer this two years later in the form of DAMN. Conceptually heavy just like his prior works, DAMN has Kendrick playing the role of someone who's fame has gotten him out of control to where he starts to forget his nature. Very cinematic in detail, DAMN can be listened to start to finish, or from finish to start, and you'll still get the same ending. Unlike his previous albums that put more emphasis on soul, jazz, and funk, DAMN brings forth trap elements thanks primarily to ATL's Mike WILL Made It and others. On tracks like "XXX", "God", and "Feel", he brings forth his exemplary niche of depth that makes one absorb the words and feelings associated with the tracks (especially the latter half of "XXX" with U2). The vivid cuts of "Fear" and the closer, "Duckworth", are arguably among the best Lamar cuts ever presented to us, as he takes us in somewhat autobiographical moments that are as compelling as they are intriguing. If one wasn't a believer in his star power from his previous efforts, they damn sure became one with DAMN, as this Pulitzer Prize-awarded album stacks among the most polarizing, yet ambitious, albums of his career.
4. Section.80
Production: Digi-Phonics, J. Cole, Tommy Black, Terrace Martin, others
Guests: Ab-Soul, ScHoolboy Q, BJ The Chicago Kid, Colin Monroe, others
His debut full-length album came in the form of Section.80, in 2011. Fresh off his aforementioned mixtapes and EPS of O.D. and The Kendrick Lamar EP, Kendrick dropped quite the intriguing project here. Observing the consequences of seeing a friend of his face twenty-five to life in prison, this was an album that made him go into plenty of depth regarding his generation and what he sees as he lives amongst his peers. Occasionally heavy and thought-provoking, Kendrick tackles subjects such as single motherhood, drugs, prostitution, poverty, racism and the jadedness of his generation. Cuts such as "Kush & Corinthians", "Keisha's Song", "Ronald Reagen Era", and the compelling "Tammy's Song" are all cuts that show that there's a lot of unpacking that Kendrick intended to do with this project. Bringing a consciousness to the streets, Section.80 is an album that put a lot of us on to how great his pen game really was, especially when it came to concepts and emotion-invoking themes. Commercially, this was only the beginning, but critically and artistically, Lamar had a gem with this one and we would see others to follow.
3. Untitled. Unmastered
Production: Sounwave, Thundercat, Cardo, Frank Dukes, Ali Shaheed Muhammed, Adrien Younge, Terrace Martin, others
Guests: Cee-Lo, Jay Rock, Punch, SZA, Bilal, Anna Wise, others
Right after the enormity of To Pimp A Butterfly, LeBron James hit up TDE founder, Top Dawg, to see if there were any loosies from the album. Granting his request, Untitled. Unmastered dropped as a surprise album not even a year after TPAB dropped. Clearly cuts that were unfinished and unmastered, this was still a showcase of what could've further propelled TPAB to even greater heights than it already had hit. There were no titles to the cuts except showing the dates the cuts were recorded. The beauty of this album is how these cuts sounded incredible even in their raw states. Recorded during their TPAB sessions, fans started giving their own titles to the cuts based upon the hooks of the cuts so for this purpose, we will do the same. On the first cut, "Untitled 1 (The Ground)", there's an aura of caution and anxiety as Kendrick spits with ferocity over a psychedelic jazz-sounding cut, while the thumping standout "Untitled 3 (Multiply)" has him breaking down systemic stereotypes within each culture and race over a nasty bass-guitar lick from Thundercat. The paranoia-inducing "Untitled 2 (On the Phone)" has him in a bit of psychological panic to the point where he has to call up Top Dawg. We enter more soulful stages with the Cee-Lo -assisted "Untitled 6 (I Can Explain)", which is masterfully constructed by Ali Shaheed Muhammed & Adrien Younge as Lamar glides over the mellow production flawlessly. We, then, get a surprise as Swizz Beats & Alicia Keys' son, Egypt, joins in on production duties on "Untitled 8 (More Power To You)", in which Lamar and SZA sing over some surprising (although not too surprising) production talents from their then five-year-old son. We end things with the west coast funk-laced "Untitled 10 ("Blue Faces)", that has Kendrick going straight GKMC here and it fits wonderfully. Much like Nas' Lost Tapes series, this is a compilation of loosies, but only rawer in terms of technical development, being that these were unfinished, so we were able to get the full rough draft of these cuts. This album, for an unfinished project, was fantastic, and it gives one chills to imagine if these cuts were finalized, mixed, and mastered to belong on TPAB, or even be a separate album altogether.
2. good kid, M.A.A.D. City
Production: Sounwave, Just Blaze, Rahki, T-Minus, DJ Dahi, Scoop Deville, Terrace Martin, others
Guests: Dr. Dre, MC Eiht, Anna Wise, Drake, Jay Rock
While Section.80 stands as his official debut album, it was his second album, good kid, M.A.A.D. City, that made him a household name as this was his Aftermath debut. The almighty Doctor became a fan of his as far back as O.D., and officially signed him after peeping Section.80. They immediately went to work on this album, with one exception: Dre did not a single cut on the album. He guested on the dumb dope, Just Blaze-crafted, "The Recipe", but that's it. From the moment the intro gets underway, we know we will be in for an interesting ride and boy did we ever get that ride. We were already treated to excellent cuts such as the aforementioned "Recipe", but then it was followed up with the tremendous ode to alcoholism, "Swimming Pools", and we were underway for GKMC. The album is a loose west coast updated version of Illmatic, of sorts, in which we see the streets through the eyes of a young CPT native that is conflicted between his need to be involved with the same chicanery as his peers, while also trying to find a way beyond his circumstances in such a poetic, artistic, sand lyrical fashion. Cuts like the opener, "Sharane aka Master Splinter's Daughter", "The Art Of Peer Pressure", and especially the reflective "Sing About Me (Dying Of Thirst) are cuts that warrant excessive repeats for the depth and concepts of the cuts alone. He brings that sincere west coast in on other cuts like "Good Kid", "M.A.A.D. City" with Compton OG, MC Eiht, and the Jay Rock-assisted, "Money Trees" to balance the album out very nicely. Many have referred to this album as a classic and rightfully so. Not since The Game's Documentary had there been an album that brought the spotlight back on the west coast, more specifically Compton. With good kid, M.A.A.D. City, Kendrick became a star, and didn't have to sacrifice anything in order to do so. He just needed a good co-sign from the biggest co-signer of them all. Not to mention, it has spent the longest time on the Billboard 200 charts ever, spending a staggering twelve years on the charts.
1. To Pimp A Butterfly
Production: Digi-Phonics, Terrace Martin, Flying Lotus, Thundercat, Pharrell Williams, Boi-1nda, Rahki, LoveDragon, Tommy Black, Knxwledge, others
Guests: Pharrell, Rapsody, Ron Isley, James Fauntleroy, Snoop Dogg, Bilal, Thundercat, Lalah Hathaway, Anna Wise, others
Every so often, there comes an album that eclipses hip-hop as a whole and speaks for not just hip-hop culture, but the human Black experience, from historically to present-day. From the arts and music to socio-political topics to community key points, there's THAT album that captures every ounce of it all in its own form that makes you pause and embrace what's being not just heard but felt. Kendrick's third album, To Pimp A Butterfly, is one such album. The album was originally entitled, Tu Pimp A Caterpillar, or TuPaC , but ended up changing it (as you'll see later, he should've kept it). Coming off the very highly acclaimed success of good kid, M.A.A.D. City just three years prior, the pressure was on to deliver something as great or greater. Based on the acclaim of "I" and "King Kunta", fans were clamoring for the greatness of Mr. Lamar, but none really predicted just how remarkable this album turned out to be. Bringing forth elements of jazz, soul, funk, and west coast synths, this was an entire experience, musically and certainly thematically. From the opening monologue, we are on a journey with Kendrick as every two to three tracks, he extends the monologues further and further each time to bring more wrinkles and turns within this story he's presenting that coincides with what turns out to be a poem that he dreams that he's reciting to his hero, the late, great icon himself, Tupac Shakur (even had a soundbyte that makes it seem that he was responding to this poem in real time, which is nothing short of genius levels). Musically, we get the funk elements of George Clinton in the opening track, "Wesley's Theory". However, we go to soul and live instrumentation with tremendous cuts such as the welcomed bass from Thundercat of "These Walls" and the west coast vibes of the anthemic "Alright", which became a staple of the album from a message standpoint. We get deeper in terms of meaning with stunning cuts such as the cautionary ode to money and self-absorbed fame, "How Much a Dollar Cost" (featuring a greatly understated chorus sung by highly acclaimed singer/songwriter, James Fauntleroy and a closing verse from the iconic Ron Isley) and the unsettling descent into suicidal ideology, "U". Both of which, although thematically and musically, fall in line with the album, are nonetheless some of the most stellar moments of his career. He continues with other incredible contributions such as the Black affirmative cuts of "The Blacker the Berry" and "Complexion" (featuring a career defining verse from fellow phenom, Rapsody), as well as the urgency for community on "Hood Politics" and remembering your community origins on "Momma". The album's closer, "Mortal Man" is a perfect end musically, as it wraps up his stance on how popular he would be if he lost it all and to his fair-weather fans and friends. Compelling, utterly captivating and gripping, To Pimp A Butterfly is among music's true masterworks over the past thirty-plus years. In much the same spirit culturally as D'Angelo's epic Black Messiah, and hip-hop's Illmatic, Ready To Die, and Aquemini, hip-hop was changed artistically and musically with this album. The landscape was forever changed, as this became the new barometer for conscious rap with an artistic boundary or two pushed and challenged. Every single cut within the album compliments the building theme that progresses throughout the album. Not so much as say the likes of Prince Paul's sorely underrated opus, A Prince Amongst Thieves, which is a literal story on wax in hip-hop fashion, but more so along the lines of Masta Ace's Disposable Arts, in which every single step he makes, there's a song about the experience of him walking and what he encounters along the way. The mighty difference is the blockbuster ending, to where just when you think the ending is revealed, another layer appears to show that there's more. That's modern day brilliance from not just one of this era's greatest hip-hop emcees, but an all-time great hip-hop ARTIST. In many, if not all, cases, an argument can be made that this is the greatest, and most culturally important, hip-hop album this century.
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