Platinum-selling, Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar is one of the rare artists who has achieved critical and commercial success while earning the respect and support of those who inspired him. A native of Compton, California, Lamar originally rapped as K. Dot and released a series of mixtapes under that name. Youngest Head Nigga in Charge (2003), issued when he was only 16 years old, caught the attention of Top Dawg Entertainment and led to a long-term association that helped raise the rapper's profile. Training Day (2005) and C4 (2009) also preceded his decision to go by his birth name. The latter was issued the same year he became part of Black Hippy -- beside fellow Top Dawg artists Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and ScHoolboy Q -- a group that, for the most part, appeared on one another's mixtapes and albums. Overly Dedicated (2010) was the first Kendrick Lamar mixtape and fared well enough to enter Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart that October. His first official album, Section.80 (2011), was released as a digital download the following year and entered the Billboard 200 at number 113.
By that point in his career, Lamar's reputation had been strengthened through guest appearances on dozens of tracks, and he had the support of veteran West Coast stars as well. During a 2011 concert, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Game dubbed him "The New King of the West Coast," a notion Dre endorsed more significantly by signing Lamar to the Aftermath label. Lamar's good kid, M.A.A.D city was released in October 2012 and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Three of its singles -- "Swimming Pools (Drank)," "Poetic Justice," and "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" -- reached the Top Ten of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart, with each one enjoying lengthy stays on playlists of urban U.S. radio stations. More significantly, the album showcased Lamar as an exceptional storyteller capable of making compelling concept albums. When the nominees for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards were announced, Lamar was listed in seven categories, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year. He won none of the awards. Rather than rest, Lamar remained active with appearances on tracks by the likes of Tame Impala, YG, and fellow Top Dawg affiliate SZA.
2015 has seen the 57th Grammy Awards recognize his single 'i' as the Best Rap Performance and the Best Rap Song. Lamar released his third studio album, To Pimp A Butterfly, on March 16th. The LP has been met with universal critical acclaim, regarded by many already as a classic of the genre, Lamar's second consecutive album to be met with such praise.
Andy Kellman
AllMusic.com
