The best songs of Kendrick Lamar: Official clips, audio, description
In the best songs of Kendrick Lamar, everyone will find something for themselves. There are straightforward pop songs that stimulate imagination, deep-seated metaphors that require repeated careful listening, and political songs that immerse you in the history of black oppression.
With just a few solo albums under his belt, Kendrick has managed to turn the rap ecosystem into a food chain that he sits at the top of. He is the undisputed king of rap, the future owner of the bust on Mount Rushmore. At the same time, almost impossible choose only 30 songs to highlight his amazing discography. Without further ado, here is our selection of the top 30 Kendrick Lamar songs (so far).
30. For sale?
K.Dot is always ready to clarify the politics of the music industry by examining the good and evil that drive the activity forward. On "For Sale?", he looks at how rappers are forced boast gold, cars and women to prove their wealth while refusing to succumb to temptations.
29. Jay Rock – Vice City feat. Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul
In "Vice City," Jay Rock makes a sweeping comment about the role of black women in society. Kendrick Lamar picks up chorus, showing the struggle between paper folding and understanding the problems that spending money will cause. He reads:
I pray to a C-Note, my mama gave up hope/I can't stand myself/I just bought a new coat, I might go broke/I can't stand myself
Which translated:
I pray to C-Note, my mom lost hope / I can't stand myself / I just bought a new coat, I might go broke / I can't stand myself.
28. The Blacker the Berry
With a message as powerful as "The Blacker The Berry", Kendrick Lamar knew he needed to recruit first class musicians. K.Dot recruited Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Lala Hathaway, Thundercat and Anna Wise to complete the instrumental. This allowed Kendrick to express profound ideas about racial inequality in the heart of America.
27. LUST.
Album DAMN. Kendrick Lamar turned out to be simpler than "To Pimp A Butterfly". Songs about simple things with simple concepts. "LUST.", in particular, about the routine, about how to quickly and easily destroy what is dear to you, in benefit things like lust and desire. Kendrick ponders this concept, eventually realizing that giving in to these addictions - it's just part of life, whether we like it or not.
26. Big Shot feat. Travis Scott
The movie "Black Panther" would not have gained such popularity if not for the soundtrack "Big Shot" in performance Kendrick Lamar and Travis Scott, in which the artists show off their reading skills. In an interview with Billboard, Scott explained their relationship, saying:
I met him at the [MTV Video Music Awards] one day and he came up to me and said, “Hey man, I'm making love to your music. . It's super cool and inspiring." I thought, "Wow, this is the best rapper in the world - he makes love to my music!"
25. HUMBLE
Kendrick Lamar wasn't always sure what "HUMBLE" was. would be a hit, but his team convinced him in reverse. She eventually got it right and the song became DAMN.'s lead single, but the beat was written by Mike Will Made It for Gucci Mane. K.Dot listened to the beat and, spitting on it, the duo decided to include it on their debut album Mike Will Made It Ransom 2, but the band convinced Lamar to keep the track for their new album.
24 Hood Politics
In the song "Hood Politics" from "To Pimp A Butterfly", Kendrick Lamar's voice shifts to a higher pitch, giving the look of a young man trying to get out from under the hood and struggling with the lessons he learned as an adult.
23. Sherane aka Master Splinter's Daughter
Where to start one of the best hip-hop albums of all time? From the record "goodkidmAAd city" the track "Sherane aka Master Splinter's Daughter" became a real mesmerizing ode thanks to creative Kendrick's approach. The song begins as a thrilling romance, but ends with Kendrick driving to Sherain's house, only to see her surrounded by two guys in black sweatshirts.
22. Big Sean – Control feat. Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica
Song "Control" At seven and a half minutes, it was featured on Big Sean's 2013 album Hall of Fame. Three rappers show their best performance, but Kendrick overshadows all at once causes controversy by naming about a dozen rappers by name and telling them that he wants to rip them all in a booth.
21. Rigamortus
Kendrick Lamar has so many hits that sometimes you can't see that the Compton MC can surprise you. In "Rigamortus" from the West Coast classic, "Section.80", Kendrick demonstrates his mastery by comparing the rap game to cadaverous rigor mortis, when toxins are released from the body, left to rot and decompose.
20. Poetic Justice feat. Drake
In "Poetic Justice", Kendrick Lamar and Scoop Deville use the tune from Janet Jackson's "Any Time, Any Place" and turn it into absolutely new track. Deville didn't sell his beat to anyone for a while, and several artists (like 50 Cent) wanted it. But the beatmaker eventually gave the track to Lamar, who was able to turn it into a monumental rap song.
19 ADHD
Kendrick Lamar often reminisces about his hometown of Compton, California. In "ADHD" from Section.80, he links the current overuse of drugs by young Americans to high portability medicines and drugs by people born in the 1980s. This is an early example of Kendrick as a sociologist who studies the connections in American history and how it stems from the root causes of white supremacy.
18.XXX feat. U2
The song explores the moral ambiguity at length, and Kendrick eventually comes to thesis that any moral compass can be broken under the wrong circumstances.
17. Keisha's Song (Her Pain)
"Keisha's Song", taken from Kendrick Lamar's 2011 album Section.80, gave fans an idea of just how talented he is. Kendrick recorded a song for his little sister showing off the weight and injuries that prostitution can hurt women, albeit very explicitly refusing to demonize them, instead highlighting the social inequalities that force so many women into this work.
16. All The Stars feat. SZA
Kendrick Lamar and SZA teamed up for an all-star collaboration on the Black Panther soundtrack, so it makes sense that they named the song "All The Stars". The track was a hit to say the least. He was nominated for Best Song at the 76th Golden Globe Awards and at the 91st Academy Awards, and received four nominations at the 61st Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the year".
15. Compton
Hear how Kendrick Lamar and Dr. Dre rap on Just Blaze beats - every rap fan's dream. As always, Kendrick impressive bizarre couplet:
Fix your lenses forensics would've told you Kendrick had killed it/ Pretend it's a massacre and the masses upon us/ And I mastered being the master at dodging your honor
Which translated:
Fix your lenses, forensics would tell you Kendrick killed him / Pretend it's a massacre and masses on us / And I've learned to dodge your honor masterfully.
14. Complexion (A Zulu Love) feat. Rapsody
Kendrick Lamar's "Complexion (A Zulu Love") sheds light on the problems of colorism in popular culture, especially how they negatively affect standards black beauty. In the album's oral history, Kendrick explained what inspired the song, saying:
The idea was to make a record that would reflect all the facial features of black women. There is a division between fair skin and dark skin because it is simple in our nature, but we are all black. This concept came from South Africa and I saw all these different colors speaking a beautiful language.
13. Institutionalized feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Snoop Dogg
In "To Pimp A Butterfly", Kendrick Lamar continues the triumphant "King Kunta" with "Institutionalized". The first track was recorded when Kendrick was at the height of his popularity. In "Institutionalized" he brings in Bilal, Anna Wise and Snoop Dogg to draw another picture in which he realizes the cold reality of "goodkidmAAd", in which he will still remain, no matter how fast he runs.
12. DUCKWORTH
"DUCKWORTH" by Kendrick Lamar, taken from "DAMN." 2017, finds Lamar in his storytelling bag. This time he is reading about ex-gangster Anthony Tiffith, who subsequently founded "Top Dawg Entertainment", and on his father, known as Ducky. Kendrick looks at their relationship before K.Dot signed to a label, creating a warm moment for the MC.
11. How Much a Dollar Cost feat. James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley
You can listen to "How Much a Dollar Cost" from "To Pimp A Butterfly" and marvel at the narration of Kendrick Lamar, his capabilities make up metaphors about poverty, selfishness, and the role of God. The magnificence of the piece lies in the fact that President Barack Obama named it his favorite song in 2015.
10. Ronald Reagan Era (His Evils)
It is poetic that Kendrick Lamar places "Ronald Reagan Era (His Evils)" in Compton, in the same area that suffered from the Reagan war with crime. But in the memorable version of "Section.80", Kendrick sounds defiant, reading:
We're far from good, not good from far/ 90 miles per hour down Compton Boulevard/ With the top down, screamin', «We don't give af–k»/ Drink my 40 ounce of freedom while I roll my blunt
What does it mean in translation:
We're far from good, not good from afar / 90 mph down Compton Boulevard / With the top down, yelling "We don't give af-k" / Drink my 40 ounces of freedom while I roll my joint.
9. Untitled 02 | 06.23.2014.
Shortly after the release of "To Pimp A Butterfly", Kendrick Lamar quickly returned with an exciting and mysterious project called "Untitled Unmastered". «Untitled 02 | 23/06/2014" is outstanding, sounding like many tracks from "Butterfly". The song explores Kendrick's duality as a Compton resident and global superstar.
8. LOYALTY. feat. Rihanna
"LOYALTY" - is an attempt by Kendrick Lamar to create. Of course, Rihanna is an absolute pearl works, but Kendrick uses it to explore his soul with a beat that's presented in a funky-pop-hop style.
7. Money Trees
Money Trees by Kendrick Lamar has a bunch of memorable lines like these, for example:
It go Halle Berry or hallelujah/Pick your poison tell me what you do/ Everybody gon' respect the shooter/ But the one in front of the gun lives forever.
What does it mean in translation:
Come on, Halle Berry or hallelujah / Choose your poison, tell me what you're doing / Everyone will respect the shooter / But the one in front of the gun lives forever.
It's only four bars, but it does a great job of capturing the theme of the song as Kendrick goes back to meeting Sheraine and her two friends, debating what to do.
6. Backseat Freestyle
We all know that Kendrick Lamar can rap, but heck, he proves his incredible talent in "Backseat Freestyle" from Good Kid MAAd City. Despite the imagery, Kendrick combines genius and cheerful banter, rapping:
All my life I want money and power/ Respect my mind or die from lead shower/ I pray my d–k get big as the Eiffel Tower/ So I can f–k the world for 72 hours
Which translated:
All my life I want money and power / Respect my mind or die from lead rain / I pray that my penis becomes big like the Eiffel Tower / So I can make love to the world for 72 hours.
5. Wesley's Theory feat. George Clinton and Thundercat
Kendrick Lamar kicks off "To Pimp A Butterfly" with "Wesley's Theory" featuring George Clinton and Thundercat. In the track, Kendrick sets the record's themes, in particular, superiority whites in America controlling black artists for profit.
4 Swimming Pools (Drank)
For Kendrick Lamar "Swimming Pools (Drank)" - this is what started it all. It was the first single from the Good Kid album. introduced with it to a much wider audience. It's a real hit as Kendrick struggles to deal with the social pressures of drinking.
3. Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe
"Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" has certainly become a classic, but it hasn't always been that way. The chorus was originally supposed to feature Lady Gaga's vocals, but scheduling conflicts prevented this kind of collaboration. The song is one of the main discography Kendrick Lamar, but it's hard not to wonder what could have been if these two did get together.
2 Alright
Few things are better than Kendrick Lamar letting his fans know that no matter what, things can work out in the end. The song eventually became associated with the Black Lives Matter movement after several youth protesters sang the chorus, demonstrating unwavering the power of Kendrick's vision.
1. Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst
"Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst" - This is, to put it mildly, epic. The track consists of two parts and lasts a total of 12 minutes. Mentioned among Kendrick fans as his best solo lyrical performance.
