Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper from Compton, California. Starting his career as a teenager under the name K-Dot, Lamar drew the attention of Top Dawg Entertainment and gained recognition in 2010 after the release of his debut retail release Overly Dedicated. In 2011 he released his debut studio album Section.80.
Lamar made his debut release under a major label with good kid m.A.A.d city in 2012, debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200. His third album To Pimp a Butterfly was released in 2015 to critical acclaim, topping the charts in the US and UK and winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. His fourth album DAMN. also topped the Billboard 200 and its lead single "HUMBLE." topped the Billboard 100.
Over his career Lamar has received twelve Grammy Awards, Time magazine listed him in their 100 Most Influential People in 2016 and in 2018 he became the first non-classical, non-jazz artist to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Music.
Career[]
2004-09: Career Beginnings[]
In 2004, at the age of 16, Lamar released his first mixtape Youngest Head Nigga in Charge (Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year) under the name K-Dot. He received local recognition and signed to Top Dawg Entertainment, an indie label. In 2005 he released the mixtape Training Day under the label. In 2009, he released the mixtape C4 and decided to drop K-Dot and go by his name. He subsequently released The Kendrick Lamar EP. Also in 2009 he founded the rap group Black Hippy with ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock and Ab-Soul.
2010-11: Overly Dedicated and Section.80[]
In 2010 Lamar released Overly Dedicated which charted at number 72 on the Billboard Hip-Hop charts. In 2011 Lamar was selected for the annual XXL Freshmen Class. In 2011 Lamar released the single "HiiiPoWeR" as the lead for his upcoming album Section.80. In July he released the album as an independent release, to critical acclaim.
2012-13: good kid m.A.A.d city[]
In March 2012 Lamar signed with Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment, ending his time as an independent artist. In October 2012 he released good kid m.A.A.d city his debut major label album. The album charted at number 2 on the Billboard 200. In August 2013 Lamar generated controversy in his verse on Big Sean's "Control", vowing to lyrically 'murder' all up and coming rappers and proclaimed himself King of New York. Many rappers produced diss tracks in response. In 2013 he also toured with Kanye West on the Yeezus Tour.
2014-16: To Pimp a Butterfly[]
In September 2014, Lamar released the song "i" as the lead single to his upcoming third studio album, which ultimately won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song. In March 2015, he released To Pimp a Butterfly to positive reviews, topping the Billboard 200. That year Lamar won five Grammy Awards. In March 2016 he released a compilation album Untitled Unmastered, containing eight untitled tracks which were demo tracks from his previous album. The album topped the Billboard 200.
2017-Present: DAMN. and Black Panther Soundtrack[]
In early-2017 Lamar released "HUMBLE." as the lead single off his upcoming fourth album. The song topped the Billboard 100. Lamar released DAMN. in April 2017, his third album to top the Billboard 200. In 2018 it was announced Lamar was curating the soundtrack for the upcoming Marvel film Black Panther. In February 2018 Black Panther The Album Music From And Inspired By was released, topping the Billboard 200. Lamar won five awards at the 60th Grammy Awards. In 2018 he also won the Pulitzer Prize for Music, the first non-classical or jazz artists to receive the award.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B/ |
AUS | BEL (FL) | CAN | FRA | IRL | NZ | SWI | UK | ||
| Section.80 |
|
113 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| good kid, m.A.A.d city |
|
2 | 1 | 23 | 46 | 2 | 57 | 26 | 7 | 38 | 16 |
| To Pimp a Butterfly |
|
1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| DAMN. |
|
1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
Compilation albums[]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B/ |
AUS | BEL (FL) | CAN | FRA | IRL | NZ | SWI | UK | ||
| Untitled Unmastered |
|
1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 55 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 7 |
Mixtapes[]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B/HH |
US Heat. | ||
| Y.H.N.I.C. (Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year) |
|
— | — |
| Training Day (as K-Dot) |
|
— | — |
| No Sleep 'Til NYC (as K-Dot, with Jay Rock) |
|
— | — |
| C4 (as K-Dot) |
|
— | — |
| Overly Dedicated |
|
72 | 46 |
Soundtrack albums[]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B/ |
AUS | BEL (FL) | CAN | FRA | NZ | SWE | SWI | ||
| Black Panther: The Album |
|
1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 93 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
EPs[]
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Kendrick Lamar |
|
Singles[]
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B/ |
US Rap |
AUS | BEL (FL) | CAN | FRA | NZ | SWE | UK | |||
| "HiiiPoWeR" | 2011 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Section.80 |
| "My People" (featuring Jay Rock) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Bastards of the Party | |
| "The Recipe" (featuring Dr. Dre) |
2012 | — | 38 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Good Kid, M.A.A.D City |
| "Swimming Pools (Drank)" | 17 | 3 | 3 | 67 | — | 99 | 59 | — | — | 57 | ||
| "Backseat Freestyle" | 2013 | — | 29 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 79 | |
| "Poetic Justice" (featuring Drake) |
26 | 8 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" | 32 | 9 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 178 | ||
| "i" | 2014 | 39 | 11 | 8 | 48 | — | 61 | 68 | 31 | — | 20 | To Pimp a Butterfly |
| "The Blacker the Berry" | 2015 | 66 | 25 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 83 | |
| "King Kunta" | 58 | 20 | 11 | 32 | 15 | 52 | 80 | 24 | 90 | 56 | ||
| "Alright" | 81 | 24 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 109 | ||
| "These Walls" (featuring Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat) |
94 | 34 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 77 | ||
| "Untitled 07 | levitate" | 2016 | 90 | 27 | 16 | — | — | — | 197 | — | — | 93 | Untitled Unmastered |
| "Humble" | 2017 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 10 | 6 | Damn |
| "Loyalty" (featuring Rihanna) |
14 | 7 | 6 | 20 | — | 12 | 41 | 15 | 35 | 27 | ||
| "Love" (featuring Zacari) |
11 | 6 | 5 | 29 | — | 22 | 75 | 24 | 58 | 39 | ||
| "All the Stars" (with SZA) |
2018 | 7 | 5 | — | 2 | 21 | 7 | 21 | 2 | 9 | 5 | Black Panther: The Album |
| "King's Dead" (with Jay Rock, Future and James Blake) |
21 | 13 | 10 | 58 | — | 23 | 172 | — | — | 50 | ||
| "Don't Don't Do It" (with N.E.R.D) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | No One Ever Really Dies | |
| "Pray for Me" (with The Weeknd) |
7 | 4 | — | 9 | 22 | 5 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 11 | Black Panther: The Album | |