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After the release of the hit single “i”, Kendrick Lamar is on cusp of releasing one of the most anticipated albums in rap history next year. By now everybody knows the songs off his last release Good Kid m.A.A.d. City, however this article is highlighting a handful of songs that often go under the radar but are essential to know if you consider yourself a Kendrick fan.
Michael Jordan
This song is off Kendrick’s Overly Dedicated mixtape, and he comes right out the gate on this rapping crazy. I love how Kendrick incorporates Lil Wayne’s words into the hook using a short phrase off one my favorite Wayne songs “Swag Surf”. As an added bonus Schoolboy Q comes in near the end of this providing a solid verse. Watch the music video below.
J Dilla Freestyle Feat. Punch & Jay Rock
I dug way back in the archives for this song which is off one of Kendricks earliest mixtapes “Training Day”. On this song Kendrick & friends rap over the J Dilla beat from the song “Players” by Slum Village. A J Dilla beat + TDE rapping over it, What could be better? Listen below.
Westside, Right on Time feat. Young Jeezy
This song came out right before the release of GKMC in 2012 and was likely a song that barely missed the cut for the album. I really like the sample that was used for this beat which Kdot & Jeezy go crazy over. Listen Below.
Look out for Detox
Another song from the early days of TDE, Kendrick literally goes insane on this, switching up his flows so many times. The first time I heard this I had to recover all my thoughts for a little bit because this song blew my mind. Listen below.
We Ball – Dom Kennedy feat. Kendrick Lamar
This song off Dom Kennedy’s Yellow Album has feature verse by Kdot that almost makes you forget Dom rapped on this in the first place. (that wasn’t a diss to Dom Kennedy, Kendrick’s was just that fire). I even remember hearing this song when I was at a Dom Kennedy concert this past year and as soon as Kendrick’s verse came on the whole crowd rapped it word for word. Listen below.
Blow My High
You know I couldn’t end this article without putting a song off of Section .80 on here. I love how Kendrick used the Pimp C verse from Jay Z’s “Big Pimpin” as the hook on this and it is easily is one of my favorite chill Kendrick songs
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