The Rise Of Kendrick Lamar

Here we look at how far Lamar has come, the rise of Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987), known professionally as Kendrick Lamar, is an American rapper and songwriter. He embarked on his musical career as a teenager under the stage name K-Dot, releasing a mixtape that garnered local attention and led to his signing with indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE).

He began to gain major recognition in 2010, after his first retail release, Overly Dedicated. The following year, Lamar independently released his first studio album, Section.80, which included his debut single, “Hiiipower”. By that time, he had gathered a large Internet following and collaborated with several prominent artists in the hip hop industry, including The Game, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, and Lil Wayne.

Lamar secured a major-label record deal with Aftermath and Interscope Records, in 2012. His major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, was released in October 2012 to critical success. The record contained the Top 40 singles “Swimming Pools (Drank)”, “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”, and “Poetic Justice”. It debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Since them, the M.A.A.D Kid hasn’t look back. He has received wide acclaim and a number of accolades over the course of his career, including seven Grammy Awards. In early 2013, MTV named Lamar the number one “Hottest MC in the Game”, on their annual list. Time named Lamar one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016. Everyday a star is born indeed!