Kendrick Lamar (EP)
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''Kendrick Lamar'' (also referred to as ''The Kendrick Lamar EP'') is the debut
extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
(EP) by American rapper
Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first music ...
. It was released on December 31, 2009, through
Top Dawg Entertainment Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) is an American independent record label. Specializing in hip hop and R&B artists, TDE is based in Carson, California. The label was founded in 2004 by record producer Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, who is the chief exec ...
(TDE), as a free digital download. It is Lamar's first project to be released under his modern
stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...
; he previously released music under the stage name K.Dot from 2003 to late 2009. Production on ''Kendrick Lamar'' was handled by
Sounwave Mark Anthony Spears (born February 28, 1986), known professionally as Sounwave, is an American record producer and songwriter. He is a frequent collaborator of rapper Kendrick Lamar, having worked on all of his projects since his 2009 self-title ...
,
Black Milk Curtis Eugene Cross (born August 14, 1983), better known by his stage name Black Milk, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Career In addition to Slum Village, Black Milk has worked with J Dilla, Elzhi, Phat Kat, Frank-N-D ...
,
Jake One Jacob Brian Dutton (born May 11, 1976), known professionally as Jake One, is an American record producer and songwriter.Palermo, Thomas (2008)Jake One Readies New Album, XLR8R, September 5, 2008Matos, Michaelangelo (2004)Rocketship Blowing Up", ...
,
Q-Tip Cotton swabs (American English) or cotton buds (British English), also Q-tips ( proprietary eponym), are wads of cotton wrapped around a short rod made of wood, rolled paper, or plastic. They are most commonly used for ear cleaning, although th ...
and
Wyldfyer Wyatt Coleman, also known as Wyldfyer is an American music producer. He produced a promo album (from Jay-Z), The Black Album: Classik. He produced tracks for Nas's ''Hip Hop Is Dead'', and the collaboration between Nas and Jay-Z, "Black Republi ...
, among others. It features guest appearances from
Angela McCluskey Angela McCluskey (28 February 1960 – 14 March 2024) was a Scottish singer-songwriter based in California, United States. She performed as a solo artist and as a member of the folk rock group Wild Colonials. McCluskey also provided vocals for ...
,
Ab-Soul Herbert Anthony Stevens IV (born February 23, 1987), better known by his stage name Ab-Soul, is an American rapper. Raised in Carson, California, he signed to indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2007, where he eventually formed We ...
, JaVonte,
Jay Rock Johnny Reed McKinzie Jr. (born March 31, 1985), better known by his stage name Jay Rock, is an American rapper from Los Angeles, California. Rock signed with local independent label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2005. He secured a major lab ...
,
BJ the Chicago Kid Bryan James Sledge (born November 23, 1984), better known by his stage name BJ the Chicago Kid (or simply BJ), is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Sledge is best known for frequently collaborating with Top ...
, Punch,
Schoolboy Q Quincy Matthew Hanley (born October 26, 1986), better known by his stage name Schoolboy Q (stylized as ScHoolboy Q), is an American rapper. He began recording in 2007, and released his first two mixtapes, ''ScHoolboy Turned Hustla'' (2008) and '' ...
and
Big Pooh Thomas Louis Jones III (born February 12, 1980), better known by his stage name Big Pooh (or Rapper Big Pooh), is an American rapper, who, along with fellow rap artist Phonte, is a member of the acclaimed North Carolina hip hop group Little Brot ...
. The EP premiered exclusively on
DatPiff DatPiff was an online audio distribution platform that was launched in 2005. It is headquartered in Pennsylvania. It specializes in hip-hop, rap, and urban music. The site was founded in the spring of 2005 by Marcus Frasier. It is owned by Me ...
, and has since been downloaded over one million times on the platform.


Critical reception

Shawn Setaro of ''
Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' appreciated the EP for sharing a glimpse of Lamar's artistry, adding that the reason why the project has resonated with audiences years after its release is because of his consistency. He also noted that several themes and characters that would be the focal point in Lamar's later albums, such as the title of ''
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City ''Good Kid, M.A.A.D City'' (stylized as ''good kid, m.A.A.d city'') is the second studio album by the American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on October 22, 2012, by Interscope Records, Top Dawg Entertainment and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Enter ...
'' (2012), were introduced for the first time on ''Kendrick Lamar''. Writing for ''
HotNewHipHop ''HotNewHipHop'' (HNHH) is an online publication that covers daily news about hip hop and pop culture, including streetwear, sports, and Sneaker collecting, sneakers. In addition to its editorial content, HotNewHipHop also produces the video seri ...
'', Caleb Hardy described the EP as a "straining" listen. He criticized the "half-baked" nature of its production and songwriting, but acknowledged it as an admirable and engaging project. Echoing Setaro's statements, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'''s Mosi Reeves characterized ''Kendrick Lamar'' as a
Rosetta Stone The Rosetta Stone is a stele of granodiorite inscribed with three versions of a Rosetta Stone decree, decree issued in 196 BC during the Ptolemaic dynasty of ancient Egypt, Egypt, on behalf of King Ptolemy V Epiphanes. The top and middle texts ...
of songwriting ideas that Lamar would later delve into on future albums. He praised the EP as being the first standout project of his career, describing it as "redolent of peak blog-rap," and applauded Lamar for eschewing the excessive
freestyling Freestyle rap, also simply known as Freestyle, is a style of hip hop music where an artist normally improvises an unwritten verse from the head, with or without instrumental beats, in which lyrics are recited with no particular subject or structure ...
over radio hit singles from his previous mixtapes in favor of a project that focuses on his writing and accompanied by "lovely yet doleful production." Reeves believed that although ''Kendrick Lamar'' did not receive the mainstream recognition that he felt it deserved, the "cathartic" EP restored Lamar's reputation and anticipation for new music following the overwhelmingly negative reception surrounding his third solo mixtape, '' C4'' (2009).


Track listing

Sample credits * "Is It Love" contains a sample of "Don't Look Back", as performed by Telepopmusik and
Angela McCluskey Angela McCluskey (28 February 1960 – 14 March 2024) was a Scottish singer-songwriter based in California, United States. She performed as a solo artist and as a member of the folk rock group Wild Colonials. McCluskey also provided vocals for ...
. * "Celebration" contains a sample of "Hummin'", written by
Nat Adderley Nathaniel Carlyle Adderley (November 25, 1931 – January 2, 2000) was an American jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It ...
and
Gene McDaniels Eugene Booker McDaniels (February 12, 1935 – July 29, 2011) was an American singer, producer and songwriter. He had his greatest recording success in the early 1960s, reaching number three on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart wit ...
, as performed by
Roy Ayers Roy Edward Ayers Jr. (September 10, 1940 – March 4, 2025) was an American vibraphonist, record producer, and composer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several studio albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure ...
. * "P&P" contains a sample of "Clock With No Hands", written by
Tariq Trotter Tariq Luqmaan Trotter (born October 3, 1973), better known as Black Thought, is an American rapper, singer, actor and the lead MC of the hip hop group The Roots, which he co-founded with drummer Questlove in Philadelphia. Regarded as "one of t ...
,
Ahmir Thompson Ahmir K. Thompson (born January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove (stylized as ), is an American drummer, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman (with Black Thought) ...
, Karl B. Jenkins, James Gray, Khari Mateen and Leonard Hubbard; as performed by
The Roots The Roots are an American Hip-hop, hip hop band formed in 1987 by singer Black Thought, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and drummer Questlove, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''T ...
featuring Mercedes Martinez. * "She Needs Me" contains samples of "Byrdshot and Bye", written by Dimitri Grimm; as performed by Dimlite; and "
Long Red "Long Red" is a song recorded by Leslie West for his first solo album ''Mountain'' (1969). He performed it with his band Mountain at Woodstock in 1969, which was later included on '' Live: The Road Goes Ever On'' (1972). The drum break from this v ...
", written by
Leslie West Leslie Abel West (born Weinstein; October 22, 1945 – December 23, 2020) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the co-founder, guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Mountain. West was named the 245th greatest guit ...
,
Felix Pappalardi Felix Albert Pappalardi Jr. (December 30, 1939 – April 17, 1983) was an American music producer, songwriter, vocalist, and bass violin, bassist. He is best known as the bassist and co-lead vocalist of the band Mountain (band), Mountain, whose ...
, John Ventura and Norman Landsberg, as performed by
Mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...
. The song also contains a drum sample from "Let's Ride", as performed by
Q-Tip Cotton swabs (American English) or cotton buds (British English), also Q-tips ( proprietary eponym), are wads of cotton wrapped around a short rod made of wood, rolled paper, or plastic. They are most commonly used for ear cleaning, although th ...
. * "I Am (Interlude)" contains a sample of "Believe", written by Kamaal Fareed, as performed by Q-Tip featuring
D'Angelo Michael Eugene Archer (born February 11, 1974), better known by his stage name D'Angelo (), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He first garnered attention after co-producing the single "U Will Know" ...
. * "Wanna Be Heard" is a remix of "Popular Demand", as written, performed and produced by
Black Milk Curtis Eugene Cross (born August 14, 1983), better known by his stage name Black Milk, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Career In addition to Slum Village, Black Milk has worked with J Dilla, Elzhi, Phat Kat, Frank-N-D ...
. * "I Do This" contains a sample of "Don't You Want to Stay", written by
Bill Withers William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He is known for having several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Grandma's Hands" (1971), "Use Me ( ...
,
Melvin Dunlap Melvin Carl Dunlap (June 9, 1945 - September 12, 2021) was an American bass guitarist most recognized for his work with Bill Withers and Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm band. Additionally, Dunlap was an accomplished session musician ...
and Raymond Jackson, as performed by Withers. * "Faith" contains a sample of "Tired of Fighting", written by
Thomas Brenneck Thomas "Tommy" Brenneck is an American guitarist, record producer, and engineer, best known as the leader of the Menahan Street Band and member of The Budos Band, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, and El Michels Affair. He is the founder of Dunh ...
,
Dave Guy David Anthony Guy (born December 9, 1978) is an American trumpet player. Since 2014, he has played with The Roots, including on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. Over his more than two decade career, he has been part of the groups Shar ...
,
Leon Michels Leon Marcus Michels () (born 1982) is an American Record producer, music producer, Music executive, record executive, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist best known as the leader of the eclectic soul project El Michels Affair and co-founder of ...
, Fernando Velez and Homer Steinweiss; as performed by
Menahan Street Band Menahan Street Band is an American, Brooklyn, New York–based instrumental band formed in 2007, that plays funk and soul music. The band features musicians from Antibalas, El Michels Affair, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and the Budos Band. The ...
. * "Vanity Slaves" is a remix of "Daykeeper", as performed by
The Foreign Exchange The Foreign Exchange is music duo consisting of the American rapper Phonte and the Dutch record producer Nicolay, their music is a blend of hip hop, soul, R&B and electronica. Musical career The pair initially made contact via message boar ...
featuring
Muhsinah Muhsinah (; born July 20, 1983) is an American Grammy Award nominated singer and producer, from Washington, D.C. She cites Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, Nirvana and Chopin as among her influences. Musical career A graduate of ...
, and produced by Nicolay. * "Thanksgiving" contains samples of "
Almost Like Being in Love "Almost Like Being in Love" is a show tune with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. It was written for the score of their 1947 musical '' Brigadoon''. The song was first sung by David Brooks and Marion Bell, in the Broadway ...
", composed by
Frederick Loewe Frederick Loewe ( ; born Friedrich "Fritz" Löwe, ; June 10, 1901 – February 14, 1988
and written by
Alan Jay Lerner Alan Jay Lerner (August 31, 1918 – June 14, 1986) was an American lyricist and librettist. In collaboration with Frederick Loewe, and later Burton Lane, he created some of the world's most popular and enduring works of musical theatre bot ...
; as performed by
Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...
, and "Long Red", as performed by Mountain. * "Determined" contains samples of "Family", as written and performed by
Lamont Dozier Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit. He co-wrote and produced 14 US '' Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK. Career Dozier was a ...
, and interpolates " Touch the Sky", as performed by
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
featuring
Lupe Fiasco Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco ( ), is an American rapper, record producer and Music education, music educator. Born and raised in Chicago, he gained mainstream recognition for his gue ...
.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kendrick Lamar 2009 debut EPs Top Dawg Entertainment albums Kendrick Lamar albums Albums free for download by copyright owner Albums produced by Black Milk Albums produced by Jake One Albums produced by Sounwave