Killer Kenny
More gems from Lamar’s stellar career
“BURIED ALIVE INTERLUDE”
Drake feat. Kendrick Lamar, 2011
On “Buried Alive Interlude,” a breakout moment on Drake’s blockbuster Take Care, Kendrick details such a haunting portrait of fame, Drake let K.Dot have it all to himself.
“NOSETALGIA”
Pusha T feat. Kendrick Lamar, 2013
The angst in Kendrick’s tone on this blistering banger tells a harrowing story about the havoc the crack era wreaked.
“FREEDOM”
Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar, 2016
Kendrick made Beyoncé’s plea for equality an even more urgent anthem, bottling everyone’s fury over the seemingly endless spate of police killings of unarmed African Americans.
“CONRAD TOKYO”
A Tribe Called Quest feat. Kendrick Lamar, 2016
A Tribe Called Quest’s farewell album, We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service, feels even more compelling thanks to a fiery Kendrick verse about the doom-filled Trump years.
“DOVES IN THE WIND”
On this chill SZA single, Kung Fu Kenny gives a whole exegesis on pussy power, from the enlightened male’s perspective.
“YEAH RIGHT”
Vince Staples feat. Kendrick Lamar, 2017
Kendrick shows up on this sleeper with a quick-fire verse that demonstrates he’s prepared to “pop ’til the wrist pop.”
“POWER”
Rapsody feat. Kendrick Lamar and Lance Skiiiwalker, 2017
Harnessing godlike intensity, Kendrick anointed Rapsody’s “Power” with a verse that spans the cosmos, addressing universal law and celebrity culture.
“TINTS”
Anderson .Paak feat. Kendrick Lamar, 2018
On this groovy, road-movieesque single, K.Dot holds court with some breezy couplets that place him firmly in the driver’s seat.
“ALL THE STARS”
Kendrick Lamar and SZA, 2018
On this hit from the Kendrickproduced Black Panther soundtrack, he spits an ethereal verse about the downsides of fame, demonstrating why he continues to wear the crown.
“LOOK OVER YOUR
SHOULDER” Busta Rhymes feat. Kendrick Lamar, 2020
Verbal gymnastics sound as catchy as a Tin Pan Alley staple on Kendrick’s showstopping verse from this Busta Rhymes scorcher.
“FAMILY TIES”
Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar, 2021
On his cousin Baby Keem’s brassy uptempo hit, Kendrick supplies some unforgettable couplets — about avoiding the pandemic — that loom like triumphant fight music.