Celebrating K.Dot’s Greatest Hits
Five years after his last studio album, 14-time Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar is back on the scene. His fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, is the latest in a line of provocative, poignant, genre-bending records. From the gritty Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, to the poetic To Pimp a Butterfly and Pulitzer Prize-winning DAMN., Lamar has proven himself one of music’s great storytellers.
With Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, Lamar is once again challenging hip-hop norms through lyricism, and putting other rappers on notice. To celebrate the new release, we scoured Lamar’s discography in search of his greatest hits. Without further ado, here are the 10 best Kendrick Lamar songs, ranked.
Note: We’d be remiss not to mention the song “Auntie Diaries,” fresh off the new album. An ode to two of Lamar’s relatives, both of whom are transgender, the track has made headlines for its spotlight on trans awareness. Some in the LGBTQ+ community have praised its progressive nature; however, many others have criticized it, citing Lamar’s repeated use of a gay slur, and his deadnaming of his relatives.
In short, the reception is complicated. We recognize it’s not our place to chime in on the conversation, and will leave it to the community to decide the track’s lasting importance. At the very least, it’s a fascinating if flawed look into Lamar’s own trans-awareness journey.
10. Rigamortis
“Rigamortis” is vintage Kendrick—bold and braggadocious, with mind-melting flow and carefree charm. Unlike the other songs on this list, which tackle everything from substance abuse to police brutality, this track from debut album Section.80 is far simpler in its aim. Lamar has one goal: to tell everyone listening that he’s the greatest rapper in the game. Listen to just one verse—cushioned against the jazzy backdrop of a few horns—and it’s hard not to agree.
9. Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe
The second track off of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, “Birth, Don’t Kill My Vibe” wastes no time setting the tone for the rest of the album. With a catchy chorus, a groovy beat, and Lamar’s trademark vocal inflections, the track makes for easy listening, while also serving as a bonafide club banger. Beyond that, it’s a song of lyrical bravado—one about a rapper enjoying his recent stardom while committing to stay true to himself.
8. untitled 02 | 06.23.2014
Untitled Unmastered shouldn’t exist—and that’s why it’s so great. A compilation of nameless outtakes from 2015’s To Pimp a Butterfly, this album is 34 minutes of raw, unfiltered Kendrick. Perhaps the best cut is “untitled 02,” a track that melds cacophonic horns, raspy vocals, thunderous bass, and aggressive bars. It’s a wild effort that shows the full range of Lamar’s abilities, while also calling attention to the ghosts of his past.
7. Mother I Sober
The only song from Mr. Morale to crack this list, “Mother I Sober” certainly earns its spot. A six-minute recount of Kendrick’s relationship with his mother Paula and then fiancée Whitney Alford, the track shows the rapper at his most vulnerable. He reveals his mother was a victim of sexual assault, describing the resulting trauma he experienced as a child. He also admits to cheating on Whitney, resulting in their breakup. At its core, “Mother I Sober” is about celebrating the women in our lives, and challenging the vicious cycle of toxicity that men (in Lamar’s case, Black men) often perpetuate.
6. Swimming Pools (Drank)
One of Kendrick’s most recognizable songs, “Swimming Pools” is a glorious oxymoron. On one hand, it’s a visceral portrayal of his grandfather’s alcoholism, and the lasting effect it’s had on Lamar’s life. On the other, it’s a banging tune that has played in thousands of clubs around the world. This is Lamar’s wheelhouse—exposing the hypocrisy of society, from party culture to commercialism. With “Swimming Pools,” he does so with aplomb.
5. The Blacker The Berry
When To Pimp a Butterfly hit the scene in 2015, it came at a pivotal point in U.S. history. The 2016 presidential election was around the corner, with Donald Trump spewing his brand of hateful rhetoric. Black Lives Matter was also gaining steam, with protests sparking up across the country in response to the police slayings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Black America was galvanizing, and Kendrick Lamar’s music was a big reason why.
While many consider “Alright” the anthem of the BLM movement, “The Blacker The Berry” was arguably even more powerful. The former, with its groovy beat and gospel-y hook, served as comfort food for Black Americans seeking solace during a tough time. “The Black The Berry,” by contrast, threw solace to the wind, taking aim at the politicians, policemen, and Trumpers perpetuating Black hate.
Even with its blistering lyrics (“You sabotage my community, makin’ a killin’ / You made me a killer”), the song still takes a beat to celebrate Black excellence. “The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice,” indeed.
4. m.A.A.d city
“m.A.A.d city” is a raw, unrestrained look at gang culture in Compton. From the sounds of gunfire, to a murder at a neighborhood burger joint, to blunts laced with cocaine, Kendrick recalls his experiences growing up among Bloods and Crips. The song paints a stark picture of Lamar’s childhood, explaining how he managed to escape a life of violence and vice by embracing his music. Told across two acts—the first dark and pulsing, the second more upbeat—“m.A.A.d city” is a gripping track, and one of Lamar’s greatest.
3. DUCKWORTH.
DAMN. was universally lauded in 2017, in large part thanks to its nimble storytelling. At first glance, it’s a relatively standard concept album, with a beginning, middle, and end. But upon a repeat listen, it becomes clear there’s far more under the hood. Case in point: The album takes on an entirely new meaning when played in reverse.
“DUCKWORTH.” is instrumental to this lofty feat. The final track on the album, “DUCKWORTH.” explores the chance meeting between two men, Anthony and Ducky, at a KFC. As the story unfolds, Lamar reveals Anthony planned to rob Ducky, only for an act of kindness to turn the two into friends. He then lays down the final twist: The two men were TDE’s “Top Dawg” and Kendrick’s father, Duckworth. Had that kindness not prevailed, Kendrick Lamar as we know him may well have never existed.
It’s a thought-provoking track, elevated further by several banging beat swaps and Kendrick’s expert flow. Listen to it last, as DAMN.’s culminating realization, or first, as a catalyst that sets the entire album into motion. Either way, it’s damn good listening.
2. Wesley’s Theory
No matter how old To Pimp a Butterfly becomes, “Wesley’s Theory” never loses its luster. The opening track, “Wesley’s Theory” serves as a crucial introduction to the album’s key themes—systemic racism, white supremacy, and Black exploitation, to name a few. The track hits hard from start to finish, supported by punchy verses, eerie ad-libs, and a funky beat. But it’s that opening sample from Jamaican singer Boris Gardiner that sets the tone for what’s to come: “Every n***a is a star.”
Beyond its dark, often depressing themes, To Pimp a Butterfly is ultimately about lifting Black America up. Kendrick never loses sight of that in his music, and we’re better off because of it.
1. Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst
“Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst” does it all. It’s a powerful narrative, one focusing on a pair of fictional characters caught up in the Compton life. The first is a Piru who laments the loss of his brother to a rival gang. The second is the sister of a slain prostitute, Keisha, who was originally introduced in “Keisha’s Song” from Section.80.
Across a 12-minute journey—the first half a lo-fi ballad, the second half an ethereal epic—Lamar delves into the concepts of life and death, sin and absolution, and the legacies we leave behind once we’re gone. It’s a beautiful track that melds rap and storytelling in a way few rappers can replicate. Despite its long run-time, “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst” is an unskippable, instantly replayable, endlessly enjoyable track.
Bonus: The Heart (Parts I-V)
“The Heart” isn’t featured on any of Lamar’s studio albums. Rather, it’s a series of independent releases, often to help promote the rapper’s upcoming works. At five installments and counting, “The Heart” is 24-plus minutes of pure Kendrick Lamar. With “Part 1” dating back to 2010, the full series provides a whopping 12-year window into his development as an artist, celebrity, and citizen. Enjoy what’s here, and look forward to the parts still to be written.
That’s a wrap! We hope you enjoyed our ranking.
What are your favorite Kendrick Lamar songs? Share your picks in the comments below.
