West Coast Connection Forum
DUBCC - Tha Connection => West Coast Classics => Topic started by: The_Ripper on August 16, 2011, 06:21:59 AM
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K Dot explains that he doesn't feel any pressure to sign to a major label in the near future.
Kendrick Lamar pulled off an impressive feat when he released his third mixtape, “Section.80,” early last month: He topped two of the mightiest forces in 2011 pop, Adele and Lady Gaga, on the iTunes chart.
Making the coup all the more surprising was that the Compton rapper’s release soared without being backed by a major label.
Released digitally through local indie-rap imprint Top Dawg Entertainment, the album peaked at No. 3 on the iTunes charts, debuted as the top hip-hop/rap album and landed in the top 10 in more than a dozen countries, including Australia, Germany and France -- all without radio airplay or splashy promotions.
The surprising success comes as the 24-year-old rapper is racking up some major co-signs. Such heavyweights as Snoop Dogg, Nas and Dr. Dre have championed him, and Lamar is lending a helping hand on Dre's serially delayed “Detox.” He also landed a spot on the cover of XXL's coveted Freshman list. Hopefully, all the hype will reward him in kind when when he releases his as-yet-untitled official debut, which is still in the works.
Pop & Hiss recently caught up with Lamar for a quick chat ahead of his Music Box gig Friday on the mixtape’s success, growing up in Compton and whether or not he’ll ever embrace a major label.
You could almost hear a collective "huh?" when "Section.80" popped up on iTunes ahead of major players like Adele and Lady Gaga. What did that mean for you?
It was a great accomplishment. I like to just stay in the creative space and not worry about actual numbers. It lets me know that people still have love for real music and wanted to appreciate it. You can go find dozens of individuals here that have talent, even more talent than I have. The West Coast [scene], it's not the same stereotyped sound. We can take it to the next level. "Section.80" shows that you didn’t know a guy from Compton could do it -- without getting radio play, or commercial play.
What inspired the album, especially the title?
"Section.80" is really based on my generation. I wanted to make an album that represented everything from 1980 to 2011. Everything in between -- from persons born in that time, all the way to now. I felt like when I went out into these streets, a lot of people would say I speak for my generation. People that’s coming up under me, that admire me, and admire my message and my music.
Everybody that we looked up to are on a whole other plateau talking about things that can't relate to the average 17-year-old because he’s just out of high school and trying to figure out his way into the world. That’s where I come into play. The album just talks about the ills of going through life and society as a young person when you’re trying to figure things out the hard way, for better or worse.
People associate Compton almost with a singular sound in rap. How did growing up there shape your opinion as an artist?
It had a lot of influence on me, period. Growing up in Compton, that’s what I represent. I feel like I have to connect with my own backyard before I connect on a universal level. When I speak about me going to the county building with my mother every month or being influenced by the homeboys I grow up with in a neighborhood, being chastised by the police -- that’s me, and the people can relate to that. I grew up in a household where my parents partied. It was a whole lot of gangster rap, and oldies being played in the house. I start penning my rhymes when I was 13.
The project obviously has majors knocking your door down. Any plans to switch over to major, or do you plan on remaining indie?
When you get into this business, you’ve gotta be your best promoter. People have to believe in you enough to want to take you to the next level. That’s what we did with Top Dawg Entertainment. We always had that mind-set.
As far as going to a major label ... I don't feel no pressure. The situation has to be right. Everybody has to be cohesive as to what the plan is and not try to sway things. In some situations, it could be the perfect marriage. I’ve always felt I needed to build a fan base from the bottom to the top. Whatever situation I get into, my people are going with me. I'm going to continue to make the positive music that I make.
What's going on with this joint album with J. Cole?
It's still in the works. We’re just trying to get our schedules intact. He has his album coming out, I have my tour dates coming up. We’re working on it. That’s the conflict. But we already have stuff and it's sounding great.
And you've logged time with Dr. Dre for "Detox." Anything you can say about that?
The magic that happened in there was incredible. Dre is somebody that I’ve looked up to for as long as I can remember. To be in the studio and work on a monumental album like that is an honor. It's something I’m proud of.
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Ive got a feeling Dre will sign him to Aftermath
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Hopefully his tracks won't be left off if this Detox ever come out.
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Thanks for postin' this. What did Nas say about Kendrick?
Ive got a feeling Dre will sign him to Aftermath
I hope Dre's workin' with Kendrick on his first "official" album.
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Ive got a feeling Dre will sign him to Aftermath
no please dont.
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wait why is it this big accomplishment for a new album to be at a higher position than albums which have been out for months?
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wait why is it this big accomplishment for a new album to be at a higher position than albums which have been out for months?
thats exactly what i thougt lol.
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Ive got a feeling Dre will sign him to Aftermath
no please dont.
Doubt it anyway. Like i said been a fan for a long time but he just doesn't have that "star package" which majors, especially nowadays, are looking for. He's a dope artist but he's not a "star" that can reach a wider audience, but he can still be one of those artists that just drop indie albums and tour for the rest of their careers but majors aren't looking for that.
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Ive got a feeling Dre will sign him to Aftermath
no please dont.
Doubt it anyway. Like i said been a fan for a long time but he just doesn't have that "star package" which majors, especially nowadays, are looking for. He's a dope artist but he's not a "star" that can reach a wider audience, but he can still be one of those artists that just drop indie albums and tour for the rest of their careers but majors aren't looking for that.
Lol no I thnk kendrick has star power but def not like big and PAC, but I believe he will be a legend, he's just too good.
But at this point o his career dre would only hurt kendrick juz like how he hurt himself with those horrible detox tracks. Dre can help if he signs kendrick and has absolutely no partake on the album,
Dre fell off hard
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Ive got a feeling Dre will sign him to Aftermath
no please dont.
Doubt it anyway. Like i said been a fan for a long time but he just doesn't have that "star package" which majors, especially nowadays, are looking for. He's a dope artist but he's not a "star" that can reach a wider audience, but he can still be one of those artists that just drop indie albums and tour for the rest of their careers but majors aren't looking for that.
Lol no I thnk kendrick has star power but def not like big and PAC, but I believe he will be a legend, he's just too good.
But at this point o his career dre would only hurt kendrick juz like how he hurt himself with those horrible detox tracks. Dre can help if he signs kendrick and has absolutely no partake on the album,
Dre fell off hard
It takes more than talent to be a legend in this game bruh. He gotta have albums out, make an impact and stuff like that. He just isn't too charismatic for the mainstream i'm telling you. You gotta understand the mainstream audience spends money on the artist, not the music the artist is making.
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Hopefully Dre procuces a couple of songs for Kendrick's album and mixes the whole shit. I doubt Kendrick signin' to Dre though.
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Hopefully Dre procuces a couple of songs for Kendrick's album and mixes the whole shit. I doubt Kendrick signin' to Dre though.
he'll probably sign when dre asks him to
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Hopefully Dre procuces a couple of songs for Kendrick's album and mixes the whole shit. I doubt Kendrick signin' to Dre though.
he should stay away from dre.
I'd like to hear a KL album produced by Khalil and Muggs 8)
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Lol @ saying he'll be a legend
Lmao @ really preferring hearing khalil/muggs over dre
Ahhh man wtf is this forum smoking?
I wish K.Dot the best. But signing to Aftermath would be the worst thing he could do. Dre takes forever and that would kill all of Kendrick's momentum. He should just get some Dre beats and have him mix the album if possible but that's about it.
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Lol @ saying he'll be a legend
Lmao @ really preferring hearing khalil/muggs over dre
Ahhh man wtf is this forum smoking?
I wish K.Dot the best. But signing to Aftermath would be the worst thing he could do. Dre takes forever and that would kill all of Kendrick's momentum. He should just get some Dre beats and have him mix the album if possible but that's about it.
you prefer the dr.dre of these days your tastes in music is really poor, but it's not a surprise....your avatar speak for yourself :D :loser:
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Kendrick wouldn't sound good over Dre's generic beats....which are mostly made by khalil anyways
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Lol @ saying he'll be a legend
Lmao @ really preferring hearing khalil/muggs over dre
Ahhh man wtf is this forum smoking?
I wish K.Dot the best. But signing to Aftermath would be the worst thing he could do. Dre takes forever and that would kill all of Kendrick's momentum. He should just get some Dre beats and have him mix the album if possible but that's about it.
dre sucks man, it took me months after I need a doctor got released to admit this, but dude is a shadow of his formerself it's like 50 yr old Kareem or shaq tryna keep up playing 40 mins per game against the young stars his time is done he should stop trying to adapt to a new sound because it's clearly not working.
None of the detox tracks deserves to be put on repeat, only shit popped off or that other track topless or wtvr but u guys all know those 2 tracks won't be on detox
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Fuck signing on Aftermath or any major. Dre will just delay your shit until he drops your ass and majors will never release your album unless your singles get crazy spin.
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i don't really see the hype over kendrick lamar....i mean, he's not bad, but he isn't THAT good to the point where people should be nutting over his work. i think a lot of the hype over him is because he's from Compton (LOL)
someone post up a track of his that u think can change my mind...
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Lol @ saying he'll be a legend
Lmao @ really preferring hearing khalil/muggs over dre
Ahhh man wtf is this forum smoking?
I wish K.Dot the best. But signing to Aftermath would be the worst thing he could do. Dre takes forever and that would kill all of Kendrick's momentum. He should just get some Dre beats and have him mix the album if possible but that's about it.
I don't know, Khalil AND Muggs, that is a hell of a combination behind the boards. Khalil learned from 2 of the best in Muggs and Dr Dre.
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i don't really see the hype over kendrick lamar....i mean, he's not bad, but he isn't THAT good to the point where people should be nutting over his work. i think a lot of the hype over him is because he's from Compton (LOL)
someone post up a track of his that u think can change my mind...
Maybe it's just you who like to go against the grain every time (no disrespect)? I mean you say nutting like there's artists out there who people should be nutting over lol smh.
People obviously dig his shit that's all and think he has alot of potential, i don't see how that's overhype. Of course the Dre association made this forum jump on the wagon but he's dope.
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i don't really see the hype over kendrick lamar....i mean, he's not bad, but he isn't THAT good to the point where people should be nutting over his work. i think a lot of the hype over him is because he's from Compton (LOL)
someone post up a track of his that u think can change my mind...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5eT6TaEtPI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00cr3g6wCG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHlnLn7aBlo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwjTqaBp1jQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHNmgefPaLg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjSfelCds6g
man, kendrick is dope as fuck I dont see how someone could say otherwise? Dude is talented as any rapper out there and only getting better
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i don't really see the hype over kendrick lamar....i mean, he's not bad, but he isn't THAT good to the point where people should be nutting over his work. i think a lot of the hype over him is because he's from Compton (LOL)
someone post up a track of his that u think can change my mind...
Sounds like Game.
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Kendrick wouldn't sound good over Dre's generic beats....which are mostly made by khalil anyways
if dre sucks these days is not khalil's fault
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i don't really see the hype over kendrick lamar....i mean, he's not bad, but he isn't THAT good to the point where people should be nutting over his work. i think a lot of the hype over him is because he's from Compton (LOL)
someone post up a track of his that u think can change my mind...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5eT6TaEtPI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00cr3g6wCG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHlnLn7aBlo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwjTqaBp1jQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHNmgefPaLg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjSfelCds6g
man, kendrick is dope as fuck I dont see how someone could say otherwise? Dude is talented as any rapper out there and only getting better
i think his voice and mic-presence is not amongst the best...lyrically and flow-wise, he's tight, but he doesn't seem to me like some once in a lifetime talent, like some here are makin him out 2 be. maybe if u spliced him and Game and fused them into one rapper, it would equal one great MC. right now, there is somethin about his cadences that makes him not stick out, so to speak. not sayin i wouldn't bang his shit, just that he's not really amongst the best in the game.
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LOL, you cannot be a legend by not being a popular name. Kendrick Lamar is known by a few guys on the internet.
Unless he actually does what this thread implies & signs to a major label, he will never be considered a legend by anyone.
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LOL, you cannot be a legend by not being a popular name. Kendrick Lamar is known by a few guys on the internet.
I guess that's why he has sold-out shows.
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Fuck major, go indie, Tech N9ne could sign him. I don't see Kendrick being the rapper that is trying to make a hit record. He already got dope production team, so Dre could just mix some songs.
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Fuck major, go indie, Tech N9ne could sign him. I don't see Kendrick being the rapper that is trying to make a hit record. He already got dope production team, so Dre could just mix some songs.
i dont really see kendrick on strange.
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Listen to "I Am" and then tell me he is not one of the best who ever started rappin after 2000
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Lol @ all these Dre beat haters. Yeah you guys hear a 2 leaked songs (Chillin and My Prescription) that 1. Were NEVER meant to be leaked and 2. May not even be produced by Dre and just automatically assume he's wack now. That "Die Hard" shit sounded dope and the beat from the Chrysler commercial sounded like it could be a gem. I like the dark cinematic shit he's been doing and I'm sure not a rapper/singer in the industry would pass on even his worst leftovers.
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LOL, you cannot be a legend by not being a popular name. Kendrick Lamar is known by a few guys on the internet.
I guess that's why he has sold-out shows.
That's deceiving. You don't know what the maximum capacity is for those shows.
For example, Joe Budden sells out his shows, but they hold like 3,000 people & I go to them. & I'm just some dude from the internet.
I don't know if you're fighting that Kendrick could end up a legend, but if you look at every legend in the history of legends, something they have in common is that they are highly well know.
Example, Tupac, Eminem, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, etc.
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I don't know if you're fighting that Kendrick could end up a legend, but if you look at every legend in the history of legends, something they have in common is that they are highly well know.
Nah, i'm just sayin' that Kendrick got a big buzz and hopefully he will be big. Lyrically he shits on every "New West" artist.
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Lol @ all these Dre beat haters. Yeah you guys hear a 2 leaked songs (Chillin and My Prescription) that 1. Were NEVER meant to be leaked and 2. May not even be produced by Dre and just automatically assume he's wack now. That "Die Hard" shit sounded dope and the beat from the Chrysler commercial sounded like it could be a gem. I like the dark cinematic shit he's been doing and I'm sure not a rapper/singer in the industry would pass on even his worst leftovers.
+1
couldn't say it better
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Lol @ all these Dre beat haters. Yeah you guys hear a 2 leaked songs (Chillin and My Prescription) that 1. Were NEVER meant to be leaked and 2. May not even be produced by Dre and just automatically assume he's wack now. That "Die Hard" shit sounded dope and the beat from the Chrysler commercial sounded like it could be a gem. I like the dark cinematic shit he's been doing and I'm sure not a rapper/singer in the industry would pass on even his worst leftovers.
It's funny how you say the 2 fully completed songs may not even be produced by Dre, but then pull out 2 promo beats which also may not even be produced by Dre to say he's still got it.
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Proud of dude for real! Its been great watching his carrer. From when he was K Dot till now, He has come a long way, and its great watching him turn into this incredible m.c, He got next, dude has to much talent not to blow up.I Support Top Dawg to the fullest, they actully have the best roster than any other camp/crew/label out
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I don't know if you're fighting that Kendrick could end up a legend, but if you look at every legend in the history of legends, something they have in common is that they are highly well know.
Nah, i'm just sayin' that Kendrick got a big buzz and hopefully he will be big. Lyrically he shits on every "New West" artist.
I agree.