- Biography
Compton native Kendrick Lamar, who originally rapped as K. Dot, caught the attention of Top Dawg Entertainment during his teenage years. Lamar’s major label debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, was released in 2012 by TDE, Aftermath, and Interscope Records, and since then he’s won seven GRAMMYs over the years. It all started around 2010 when the young MC gained recognition after his first retail release, Overly Dedicated, which attracted the attention of his idol, Dr. Dre. Over the next year, he put in work on his first studio album, Section.80, which was released in 2011. His debut album, 2012’s good kid, M.A.A.D. city, was released on TDE, Aftermath, and Interscope Records—and eventually was certified Platinum. Two years later, he surprise released his now GRAMMY-nominated album, To Pimp A Butterfly, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and won Best Rap Album at the GRAMMY Awards. Lamar’s 2017 album, DAMN., spawned a No. 1 single with “HUMBLE.” Over the years, Lamar has gone from underground MC to chart-topping legend, nabbing 12 GRAMMY Awards in his short career.
