Short Summary
The May 2011 Dubcnn interview with
Kendrick Lamar at Top Dawg Entertainment headquarters in Carson, California represents a historically significant moment in hip-hop, capturing Lamar at the crucial transition between underground artist and mainstream phenomenon as he prepared to release "
Section.80" following his "
Kendrick Lamar EP." This interview documents Lamar's artistic evolution from his early "K.Dot" persona ("K.Dot was me trying to find my niche") to performing under his birth name, signifying his commitment to authenticity over industry validation; chronicles the formation of Top Dawg Entertainment and the Black Hippy collective (with Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and Schoolboy Q); reveals their innovative distribution strategies that challenged industry norms; introduces Lamar's "HiiiPoWeR" philosophy emphasizing spiritual rather than material wealth; details his early collaborations with
J. Cole and connection to Dr. Dre (facilitated by Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg); contextualizes his emergence within a broader West Coast hip-hop renaissance; illuminates his personal motivations rooted in family and Compton experiences; and establishes the artistic principles—authenticity, social consciousness, strategic independence, and community representation—that would define his subsequent career as one of music's most influential voices.
Long Summary
Introduction: Kendrick Lamar at a Pivotal Career Moment
In May 2011, at Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) headquarters in Carson, California,
Kendrick Lamar sat down with Dubcnn for what would become a historically significant interview in hip-hop journalism. This comprehensive analysis examines this critical juncture in Lamar's career, documenting his transformation from underground artist to one of hip-hop's most influential voices. The interview captures Lamar at a decisive moment—having released the "
Kendrick Lamar EP" and preparing to launch "
Section.80," the project that would catapult him toward mainstream recognition before his major-label debut the following year.
The Evolution From K.Dot to Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar began his career under the moniker "K.Dot," a period he describes in the interview as formative but constrained. "K.Dot was me trying to find my niche and find myself," Lamar explains, detailing how he studied legendary artists like 2Pac, Jay-Z, and Nas while developing his technical skills. The transition to performing under his birth name represented far more than rebranding—it signified fundamental artistic evolution."The transition to Kendrick Lamar was me getting comfortable with myself and not being confined with what the radio and the industry wanted," Lamar states, articulating that K.Dot represented someone "trapped in a world where I felt that I needed a hit single or I needed praise from a label." This shift toward authenticity rather than industry validation established the philosophical foundation for Lamar's subsequent career, which would balance commercial success with artistic integrity and social consciousness.
The Formation of Top Dawg Entertainment
The interview provides crucial historical context about Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), documenting its formation before it became recognized as one of hip-hop's most influential independent labels. Lamar recounts how Top Dawg discovered him through his "
Hub City Threat" mixtape when he was just 16 years old. "I was like 16 at the time and had a local mixtape out, 'Hub City Threat,' Top Dawg heard it, he brought me in the studio, I locked in with Rock immediately," Lamar recalls.Before Lamar joined, Jay Rock was already working with Top Dawg. Lamar explains that Watts and Compton are just five minutes apart, and he "always used to see Rock around the city." The label expanded with the additions of Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q, both of whom impressed during studio sessions. Lamar describes Ab-Soul's arrival: "He came with the slick ass wavy hair, we thought it was a curl kit!" before impressing them with his skills in the booth. Similarly, Schoolboy Q "fell out of nowhere" but immediately demonstrated his unique talent.
The Black Hippy Collective Explained
Lamar details the formation of "Black Hippy," the collective name for himself, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and Schoolboy Q. "We just decided to come up with Black Hippy because it describes who we are when we come together. When you think of the word 'hippy,' you think of people that's carefree, doing what they wanna do," Lamar explains, emphasizing their desire to make music on their own terms without industry constraints.The "black" component has particular significance in their philosophy: "We put the word 'black' in front of that because we're not just talking about a certain color, we're talking about all colors and the colors represent life. The colors represent being happy, being sad, being angry, being mad, being depressed, being stressed." By 2011, as Lamar mentions in the interview, Black Hippy had nearly completed an album together and had "a few mixtapes in the cut."
Innovative Distribution and Commercial Strategy
The interview highlights TDE's forward-thinking approach to music distribution during a transitional period for the industry. Lamar reveals significant internal debates about their decision to sell the "
(O)verily (D)educated" project through iTunes via EMPIRE Distribution rather than following the then-standard mixtape model of free releases."We fought about that for months, like real heated arguments," Lamar admits, explaining his initial concern: "I felt like the world wasn't ready to support my music yet, because they didn't know me." However, Top Dawg insisted, arguing: "Your music is better than 90% of these cats out here. If these people out here really want to stop complaining about what's on the radio and all the bullshit they be always hearing, then tell them to go out and support real music."The strategy proved successful, with Lamar noting the project "peaked at number 4 [on iTunes] with no promotion." This validated their approach of prioritizing artistic authenticity while building sustainable business models, with Lamar concluding: "I realized that it's still a bulk of people out there that still respect real music and support it."
HiiiPoWeR: Beyond Music to Philosophy
A significant portion of the interview focuses on "HiiiPoWeR," Lamar's single at the time, which he presents not merely as a song but as a comprehensive worldview. "HiiiPoWeR is a way of life, it's how we live and how we think," Lamar explains. "My whole thing about HiiiPoWeR is the spirit of being rich - not in physical paper, but in mind and heart and spirit. It's about standing higher and being on a plateau above all the bullshit."This philosophical framework established Lamar not merely as a skilled technician but as an artist with intellectual and spiritual dimensions to his work—positioning that differentiated him from many contemporaries. "It's not just a song for me and my crew, because we really go out there and practice this," he emphasizes, underlining the authentic lived experience behind the concept.
Early Collaboration with J. Cole
The interview documents the beginning stages of Lamar's relationship with
J. Cole, a connection that began after meeting at Jay Rock's XXL Freshmen photoshoot in 2010. "I met J. Cole in 2010 at the XXL shoot. It was just an introduction of who I am and I already knew his music," Lamar explains.Their relationship developed organically, with Cole later attending a mixtape release party for U-N-I where Lamar was performing. "He hollered at my dude Dave and said 'Yo, dude is crazy! I remember him!' So we exchanged numbers," Lamar recounts. Their subsequent studio sessions produced material of such quality that they committed to a full-length collaborative project: "First we just wanted to throw some songs out, but they started coming out so crazy that we decided to do a full-length something."
The Dr. Dre Connection and Career Implications
A critical career inflection point discussed in the interview is Kendrick's connection to Dr. Dre, which occurred through Paul Rosenberg (Eminem's manager). According to Lamar, "Paul Rosenberg, Eminem's manager. He heard it first while I was on the Strange Music tour with Jay Rock... called Dre, told him check out this kid in YouTube, the song 'Ignorance Is Bliss.'" This led to immediate contact: "Dre called my dude Top Dawg immediately, same day."When asked directly about potentially signing to Aftermath Entertainment, Lamar diplomatically describes it as a "trick question," instead emphasizing creative chemistry while expressing loyalty to TDE: "My whole mentality is that I always had a team, before anything. I always had Top Dawg Ent... That's who I'm banking on - the people that got me here from the jump."
West Coast Hip-Hop Renaissance
Lamar contextualizes his emergence within a broader community of California artists. When asked which regional artists he was listening to, Lamar provides an extensive list: "Bad Lucc, Lady G, Mykestro, Problem, Dom Kennedy, U-N-I, of course Black Hippy, YG, Mann... Ill Camille is crazy... Oh and Terrace Martin."He quotes producer Terrace Martin's observation that "West Coast always had the craziest underground scene, it's just unheard," positioning their collective emergence as the revelation of long-present talent rather than a sudden development. "He had a New York cat that was over and the dude was saying 'West Coast always had the craziest underground scene, it's just unheard.' And he's right, because we've got a crazy one right now that's finna bridge the gap and go in another market," Lamar notes, highlighting the regional pride that has remained consistent throughout his career.
Personal Motivation: Family, Compton, and Purpose
The interview reveals Lamar's deeply personal motivations for pursuing musical excellence. "My motivation is my family. I'm really big on family," he states, particularly noting the influence of incarcerated relatives: "All my uncles are locked up. Just that right there, having vivid memories of them taking care of me while being in Compton and in these streets, that's what makes me wanna further better myself."This sense of responsibility transcends commercial success: "It takes a lot to grow up in Compton and not get into some bullshit. I was easily influenced, all my homes around me were very easily influenced because they're locked up right now." Lamar expresses the weight of this responsibility: "Just the thought of that, me getting this far and falling off and not pushing the line - I would fuck myself! I'd be a dumb muthafucka to fuck that off, so I'm really serious and passionate about this."
Section80 Development and Artistic Direction
The interview captures Lamar preparing to release "Section.80," deliberately maintaining mystery about its specific content while expressing confidence in its quality. When asked to explain the title and concept, Lamar responds: "I can't give it away yet! I still wanna shock the people with the shock value when they hear the project and see the whole concept and the cohesiveness of it."While avoiding specifics, he promises deeper exploration of personal experiences: "When I say people in the streets can relate to it, this is that times 10. I would say that. I went deeper with my experiences and just people around me and how I feel about certain things." The interview also mentions his plans for a future project tentatively titled "
Good Kid In A Mad City," which he describes as potentially his "first official, official album."
Personal Insights and the Authentic Kendrick Lamar
The interview includes revealing personal details that provide dimension to Lamar's public persona. When asked if he smokes marijuana—a common assumption based on his musical content—Lamar clarifies: "No I don't smoke. In high school everybody thought I smoked because my eyes be low, but that comes from my family, genetics and shit."He contrasts this with his TDE colleagues: "My homies do though, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul? Stop it. Them niggas be having me high off contact all day!" These personal insights emphasize Lamar's commitment to authenticity rather than conforming to hip-hop stereotypes, a principle that would continue throughout his career.
The Impact of the Kendrick Lamar EP
The interview highlights how the "Kendrick Lamar EP" marked a significant shift in audience reception. Lamar explains: "It was a big difference from when I was going by the alias of K.Dot, because when I did the Kendrick Lamar EP, it had more substance and more me in it. I started to realize that the more I did that type of music, the more people was relating to me."This deeper connection with listeners transcended technical appreciation: "It wasn't just 'Oh you a tight rapper, you got 100 bars, you're really dope', but it was more so people in the streets coming up to me like 'Nigga, you doing something, you damn near changed my life.'" Lamar even mentions receiving calls from "OG's in the pen" who appreciated how he was "not preaching, you're kicking reality shit but you're putting a twist on it."*There may be errors on this page.