After experiencing the success and critical acclaim Kendrick Lamar did upon releasing his debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, many Hip-Hop fans were worried he’d experience somewhat of a sophomore slump. However, he didn’t rush into releasing new music, in hopes of maintaining his buzz. Instead, he took the time required to put together an album that he believes will have people saying this album is better than his last. When he released its’ first single “i,” it didn’t instantly appeal to urban radio listeners. However, over time Hip-Hop heads began to take a liking to it and it was announced as the official song of the 2014-2015 NBA season.

Last night, he decided to release its’ follow-up single to “i” (which is currently on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for 11 weeks and running,)  as he performed on the last episode of “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central. The song’s title has yet to be announced, however it does feature production from Astronote (who is known for remixing classic Hip-Hop tracks from legendary artists such as Biggie and Jay-Z.) Thundercat and Terrance Martin joined Lamar for the live performance of the song, but isn’t known if they will appear on the studio album version of the song.

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Last night, the “leader of West Coast rap” made an appearance on the final episode of The Colbert Report—Kendrick Lamar was the last musical guest to ever appear on the show. For the occasion, Lamar decided to premiere some new music, a track called “Untitled”.

In the wake of “i”, which received mixed reviews from fans (some love his fun, lighthearted style and others seek his harder-hitting street rapping), “Untitled” shows a different side of Lamar’s new style while also a return to some more familiar lyricism. The track is boisterous. At the build of each verse, Lamar descends into an insanity-inducing cacophony, which crescendos at the hook before returning again to cooler, slower rhymes.

The whole picture of the project is slowly coming together. Do you like what you hear so far? Watch the performance below and let us know:

2141216234215 by YardieGoals

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Kendrick Lamar was last night’s musical guest on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and he made sure to put on a great performance.

The Compton native performed a high-energy rendition of “i.” With his simple attire of a white shirt and jeans, and his untamed hair Lamar brought a great level of vigor to the performance. The live instrumentals made each bar even more intense.

 Jay Rock and a hat joined Kendrick Lamar on stage shortly after “i” to perform “Pay For It.”  Kendrick serves as feature on this one but that doesn’t mean he brought it any less. Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock’s bars flowed effortlessly on stage. The same cannot be said about the track’s vocal feature Chantal. Her voice appeared to be strained and a bit out of place. Despite this, K. Dot’s musical appearance is one that will be buzzed about for awhile.

Peep his dope performance above.

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Kendrick Lamar is in the midst of preparing for his second album and has been building anticipation by releasing his hit track, ‘i.’ Though we don’t have much information on the album, Kendrick is definitely keeping us on our toes. And he has just added to our excitement level by releasing the visual for the track, ‘i.’ Check it out above!

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Its been a week since Kendrick Lamar debuted his new single,“i.” Presumably, the single is from his new album or just a set up of what the world can expect after good kid m.A.A.d city. Hitting the web at 4:50 a.m. on the first day of Fall, debates began and reviews poured out.Most of the discussion though, seemed to be more-so around the production rather than the actual message.The production was unexpected and quite different. It caught everyone off guard, leaving a round of mixed emotions. But isn’t it the goal of an artist to push boundaries, broaden their horizon and accept new challenges?

Kendrick Lamar explained in a recent interview with Power 106 that the message behind” i” was about self love. “i” stays on the course of a consistent theme of topics that he’s no stranger to:  love, hope and encouragement, all themes he explored in his past and that are woven throughout good kid m.A.A.d city. His singles “HiiiPower,” “The Heart Pt.1,” “The Heart Pt. 2” and “The Heart Pt. 3” serve as examples of his persistent spirit to spread his message of self expression and progression. 

But, is the world open to listening to the message? As an artist and teacher interested in progressing society and the culture, which he was called to do, Kendrick’s new song “i,” requires an open ear and an open mind.  The challenge is now on the listeners to be open to accepting to the message given and the instrumentation that accompanies it. Kendrick has accepted the challenge, but will you?

What are your thoughts? Share your comments with us below.

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The post Kendrick Lamar Is Back And Ready To Drop Some Fire With “i” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The King is back. Sort of… Kendrick Lamar recently revealed cover art for a new project that will reportedly be released next week. The new song is entitled, “i” and reports say that Kendrick’s new highly anticipated album will have little to no features. Kendrick has also mentioned that he’s recorded songs with Dr. Dre and that the new album will be  emotional and aggressive.

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