While the fans patiently wait for new music from Kendrick Lamar, Rolling Stone delves into its discography and celebrates its greatness.
The magazine has rated the 50 best songs by the Compton Kingpin, whom it calls the “most important and groundbreaking rapper of the last 15 years”. The list spans his entire catalog, including his mixtapes released prior to his first album, Section 80.
Topping the list is 2012’s Money Trees, starring Jay Rock, with its sustained chorus of “Ya Bish,” which has been described as “one of the most enduring twists in modern pop culture”. In 2015, “Alright” took second place, the magazine called it an “anthem for the emerging Black Lives Matter movement”.
The top 10 also includes “Backseat Freestyle” in third place, followed by “Swimming Pools (Drank)”, which is hailed as “one of the greatest songs of the last decade”.
“Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” ranks # 5, while the top 20 includes “ADHD” (# 6) and “HUMBLE”. (No. 8), “Loyalty” with Rihanna (No. 14) and “King Kunta” (No. 16) as well as lesser known tracks like “Ronald Reagan Era (His Evils)” (No. 9) and “Rigamortis” ( No. 10).
The Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper is currently preparing his final TDE album and will join Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Mary J. Blige join in on next year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.
See which K-dot cuts made the top 20 and check out the full list here.
Best Kendrick Lamar songs
1. “Money Trees”, feat. Jay Rock (2012)
2. “In order” (2015)
3. “Back seat freestyle” (2012)
4. “Swimming pools (drunk)” (2012)
5. “Bitch, don’t kill my mood” (2012)
6. “ADHD” (2011)
7. “Untitled 09/21/2014” (2016)
8. “DEUTIG.” (2017)
9. “Ronald Reagan Era (His Evils)” feat. RZA (2011)
10. “Rigamortis” (2011)
11. “Sing about me (I’m dying of thirst)” (2012)
12. “The blacker the berry” (2015)
13. “Untitled June 23, 2014” (2016)
14. “Loyalty”, feat. Rihanna (2017)
15. “Cartoon & Grain”, feat. Shootout (2013)
16. “King Kunta” (2015)
17. “mAAd City”, feat. MC Eiht (2012)
18. “Untitled 07 2014-2016” (2017)
19. “Element” (2017)
20. “FEEL”. (2017)