Kendrick Lamar Speaks On Being Fully Backed By Interscope, Says He Never Had To Compromise

    Compton wordsmith Kendrick Lamar continued to address the doubters and naysayers as he spoke directly to those who questioned his move to Interscope during a recent interview with MTV News. In his interview, the TDE rapper explained that there was no compromise at all when it came to making his music nor was there any pressure from the label.

    “People tell me this every day, I was in a blessed position,” said Kendrick. “No compromise at all. [They] told me to go, continue what I’m doing – Interscope, Dre. Continue doing what I’m doing. And I think that just comes from them having faith in the music, them believing in the foundation that we built from the ground up, and not wanting to lose that foundation. So many people say, ‘Well I was hearing…he signed to which-a-call-it. I know it’s about to happen now. He’s finna come with something left.’ But at the whole time this was already premeditated how we was gon’ come.”

    Kendrick also spoke on the support he received from Dr. Dre who he says was ready to get the balling rolling the first week he was signed to Interscope. He revealed that Dr. Dre seemed confident in him already being developed as an artist and merely asked him how long it would take to create his solo album.

    “In so many words you know what Dre said…this probably like my first week after being signed to him. He said, ‘You know what? You ready. Ain’t no need developing you or being over your shoulders. You already ready. How long do you think you’re gonna take to build this album,’” Kendrick explained.

    good kid, m.A.A.d city was released in October of this year and was recently named “Album Of The Year” in the 2012 HipHopDX Year End Awards.

    Get More: Music News

    RELATED: Kendrick Lamar Names His Favorite Album Of 2012

     

    88 thoughts on “Kendrick Lamar Speaks On Being Fully Backed By Interscope, Says He Never Had To Compromise

      1. Just like Tim Tebow. The media over-exposed his quarterback career at the Broncos. So far, his career is all fucked up thanks to the Jets hardly ever using him to play. The Jets may have kept Tebow’s career at a standstill, but if it wasn’t for the media, the Jets wouldn’t have took him in and realized that he wasn’t a good of a quarterback everyone and the media made him out of.
        Same with Jeremy Lin, as he was considered the shit in the NBA. I don’t really watch basketball, but I used to hear “Jeremy this,” “Jeremy that,” and “Linsanity” all over the place. Now, I haven’t heard the guy since 2011. I’m not even sure if he’s still starting or is benched or is phased out from existence.
        Only the manipulative media. Let’s just hope that Kendrick Lamar doesn’t fall in that trap as well.

    1. The media is setting Kendrick up so high, that he’s destined to fail on his next release. That won’t be Kendrick’s fault. HE’S BEING OVER-HYPED. That’s not a diss. It’s just honesty.

      1. He’s put out four dope projects in the past couple of years, each one much better than the last. I honestly think he’s talented and creative enough to keep cranking out solid projects so I wouldn’t worry about his ability to deliver. But I get what you’re saying, the media is hyping him so much that everybody is gonna be expecting the most amazing thing they have ever heard. He won’t “fail” though.

      2. when will bloggers learn to stop trying to predict an artists downfall. Yall been sayin Wayne was gonna fall off, go broke, and become irrelevant since 2008. Hes STILL one of the hottest in the game. (Not the best. there is a different between hot and great. he is not great)

    2. I think Kendrick is a great lyricist, and I’m happy that a lyricist has become so popular in today’s hip hop. However, that cd was not a classic by any stretch. Labels have ruined rap; they have taken away artists freedoms. In the case of Kendrick; however, I wanted a little bit more label influence. Not bad influence; good beats influence. We needed 4 or 5 Dre beats on that album for it to be a classic. The issue nowadays is production is terible in hip hop. Think about the early 2000’s: Kanye, Dre, Just Blaze, Premier, and Timbaland; all were still hot too. Now we have….hit boy? Kendrick had the ability to make an actual classic. You guys may say it is already; but to me a class is something that can and will be played over and over again or years to come. I dont think this album had enough classic beats, and it didn’t have enough classic hooks. The complete songs weren’t great they were just good songs.

      1. Not enough classic beats?? These beats were perfect:
        Sheraine
        Compton
        Swimming Pools (Drank) – SONG OF THE YEAR / BEST BEAT OF THE YEAR
        m.A.A.d City
        Money Trees
        Good Kid
        that’s half the cd with flawless beats… and Art of Peer Pressure is arguably flawless
        Your problem is your not listening to the beats with the subject matter. You are just thinking about Chronic-era beats which really wouldn’t fit on the album. The beats on this perfectly reflect the mood of the songs, and a lot of them just sound incredible like Money Trees, Swimming Pools, Compton, even if the subject matter was different.

      2. I’d probably give Sheraine and Good Kid the classic beat nod. M.A.A.D. City is close and could go either way. But not the others anon 1 mentioned. Compton is one of the weakest beats in Just Blaze’s catalogue. It doesn’t come close to any of his work from the early-mid 2000’s or anything from Saigon’s album he did last year. It doesn’t even sound like a Compton west coast beat. It sounds more like one of his throwaways. Money Trees and Swimming Pools don’t stand out as classic to me. Just m.o.

      1. BLACK HIPPY..”ICONIC” ALBUMS

        FHM one

        GK,MC

        CONTROL SYSTEM

        SECTION 80

        and then there waz SBQ……H&C……TR3Y DAWG….613

      2. YOLA..”was J ROCK going mainstream”..it waz 13/13…FIRE!

        however….”BLACK FRIDAY”…(not LIL KIM…*smile)..is a huge MIXTAPE moment!…..13/16…PFUNKY!…..

    3. GKMC was good. overhyped, overrated, maybe, but at the end of the day it delivered. it’s one of the first real hip-hop albums which went gold in a while. now what some niggas are startin to do is letting others’ opinions cloud their judgment.

      now what you hearin is “man Kendrick is nice but all this hype & people bigging him makes me sour on him” the fuck? why care so much bout what others like? I swear there are bandwagon/hipster fans out there, and y’all come in bunches. if you like him, that’s all that matters. if you don’t, fine. don’t let your perception of him or the LP get clouded just cause he went gold and he’s gettin mad hype on him or rappers wanna be him or he says he wants to rap with Jay-Z, Nas & Eminem – oh big deal, which rapper fuckin doesn’t. but he got the platform to do it now. you don’t have to like him but Kendrick got next.

    4. interscope killed rap , dont even think they know what it is

      kendricks just dumb downed talent

      the jig is up is the only one i liked this year

      and he put it out cause of everyone hating on maddcity..

      your getting scamed … u think kendrick dont know the jig is up is better than the album

    5. dres been trainging kendrick since the cronic days

      and dres laughing thinking the fans know what there taking about

      wheres detox?

      oh ya hes not putting it out cause no one understands lyrics

    6. People are gassing this dude left and right while haters hope to see him fail, drop, that’s why Hip Hop artists don’t care for artistic integrity because you all bullshit yourselves about NOT seeing rappers as they are, disposable. Every rapper can easily be replaced by the next. A legacy can be eradicated much easier then being conserved by great hits. And people don’t really anticipate legendary hits. You guys, without sounding ironic, are not dedicated. You guys really do not give a shit for Hip Hop. You guys just wanna see this guy drop so lil Wayne can stay gassed up or some underground artist takeover his place or have yourself in his spot. You don’t give a shit. So save yourselves a bit of integrity and don’t hate. Cause the guy is dope and will keep being dope because he knows he’s as disposable as my or your words.

    7. I agree that GKMC wasn’t a classic. Kendrick is an amazing lyricist; however, that album lacked someting. I really don’t think you’ll play GKMC in a few years like you do college dropout, blueprint, stillmatic, etc.

    8. DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.DETOX.

    9. LOL DX IS TOO BUSY COVERIN THIS KDOT BULLSHIT…WHILE IMNHBII’S TRACKLIST AND PRODUCTION CREDITS JUST LEAKED…ATTENTION BRINGS MORE VIEWERS..MORE VIEWERS BRINGS MORE MONEY…THEREFORE A LOT OF THEM NIGGAS GOIN IN THE C SECTION TO READ MY SHIT. IT WOULD BE MORE SUITABLE TO COVER MORE YMCMB STORIES

      1. EVER SINCE EMINEM CAME BACK LIL WAYNE’S BEEN DISAPERING

        USED TO SEE A LIL WAYNE SONG OR FEATURE EVERY DAY

        RAPBASEMENT.COM

    10. So sick of these hipster fans talking bout “He overhyped and it ain’t a classic because too many people dickride it.” The whole point of a classic is that EVERYONE LIKED IT! I have yet to see someone legitimately say this was a bad album, all they say is that it wasn’t a classic. If that many people have to say it isn’t a classic, then it’s probably a classic regardless of their irrelevant opinion.

      1. ok but for me illmatic is techniaclly classic

        rhymes schemes

        on time

        dope verses

        premo

        shut up and learn ur shit

      2. Yes anon Illmatic is a classic but it is also by far the best rap album ever. You can’t say because GKMC isn’t quite as good as Illmatic it’s not a classic.

    11. FUCK A TREND

      SOME GUY SAID UR NOTHIN WITHOUT A NAME AND NOW EVERY ONE GOT A NAME

      REMEMER WHEN MORE THAN HALF THE COMMENTS WHERE ANONYMOUS

    12. Obviously none of you listen to what he really has to say. He has, on multiple occasions, brought up the fact that this album is only a piece of a much more expansive story and each Black Hippy member has a piece of that story to tell.

      Argue all you want about it being a classic, the fact that you’re bitching so much about if it is or not shows me that when they’re done executing this grand plan they have, we will have many “classics”.

      1. theres an art to it and there guy dont give a fuck

        the odd shit verse

        off time

        not rhymeing

        they suck

        learn hiphop

    13. Yo, all I need is one mic, one beat, one stage
      One nigga front, my face on the front page
      Only if I had one gun, one girl and one crib
      One God to show me how to do things his son did
      Pure, like a cup of virgin blood mixed with
      151; one sip’ll make a nigga flip
      Writing names on my hollow tips, plotting shit
      Mad violence who I’m gon’ body, this hood politics
      Acknowledge it, leave bodies chopped up in garbages
      Seeds watch us, grow up and try to follow us
      Police watch us roll up and try knockin us
      One knee I ducked, could it be my time is up
      But my luck, I got up, the cop shot again
      Bus stop glass bursts, a fiend drops his Heineken
      Ricocheting between the spots that I’m hiding in
      Blacking out as I shoot back, fuck getting hit!
      This is my hood I’mma rep, to the death of it
      Til everybody come home, little niggas is grown
      Hoodrats, don’t abortion your womb, we need more warriors soon
      Sent from the star, sun, and the moon
      In this life of police chases street sweepers and coppers
      Stick-up kids with no conscience, leaving victims with doctors
      If you really think you ready to die, with 9s out
      This is what Nas is bout, nigga, the time is now!

      Classic

    14. All I need is one blunt, one page, and one pen
      One prayer – tell God forgive me for one sin
      Matter of fact, maybe more than one.. look back
      At all the hatred against me: fuck all of them
      Jesus died at age 33, there’s 33 shots
      From twin Glocks there’s sixteen apiece, that’s 32
      Which means one of my guns was holding 17
      27 hit your crew. 6 went into you
      Everybody gotta die sometime; hope your funeral
      Never gets shot up, bullets tear through the innocent
      Nothing is fair, niggas roll up, shooting from wheelchairs
      My heart is racing, tasting revenge in the air
      I let this shit slide for too many years, too many times
      Now I’m strapped with a couple of macs, too many 9s
      If y’all niggas really with me get busy load up the semis
      Do more than just hold it explode the clip until you empty
      There’s nothing in our way – they bust, we bust, they rush, we rush
      Lead flying, feel it? I feel it in my gut
      That we take these bitches to war, lie em down
      Cause we stronger now, my nigga, the time is now

      1. fuck a list

        but if u have to make list it can only be a top 10 of originators

        or a top 10 of lyricists

        Nas couldnt be on the top 10 of the originators cause he got his style from rakim

        but you could put nas on top 10 of lyricists cause he’s one of the best to do it

        the originators is more fact

        and the lyricists is more opinion than fact

      2. everyones got there own personal lists i know mine have a few tweeks in it but still this list is good.. and it can be taken seriously bec it doesnt have bullshit on there

    15. All I need is one life, one try, one breath I’m one man
      What I stand for speaks for itself, they don’t understand
      Or wanna see me on top, too egotistical
      Talking all that slick shit, the same way these bitches do
      Wonder what my secrets is, niggas’ll move on you
      Only if they know, what your weakness is I have none
      Too late to grab guns I’m blasting cause I’m a cool nigga
      Thought I wouldn’t have that ass done? Fooled you niggas
      What you call a infinite brawl, eternal souls clashing
      War gets deep, some beef is everlasting
      Complete with thick scars, brothers knifing each other
      Up in prison yards, drama, where does it start?
      You know the block was ill as a youngster
      Every night it was like a
      Cop would get killed body found in the dumpster
      For real a hustler, purchased my Range, niggas throwing dirt on my name
      Jealous cause fiends got they work and complain
      Bitches left me cause they thought I was finished
      Should’ve knew she wasn’t true
      She came to me when her man caught a sentence
      Diamonds are blinding, I never make the same mistakes
      Movin’ with a change of pace, lighter load, see now the king is straight
      Swelling my melon cause none of these niggas real
      Heard they were telling police; how can a kingpin squeal?
      This is crazy, I’m on the right track I’m finally found
      You need some soul-searching, the time is now

    16. My question is why do people hate JayZ?

      I respect you if you just don’t like his music. But some people call him a sellout?

      why is it that so many blacks will only celebrate you as long as you dont get too much success? I’ll tell you. because those of us who think that way are the REAL enemy. you allow someone to program the idea in your head that blacks can’t be but so successful before they are considered a sell-out. it’s like a tax bracket. you good until you pass a certain success level. then you are a sell-out. Yall don’t even realize that this is a slave mentality.

      I’ve never seen a white person call Eminem a sellout lol

      1. jays contract tells him to dress like a bisness man

        before his contract told him to dress like a thug

        dont even get me started on jay

        he ruined everything

      2. do your reseach and youl find jay z is behind almost evey mainstream act

        from rick ross to jeezy to j.cole

        Def jam possibly the worst thing to happen to hip hop

        they fucked with method man hard

      3. Im white and Eminem is a sellout from dissing Nsync, britney spears to work with rihanna and pink! Fuck eminem.

        Oh and fuck Jay Z to this dude only raps about how much money he has. Fucking boring.

        Oh and fuck Kanye to being cocky is cool but he goes to far. Its not fun anymore

      4. who gives a flying FUCK how ths man dresses. go listen to american gangster if u think hes a sell out (IMO his best album ever). blueprint was a beast to jayz is lyrically a monster on everything he touches.. what bec he dont live in the hood no more hes a sell out STFU.. and eminem hows he a sell out? hes been doin that wack poppy funny shit ever since he came out and he still does it.. thats consistancy (sucks yeah) but not a sell out.

        a sell out is lil wayne.. i hate to beat a deadhorse but he wsa fire at one point everythin he rapped on was classic bec of his lyrics.. then the swag rap era came along n lil waynes got a new style, voice, approach, womans cloths ect.. thats a sell out.

    17. whether you agree or not GKMC is a classic. its not about how good or lyrical or deep the album was its about timing kdot dropped that shit at a period where every other rapper was dropping the exact opposite of everything that album stands for. even jcole said it classics take timing and kdot delivered at the right time….GKMC=CLASSIC ALBUM

    18. For all these motherfuckers that say 50 cent killed Ja Rule’s career, read this:

      Ja Rule was the shit ’99-’04. He sold millions of records, but unfortunately that dumb ass Irv Gotti had some ties with Suge and Supreme. And Feds came in and raided the murder.inc offices NUMEROUS times.

      Everyone in murder.inc went to trail and could have faced 25 to life if they couldn’t prove their innocence. Luckily they did.

      Now, Ja Rule couldn’t do music from ’04 ’till like ’06 because he had all these trials and all this shit with courts and feds. And 50 cent just happened to diss him during this particular period and claimed he “destroyed” his career.

      50 didn’t destroy anything, ja rule had to stop making music for some time and had to put a pause to his career because the fucking FEDS were fucking the whole murder.inc up. They really fucked their money up. After that nobody wanted to work with them because of their ties with the mob and DefJam didn’t renew their contract.

      50 just dissed Ja RUle at that time and y’all stupid ass 5-0 dickriders think 50 made ja rule stop making music.

      Fuck y’all, what’s more important? A stupid rap beef with some hoe ass nigga or a fucking trial where your life is at stake?

      Hope now shit is clear to you.

      50 cent never killed anyone’s career, he didn’t kill ja rule’s career, Feds ruined it. He wanted to fuck Rick Ross’ money up and even though he tried SO HARD, Ross still be doin’ numbers, as if nothing even happened. And of course 50 could never touch Jay Z, Nas or Jadakiss. Fat Joe been doing just fine even though this hoe ass nigga dissed him. Not to mention how game annihilated g unit with those mixtapes from 2006.

      50 cent isn’t capable of killing anyone’s career and that’s a fact.

      1. There are some things that are bigger than Suge Knight, that you don’t seem to understand ..Do y’all STILL think that Tupac & Biggie’s death was the result of a rap feud, sparked by Suge Knight? Do you, REALLY, know the powers that be? Please see the vid I uploaded, under Lashid4u: “Hip-Hop CONSPIRACY! MUST HEAR! Part 3 of 3” ..Toward the end, what happened w/ Ja Rule is discussed..

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