Kendrick Lamar’s solo hits are anthemic but his features are equally impressive and at-times overlooked. In the past decade, Cornrow Kenny has been guaranteed to boost any song’s quality and is almost as likely to outshine his peers.
Peep eight times he stole the show with stellar bars.
Big Sean f. Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica — “Control” (2013)
Hardly anyone considers “Control” Big Sean’s song, and some may even have forgotten that Jay Electronica is on it. That’s because Kendrick’s verse is so blistering that all of Hip Hop stood up and took notice. He made bold statement after bold statement, declaring himself king of both the East and West Coasts before calling out several of his peers by name. “I got love for you all but I’m tryna murder you niggas,” he declared.
His adversarial verse prompted several responses from the competition. It’s funny how one verse can fuck up the game.
Dr. Dre f. Kendrick Lamar & King Mez — “Darkside/Gone” (2015)
As Dr. Dre’s latest muse, Kendrick appeared multiple times throughout Compton, the Good Doctor’s (possible) final album. Here, K-Dot pops up on the “Gone” part of the song, proclaiming mo-money-mo-problems rhetoric as he laments conflict with those in and out of the game. Dre and Mez provide strong verses in their own right, but Kendrick’s assured flow over those rain-drop piano keys makes him the clear standout.
He just couldn’t help himself.
Beyoncé f. Kendrick Lamar — “Freedom” (2016)
Lemonade is one of the best albums of the past decade, of any genre, and it was Beyoncé’s show. She didn’t need much help. Still, the choice to feature K-Dot on the triumphant “Freedom,” was a wise one. He matches her uncontainable energy with a flow that is bursting to pop as he counts down from 10 Hail Marys to six cop cars. By the time he reaches the end of the verse, he has circled back around to a prayer that seamlessly leads into Bey’s explosive hook.
Freedom, indeed.
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DJ Khaled f. Betty Wright, Big Sean & Kendrick Lamar — “Holy Key” (2016)
Big Sean absolutely snapped on the first verse of this cut, apparently determined to pay Kendrick back for being outshined on “Control.” He does a fine job, too, until it’s Kung Fu Kenny’s turn. “Everything I touch may disintegrate into dust,” Kendrick spits to open his verse, raising the stakes to biblical proportions in a way only he can. The rest of the verse follows suit with raps about the universe and the fourth dimension.
By the end, his assertion that he was “the only one in the Matrix” was well earned.
Future f. Kendrick Lamar — “Mask Off (Remix)” (2016)
Like the rare sequel that is better than the first movie, the remix to this ghostly trap gem leaves little reason to listen to the original. That’s largely because of Kendrick’s scene-stealing verse, which finds this sex-obsessed insomniac marrying the downcast mood of this Metro Boomin’s production.
Prince lived through him.
Lil Wayne f. Kendrick Lamar, “Mona Lisa” (2018)
The long-awaited Tha Carter V was mostly forgettable. Shining bright amidst the mediocrity, though, was “Mona Lisa.” Wayne spends the first two verses impressively intertwining deceit and lust, but the mood deeply darkens when Kendrick raps the third verse. In an ironic twist, he catches his girlfriend cheating on him with Weezy, driving him to desperation and suicide.
Kendrick’s conviction ensures the vibe is chilling until his very last bar.
Maybach Music Group f. Kendrick Lamar — “Power Circle” (2012)
Let’s be real: this track falls short. Rick Ross wastes a triumphant beat with corny, unbelievable quips like “the square root of a kilo is ME,” and Gunplay’s verse is forgettable. Stalley and Wale give fine turns, and Meek’s verse is just OK. However, when Kendrick hops on the track for the final verse, his pristine bars shine a light on how lacking MMG was as a crew, and how bright Mr. Duckworth’s future was. He takes us to a world so bleak that even men of the cloth fall prey to crack.
And yet, when the smoke clears, Kendrick Lamar is the last one standing.
A$AP Rocky f. Action Bronson, Big K.R.I.T., Danny Brown, Joey Bada$$, Kendrick Lamar & Yelawolf — “1Train” (2013)
This is what you call a posse cut. Released in 2012, seven of the illest young MCs got together to show and prove over a dramatic Hit-Boy beat. They all excelled, but Kendrick, who batted second, was a cut above the rest. He never failed to entertain, whether he was sounding out firing off shots (“doo-doo!”), metaphorically eating MCs he had beef with (“mmm-mmm”) or thickening his voice around the words “banana clip.”
Armed with a verse like this, nothing could stop him. Not even dropping off a cliff like a vulture.
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Wayne rapped circles around Kenny on Mona Lisa y’all tweakin ?
Amen
Also Imma have to revisit 1 Train but I’m pretty sure KRIT got him outta there too, I think a Kenny Stanley wrote this.
Agree , krit got that one
Because he went last? Kendrick wasn’t even Kendrick back then and you could hear how special he was. Honourable mention goes to Yelawolf. I know he’s whatever with the confederate flag thing now. but he could flow something special too
And Krit wasn’t Krit back then either. Y’all act like Kenny is the only that’s gotten better. Hell, Krit has had a crazy come up since then. Also Yella, they’ve all gotten better, Kenny just has more outspoken fans.
Y’all sleeping on Danny Browns verse for real.
Lil Wayne killed Kendrick on Mona Lisa.
It was his song, Kendrick was a featured guest. To be murdered/killed on a song you have to be the main artist. Kind of like how Eminem murdered Jay on Renegade
People forget that Renegade was originally eminems song and was finished with royce da 5’9” as the other verses before Jay Z ever touched it.
Bruh hop off this guy’s dick Wayne and Sean both washed him on those songs
That’s bs. Kendrick embarrassed them especially on control are I serious?
Reading comprehension 101 idiot: Holy Key not Control. And you said embarrassed “them” Wayne wasn’t even on control. Please learn to read before you gargle kendrick’s balls in your throat. And while we’re at it, fuck it Sean was better on control, even royce said it. Take away the name drops which entice the most basic casual rap fans and it’s just Kendrick doing a lame Bruce Wayne impression and a weird extended metaphor about a condom hooked to a dread…hop off his dick man there’s great Kendrick verses but name some better shit you don’t know hip hop
Lil Wayne murdered Kendrick Lamar on “Mona Lisa.” Game over.
Exactly… I swear people hype Kendrick up so much… I literally skip the track once it gets to his part ?
I wouldn’t say murdered both verses were so damn good and fit together fucking perfectly
U lost me when u added “Mona Lisa” to this list…. Literally gets murdered on that track ?
I know this song is kinda corny but Kendricks verse on Love Game w Eminem is hilarious and flows crazy. Should be on here.
yea but the thing is em kinda out rapped Kendrick on that one I felt, tho both verses weren’t particularly cold (more witty and goofy) I like the story behind that song tho, how kendrick didn’t know eminem wanted a verse he thought he just wanted the hook.
That’s very funny how people every time there is a featuring they compare artists with one another to select the winner. Instead of seeing the exercice as a collaborative effort, seeing how artists complete each other, their chemistry, to make the track even better.
Think in some ways the artists are to blame, just for having a lack of a creativity in music and taking a formulated approach. It makes verses feel interchangeable to me making them seem like there is one better than the other.
I’m sorry but the best person on 1 Train was Big K.r.i.t. by far. He murdered that track.
Danny Brown stole the show too.
Funny eryones different opinions, i thought yelawolfs verse was fire too. 1 train Absolutely not a standout Kendrick track.
Get off kendrick’s jock, Gunplay, Stalley, Meek and Wale all had solid verses on Power Circle. You just need to keep Kendrick’s jock off your ears.
I don’t cate for comparisons at all, much less on features. If call someone for a feature you expect them to bring their best That said, # 1 on this list should be The Game feat. K. Lamar on The City. It’s one of those rare songs that I will skip past verses to get to a special one.
Isaiah Rashad feat. Kendrick- Wat’s Wrong
And Schoolboy Q Feat. Kendrick- Collard Greens belong on this list. SMH.
WATS WRONG is a mussst add
I find It absolutely hilarious anyone thinks Kendrick outshined these artists on these tracks. “Control” you can make the argument I guess. But the rest? I feel the precise opposite. I don’t even think I’ve even heard the Kendrick Lamar “Mask Off (Remix)” played anywhere.. You could do a much better version of this article with Drake, who consistently murders on guest verses. This isn’t Kendrick’s strength
Last night took a L (Control), but tonight I bounce back (Holy Key).
What’s wrong with this list is that there’s no Wats Wrong by Isaiah Rashad
Fredo Santana’s – Jealous was forgotten
B-Boyz – Birdman (Ft. Kendrick Lamar, Ace Hood & Mack Maine)
Kendrick Lamar lit a fire on this track with kerosene that still can’t be blown out till today
Talib kweli ft kendrick lamar push thru easily my favorite kendrick feature