The 10 best songs by Kendrick Lamar in the ranking

One of Kendrick’s more intense songs, 2012’s “mAAd City’s” has enough bite to keep people going all night long in the club. Plus, it has enough lyrics to satisfy even the most obtuse rap fan. Throughout the song, Kendrick paints a disturbing and detailed vision of a crime-ridden Compton, and explains how violence and crime affected his development as a young man.

Produced by Sounwave and Terrace Martin, the song’s shifting, trap-tinged production hits like a dose of 5-Hour Energy, sending Kendrick into a state of near-hysteria as he tries to keep up. It’s a wild track that Kendrick continues to play at his shows, and for good reason.

“You know why we crack babies/’Cause we were born in the ’80s,” Kendrick raps over Soundwave’s dreamy backdrop on “ADHD,” connecting his generation’s addiction to the effects of the crack epidemic. For fans of lyrical rap: Section.80‘s “ADHD” was Kendrick Lamar’s first song to blow everyone away. Released in 2011, a full year before Kendrick’s good child, mAAd-city would make him world famous, “ADHD” is considered by many to be the K-Dot song that started it all.

The lyrics are a play on the album’s title, which is both a pun on public housing and a reference to those born in the 1980s. For a young rapper to tackle such complex issues so early in his career and do so in such a catchy way was practically unthinkable then and still is today.

Another song praised for its catchiness is 2012’s “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” which expresses a feeling everyone has experienced: life is hard, so don’t miss out on its brief moments of calm. Throughout the second track on good child, mAAd city, Kendrick sounds drained as he raps about the struggle that comes with trying to stay authentic in a world that’s out to drain your creative energy.

Anyone with a dream can identify with the themes described in “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” and Sounwave’s funky production expresses the idea that all people want to relax and live well. All of this is probably why the song peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Followed good childKendrick Lamar’s “Money Trees” became an almost instant favorite with fans in 2012. For many, it was their first exposure to Jay Rock, whose powerful, authoritative delivery and somber bars about the journey to the American dream in Compton made his cameo the best on the project. To this day, “Money Trees” remains a masterpiece of reflective and haunting storytelling, with Kendrick balancing his urgent need for quick cash with the cruel repercussions of chasing that money.

Driven by DJ Dahi’s unsettling beach house sample and textured interludes of Lamar’s “Cartoon and Cereal” with E-40’s “Big Ballin With My Homies,” “Money Trees” is still a beloved track that has aged like fine wine.

Outside of culture, “Swimming Pools (Drank)” is the song that introduced many newcomers to Kendrick Lamar. As the first single from 2012 good child, mAAd-cityNot only is the track a compelling and insightful portrayal of alcohol addiction, it’s also catchy as hell when played at a party. T-Minus’s crisp high-hats and ethereal production embody the feeling that comes from being too wasted but still drinking shots. Ironically, the song’s repetitive hook can also be turned into a pretty fun drinking game, which may have helped it climb to number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In the verses, K-Dot balances his understanding of why alcohol is fun with the scary underbelly of addiction, which helps keep the song from veering into dark and depressing territory. The lure of alcohol is a relatable struggle for many, and “Swimming Pools (Drank)” sums up the feeling of how hard it is to not drink too much.

This popular 12-minute deep cut from 2012 good child, mAAd-city can be dissected and talked to death. Kendrick approaches the track from three different perspectives and ends it with his own as he grapples with the responsibility that comes with preserving other people’s stories in his music. Is this exploitative or honest? There’s no clear answer, as Kendrick ends the song rapping about his death and just hoping to leave something good behind.

Aided by minimalist production from Sounwave and Skhye Hutch, “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” is a raw and honest portrayal of the man behind the rapper. Kendrick is struggling to come to terms with the fact that his music is no longer his own now that it’s out in the world. His songs will live on after he’s gone, and he can only hope they have a positive impact on the world.

Much like “Backseat Freestyle” became a moment in its own right, “Humble.” began dominating charts, radio, and cultural conversation almost immediately after Kendrick released it in 2017. It also became Kendrick’s first chart-topper, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May of that year.

The success was understandable considering that “Humble.” is everything a fan wants in a Kendrick Lamar song. He tells his detractors to be humble while calling himself a legend, he ponders superficial beauty standards in America, and he criticizes the superficiality of the music industry. He also reflects on his path to fame and concludes with the importance of staying grounded. The dizzying beat, produced by Pluss and Mike WiLL Made-It, also gives Kendrick strength as his flow twists and turns.