1.
2. A$AP Rocky ft. Drake and 2 Chainz - “Fuckin Problems”
Kendrick has proven time and time again that he can come up with clever wordplay and top notch lyricism, but that's not all it takes to be a good rapper. To be the best, you need to come up with lines that stick in people's heads, and sometimes that's more about simplifying things than it is about blowing people's minds. Kendrick nailed it on this one.
"Girl, I know you want this dihhhhh"
3. Ab-Soul - "Black Lip Bastard (Black Hippy Remix)"
With memorable performances from all T.D.E. members, Kendrick doesn't totally outshine everyone on this track as he so often does when he gets on someone else's song. Although Kendrick's verse is about half the length of Jay Rock's, it is still memorable, as he drops gritty bars over a hunting beat, mixing a humorous play on Nicki Minaj album titles with a serious reminder that Compton is not a good place to live.
It's this mixture of the playful, serious, and boastful that makes Kendrick Lamar verses endlessly replayable, and never dull.
4. ScHoolboy Q - “Birds & The Beez”
Back when the members of TDE stood on equal ground, and Jay Rock was the first to get a deal, the kid from Compton seemingly has a lesser understanding of his own prowess (See Rock’s “Hood Gone Love It” for reference). Kendrick hadn’t quite grown into his voice yet, but he was still punching with the ferocity of a prize fighter. His guest appearance on ScHoolboy Q's "Birds & The Beez" was one of his earliest displays of savoir faire as he spends his entire verse rapping to Q about leaving the dope game for rap.
It comes across as brotherly and sincere, and Kendrick's then squealing voice lent itself well to his plea: "Swear to god, it's hard out here for a young black men to live / If you don't do it for yourself, then please do it for your kids / My nigga won't you tell Michelle, I love your daughter /Please don't let her grow up life without a father."
It's impassioned, heartfelt, and a masterful showcase of proficient songwriting.
5. Drake - “Buried Alive (Interlude)"
Kendrick’s first full submersion into the weird came on the tail end of Drake’s “Marvin’s Room,” an interlude called "Buried Alive," long before stray subliminal shots we traded between the two.
The verse opens with a strange, extraterrestrial-like chant before delving into an impressively penned abstract narrative both narrated and starred in by Kendrick himself: the story of how he came to meet Drake in the first place. He finds interesting ways to word the most mundane of exchanges. "Sat down with a few drinks located where you can't see us / A white waitress on stand-by when we need her / A black Maybach, 40 pulled up—Jeep no doors—all that nigga was missing was Aaliyah," he raps, and his attention to detail makes for vivid imagery. Blame it on Mr. OVOXO: maybe he is unintentionally responsible for turning Kendrick Lamar into the indomitable force he has become.
6. ZZ Ward - “Cryin Wolf”
ZZ Ward’s “Cryin Wolf” isn't Kendrick's typical cup of tea, to say the least; in all honesty, her music could probably score a Western. That's what makes this collaboration so incredibly fascinating. There is an unexplainable chemistry, and when that kind of aesthetic experimentation works it is a testament to what makes music so great.
"Cryin Wolf" wouldn’t necessarily be unappealing without the Kendrick verse, it is infectiously bluesy in the best possible way, but it’s hard to argue that his presence doesn’t add another dimension to the record. The emcee rides the riffs of Ward's blue-eyed soul with ease, as if he’s right at home, and he brings another layer of context. He is the balancing male perspective necessary to complete her narrative. He doesn't show her up, he complements her sound, and that is the mark of a truly great guest verse.
7. Game - "This City"
Back when you could still say Kendrick Lamar was up-and-coming, his first high profile feature came from Game, which is probably the most fitting union possible. Game was once proclaimed the restorer of Cali rap, and he brought attention back to the scene with his classic debut, The Documentary.
"The City" represents a sort of changing of the guard in West Coast rap. It is essentially Game passing the baton; although that might not have been his intention, that's how it feels. Kendrick, understanding the importance of the moment, came well prepared and his verse was so long part of it had to be fragmented into the hook. He raps about Compton and his place in it before respectfully paying homage.
"Trying, and I mean that shit / Game came through, put the city on his back / I was in the city with a nigga, had seen that shit : "Compton!" A nigga gotta scream that shit / Never went commercial, never TV screened that shit / Can't block or screen that shit, now everybody sing that shit," he raps, and it is an magnificent transition from one reign to the next.
8. Kid Cudi - "Solo Dolo Pt. II"
Kid Cudi’s "Solo Dolo" was one of the highlights from his major label debut, Man on the Moon: The End of Day, and though it's sequel doesn't quite rival its majesty, enlisting help from Kendrick Lamar was a good start. The verse is among the TDE rapper's less technical ones, but he whips each word at you with great velocity so although there isn't much of a central theme, his words all have impact.
At this stage in his career, he was morphing into one of those artists that convince you to listen to a song you'd normally avoid just because his name is in the credits, and he didn't disappoint. Even the hook, which is essentially just a verse itself, is gripping.
9. Tech N9ne ft. MAYDAY! & Kendall Morgan - “Fragile”
It's hard to imagine Kendrick is often faced with scrutiny, especially in the aftermath of his breakout 2012 success, but he channeled whatever criticism he has garnered into an invigorating verse for Tech N9ne’s "Fragile," a song about the delicate psyche of an artist in relation to the perception of their art. Tech N9ne is no slouch, but Kendrick still outraps him with a show-stealing feature. His verse focuses in on a craving for adoration, and he almost evokes empathy, such is the passion of his delivery.
He targets critics with sharp wit: "This is more than you, and this is more than you / And your entire building slanderin' and abusin' / What I call the realist coming from a student / Told myself to use a pen as an UZI / Empty magazine, I seen a magazine / You seen my trigger finger, then I started shooting." There is a special attention to detail with any Kendrick verse and the craftsmanship on this one helps make a compelling case. Instead of targeting critics for doing their jobs, Kendrick simply took a vow to prove them wrong and up the ante.
So far, so good.
10. Fredo Santana - “Jealous”
Fredo Santana isn’t a name you’d associate with lyricism, and his Kendrick Lamar-assisted street single, "Jealous," doesn't do much to dispel that notion. That doesn't mean he doesn't have an appreciation for great rap, though, since he commissioned a verse from one of the game's most promising talents. Or perhaps it is Kendrick who has an appreciation for Fredo.
In any case, "Jealous" is a blending of styles that brings about complete synergy; neither rapper gets out of character here, yet it works. Kendrick raps about his connection to Chicago and uses it as a segue to harp on crime in inner cities with bars like, "I got worry on my brain, I been gone all summer / just to fly back home and found out y'all done killed my little brother / Shit it's fucked up in these streets / Why would I think about some rap beef? / Nigga I got bigger fish to fry now / Empty out my account and I'll pay for sleep." It's piercing without being melancholy.
Kendrick empties out the bag of tricks for this one, manipulating his inflection and cadence on a whim, and Fredo's heavy-handed punches work well in tandem. Together, the two are a mark of how great rap can be when we put aside all the petty bullshit about regional dominance.
11. Eminem - “Love Game”
Eminem has made a long and incredibly successful career out of being an unfuckwithable wordsmith. He's an incredibly technically talented lyricist who makes complex rhyme schemes look easy, and has taken the art of the insult to a new level. His most recent album, Marshall Mathers LP 2, was far from his best, but it had some notable moments, including "Love Game."
The song was the only on the album to feature another rapper, and not only did Kendrick hold his own with one of the all times greats, he showed his versatility by—essentially—rapping like Eminem. From the obscene story telling ("Sucking dick in your momma tub, then your granny walked in / Told the stupid nigga to duck under the water / He drowned, like an abortion.") to the use of different voices (Sherane's voicemail message), Kendrick killed his verse.
It was a passing of the torch moment, if ever there was one, cementing Kendrick as the foremost lyricist of the new generation.
12. Talib Kweli ft. Curren$y - “Push Thru”
Kendrick's verse on Talib Kweli’s "Push Thru" is one of his more overlooked and under-appreciated guest spots, but his contribution is on par with some of his greatest work. "Try your hardest to harvest bundles of weed on ya / The starving'll speed on ya, stampede on ya / Impede on your pockets then pee on ya / Dreams of us living lavish in fabrics of fine linens / Spending, established, with women dining and laughing / But this environment got us violent, ready to crash in / To society," he raps and that's basically all you need to know: there is empirical evidence here that this verse is among his most excellent.
13. Ab-Soul - “Illuminate”
Before his game-changing debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, Kendrick was shouldering pressures as the savior of West Coast rap. His verse on Ab-Soul’s "Illuminate" addressed that burden: "See the truth is, they wanna know how close me Dre and Snoop is / Or how the shoe fits when they choose this to be 2Pac but truth is I give two shits 'bout / Expectations or critics hatin'."
It was a brilliant way to respond to criticism. He rapped as if he refused to be overlooked. Many emcees have been handed the mantle of restoring the Gold Coast to its former glory, and many have been unable to bear the load, but Kendrick accepted the challenge. "Bitch with the grip of my fingertip I can keep this coast together," he snarls, and it was clear in that moment that, if need be, he was up to the task.
14. ScHoolboy Q - “Blessed”
Dave Free’s melancholy, weeping vocal sample served as the perfect backdrop for Kendrick’s intentionally choppy flow on ScHoolboy Q’s “Blessed,” a song about triumph over hardship and not taking things for granted. Mimicking the cadence of the drums, Kendrick’s verse is almost robotic, going a long way in conveying his message, especially when juxtaposed with ScHoolboy’s gripping emotional appeals
"Yes, my nigga, you are blessed, take advantage, do your best my nigga / Don't stress, you were granted everything inside this planet / Anything you imagine, you possess, my nigga," he spits, showcasing one of his most dexterous flows. This kind of skill is unteachable; there is an innate understanding of language here. It's another reminder that Kendrick is indeed blessed with a rare gift.
15. Big Sean ft. Jay Electronica - “Control”
The shots heard around the (rap) world, Kendrick Lamar’s “Control” verse was one of the most important moments of 2013, and the most antagonistic. Quite aside from boastfully crowning himself "King of New York" (and the "King of the Coast," using one hand to juggle them both), he managed to target almost every notable emcee of his era in one fell swoop: Drake, J. Cole, Wale, A$AP Rocky, Mac Miller, Big K.R.I.T., Big Sean, Meek Mill, Pusha T, Jay Electronica, and even Tyler, the Creator.
He raps at a relentless pace with feral aggression for what feels like forever, and he stakes his claim early as the greatest of his generation. At one point, he even sets his sights on the greats, putting himself in the same class with Jay Z, Nas, Eminem, and Andre 3000. This direct approach to competition in a modern rap universe marred by subliminals sent the internet into a frenzy, and its impact alone makes it one of Kendrick best guest spots. He leaves no stone unturned, finding time to reference Farrakhan, the Pope, Lindsay Lohan, Paul McCartney, Elvis Presley, and Sean Connery.
It's quite the name dropping affair. It's a hell of an experience, too.
16. Pusha T - “Nosetalgia”
Set bias aside for a moment; step back, and let logic override the influence of this hype machine we call the internet. Breathe. Take a second to think critically and you will unquestionably stumble upon a truth that has eluded you for months now: Pusha T’s “Nosetalgia” giftwrapped us Kendrick’s greatest guest verse to date, and perhaps one of his best verses period. Yes, it’s better than “Control.” It’s not even close, really.
“Nosetalgia” is a clinic on how to rap well. Few emcees have access to such an extensive skill set. Prefaced by an excellent, stage-setting verse from Pusha, Kendrick's metaphorical breakdown of how he came to become a "dope" emcee is breathtaking. The wordplay is second to none.
Quantum physics could never show you the world I was in
When I was ten
Back when nine ounces had got you ten
And nine times out of ten niggas don't pay attention
And when there's tension in the air nines come with extensions
On top of that, there is a powerful storytelling element that works well in tandem with a free-flowing, stream-of-consciousness relation. There is no filler. Each and every bar plays a role in building the narrative. It is a concisely structured verse that is an exceptional demonstration of rapping at its apex.
