Born in Compton, California, Lamar began releasing music under the stage name K.Dot while attending high school. He signed with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2005, and co-founded the hip hop supergroup Black Hippy there. Following the 2011 release of his alternative rap debut album Section.80, Lamar secured a joint contract with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. He rose to fame with his gangsta rap-influenced second album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (2012), which became the longest-charting hip hop studio album in Billboard 200's chart history. In 2015, Lamar scored his first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, after featuring on the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood", and released his third album, To Pimp a Butterfly, which infused hip-hop with historical African-American music genres such as jazz, funk, and soul, and became his first of five consecutive number-one albums on the Billboard 200 chart.
Lamar's critical and commercial success continued with his R&B and pop-leaning fourth album Damn (2017), yielding his second US number-one single, "Humble". He curated original songs for the soundtrack of the 2018 film Black Panther, earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the US top-ten single "All the Stars". Lamar's 2022 double album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers concluded his tenure with TDE and Aftermath. His feud with Drake and subsequent sixth album GNX (2024) spawned the Hot 100 number-ones "Like That" and "Squabble Up", as well as "Not Like Us", which became the most-awarded song in the Grammy Awards history, with five wins, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
Lamar has received various accolades, including 22 Grammy Awards (the third-most won by a rapper), a Primetime Emmy Award, a Brit Award, 4 American Music Awards, 7 Billboard Music Awards, 11 MTV Video Music Awards (including 2 Video of the Year wins), and a record 37 BET Hip Hop Awards. Time listed him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016. Three of his works were included in Rolling Stone's 2020 revision of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Outside of music, Lamar co-founded the creative company PGLang and ventured into film with his longtime creative partner, Dave Free.
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California. He is the first child of former gang hustler Kenneth "Kenny" Duckworth and hairdresser Paula Oliver. Both of his parents are African Americans from the South Side of Chicago. When they were teenagers, they relocated to Compton in 1984, due to his father's affiliation with the Gangster Disciples. Lamar was named after singer-songwriter Eddie Kendricks of the Temptations. He was an only child until the age of seven and was described as a loner by his mother. Eventually, his parents had his two younger brothers and younger sister, businesswoman Kayla Sawyer (née Duckworth). His cousins include basketball player Nick Young and rapper Baby Keem. He considered studying psychology and astronomy in college, but suspended his academic pursuits to focus on his music career.
Tupac Shakur is Lamar's biggest influence, having impacted both his professional and personal lives. One of his earliest childhood memories is watching him and Dr. Dre film the second music video for their single "California Love" with his father at the Compton Swap Meet. Lamar has described himself as an "offspring" of Shakur's artistry and sociopolitical views. Although some publications have regarded him as the Shakur of his generation, he has strived to maintain his individuality.
Lamar maintains a low public profile, and is known to be reserved. He is reluctant to publicly discuss his personal life and generally avoids using social media. He is also decisive when engaging with mainstream media outlets, although journalists have complimented his "Zen-like" calmness and down to earth personality. According to Lamar, he has become "so invested in who I am outside of being famous, sometimes that's all I know. I've always been a person that really didn't dive too headfirst into wanting and needing attention. I mean, we all love attention, but for me, I don't necessarily adore it." His lyrics have been a topic of media scrutiny, leading to both praise and controversy.
Lamar's public perception has also been influenced by the various rap feuds he has been involved with. Although some journalists declared him the winner of his highly publicized conflict with Drake, some felt that his victory was pyrrhic due to the severity of accusations introduced and the spread of online misinformation. Following the release of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, media outlets have described Lamar as the "modern hip hop messiah". Some critics dislike his "grating" political infusions, causing him to be viewed as having a savior complex. However, Lamar has declared himself to be the "greatest rapper alive" due to his personal connection to hip hop. "I'm not doing it to have a good song, or one good rap, or a good hook, or a good bridge," he explained to Zane Lowe. "I want to keep doing it every time, period. And to do it every time, you have to challenge yourself and you have to confirm to yourself—not anybody else, confirm to yourself that you're the best, period. [...] That's my drive and that's my hunger, I will always have".
In November 2024, Kendrick Lamar released his sixth studio album, GNX, marking his first project after departing from Top Dawg Entertainment and Aftermath Entertainment. The album features collaborations with artists such as SZA, Roddy Ricch, and emerging Los Angeles rappers, and includes production contributions from Jack Antonoff. GNX blends elements reminiscent of his previous works, combining mainstream appeal with complex themes, and introduces new influences like the West Coast club sound. The album's release intensified Lamar's ongoing feud with Drake, particularly with the track "Not Like Us," which became a massive hit and won multiple Grammy awards. Following his performance at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2025, GNX returned to the top of the Billboard 200 chart, solidifying Lamar's status as a dominant force in contemporary hip-hop.
Cloud 10
Kendrick Lamar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All I have is me in the land of do or die
A three way? Peace of mind
Now, that's the ultimate high
Tell me you love me
Cause I've been drinking too much, thinking too much
We ain't been keeping in touchFell into lust, where is the love?
My independency got tendencies of lack of trust
I look at the street corners as my new woman
Seductive as you want to be, hands on my new garments
Luckily, being in denial ain't the case
Cause I know she's unfaithful
Instead I'm grabbing her waist
And every part of her I stake for
I know you're finna tape
You think I'm ungrateful... I know
Selfish as I wanna be and every time you under me
I get the vibe you might need some time to grow
[Hook:]
Cause I been dreaming too much, thinking too much
We ain't been keeping in touch
And every time that I think of your touch
I dream that I'm your punk, give me that rush
I'm going like a thief inside the wind
Lord forgive me for my sins
I know she want me more, but I feen for benjamins
She said I found the root of all evil
And lost a friend
Lost in the world of a young boy from compton
That never knew love because love was never promisedI know... Selfish as I wanna be
And every time I'm under you, me too
Need time to grow...
[Hook:]
In the beginning of Kendrick Lamar’s song Cloud 10, he sets the scene of a world where the sun has fallen out of the sky, leaving him alone with only himself in a place where he must go through trials or die. In this world, he seeks peace of mind, which he believes is the ultimate high. He pleads with his partner to tell him she loves him, admitting to drinking too much and falling into lust, causing a lack of trust due to his independence. He sees the street corners as his new woman, seductive and alluring. Despite knowing that she is unfaithful, he embraces her, every part of her.
Throughout the rest of the song, Lamar continues to describe his complicated relationship, where he dreams too much and thinks too much, causing them to lose touch. He yearns for her touch, claiming to be her punk and craving that rush. However, he admits to being selfish and needing time to grow. He describes himself as lost in the world of a young boy from Compton, a world where love was never promised.
The lyrics of Cloud 10 are characteristic of Kendrick Lamar’s introspective style, exploring themes of love, lust, trust, and growing pains. He delves deep into his psyche, admitting to his own selfishness and acknowledging that he needs time to grow. The setting of a world without a sun adds to the somber and introspective tone of the song, making it clear that he is grappling with some heavy thoughts and emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
When the sun fall out the sky
When everything seems to be going wrong
All I have is me in the land of do or die
I'm on my own in this tough situation
A three way? Peace of mind
Having peace of mind is better than anything
Now, that's the ultimate high
Having inner peace is the greatest feeling
Tell me you love me
I need to hear that you care about me
Cause I've been drinking too much, thinking too much
I've been trying to escape my problems by drinking and overthinking
We ain't been keeping in touch
We haven't been communicating enough
Fell into lust, where is the love?
We got caught up in physical desire, but what about emotional love?
My independency got tendencies of lack of trust
I'm used to relying on myself and have a hard time trusting others
I look at the street corners as my new woman
I'm turning to the streets for comfort and affection
Seductive as you want to be, hands on my new garments
The streets are tempting, but they only want to take from me
Luckily, being in denial ain't the case
Thankfully, I'm not in denial about the situation
Cause I know she's unfaithful
I'm aware that the streets can't be trusted
Instead I'm grabbing her waist
But I still can't resist their pull
And every part of her I stake for
I'm willing to risk everything for the streets
I know you're finna tape
I understand you're going to record my every move
You think I'm ungrateful...I know
I know you feel like I'm not appreciative of what you do for me
Selfish as I wanna be and every time you under me
I admit that I'm selfish and I take you for granted
I get the vibe you might need some time to grow
I sense that you need space to grow and develop
[Hook:]
Cause I been dreaming too much, thinking too much
I've been escaping reality by dreaming and overthinking
We ain't been keeping in touch
We haven't been staying connected
And every time that I think of your touch
Whenever I think of your physical affection
I dream that I'm your punk, give me that rush
I fantasize about being completely under your control because it's exciting
I'm going like a thief inside the wind
I'm moving quickly and recklessly like a thief in the night
Lord forgive me for my sins
I know I'm not perfect and I'm asking for forgiveness
I know she want me more, but I feen for benjamins
I know you want me for me, but I'm addicted to money
She said I found the root of all evil
You think my obsession with money is the root of all my problems
And lost a friend
But it's also caused me to lose friends
Lost in the world of a young boy from compton
I'm struggling to find my way in life as a young man from Compton
That never knew love because love was never promised
I grew up without the expectation of receiving love, so it's difficult for me to give and receive it now
I know... Selfish as I wanna be
I know I'm still selfish, even though I want to change
And every time I'm under you, me too
Every time we're together physically, I'm also feeling vulnerable and under your control
Need time to grow...
I still need time to mature and develop as a person
[Hook:]
Contributed by Amelia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@yashnaravade4314
[Hook]
When the sun fall out the sky
All I have is me in the land of do or die
A freeway, a gas pedal, and a peace of mind
Now, that’s the ultimate high
To the cloud I go, cloud I go
One time, baby tell me ya need me
Cloud I go, cloud I go
Two time, baby tell me ya love me
[Verse 1:]
Cause I’ve been drinking too much, thinking too much
We ain’t been keeping in touch
Fell into lust, where is the love?
My independency got tendencies of lack of trust
I look at the street corners as my new woman
Seductive as you wanna be, hands on my new garments
And luckily, being in denial ain’t the case
Cause I know she’s unfaithful
Instead I’m grabbing her waist
And every part of her is tasteful
I know you’re feelings hating
Fact, you think I’m ungrateful, I know
Selfish as I wanna be and every time you under me
I get the vibe you might need some time to grow
[Hook]
[Verse 2]
Cause I been dreaming too much, thinking too much
We ain’t been keeping in touch
And every time that I think of your touch
Adrenaline pump, give me that rush
I’m gone like a thief inside the wind
Lord forgive me for my sins
I know she want me more, but I fiend for benjamins
She said I found the root of all evil, and lost a friend
Lost in the world of a young boy from Compton
That never knew love because love was never promised
I know, selfish as I wanna be
And every time I’m under you, me too
Need time to grow
[Hook]
@dextergoss6041
For everyone still cominn here, we’re blessed to know this gem!
@globeubf4
100%. This the Kdot few know about.
@Decker6
This was the song that convinced me to give Kendrick a serious chance.
@dude554455
I remember when this came out with that promo video with the producer
@kenlnj09
yesss
@mothomoso_
Exclusive Kendrick 👌🏿👌🏿
@04ROXBY
Came back to this masterpiece November 27 2024 🙏🔥🔥🔥
@vhuawelomakhuvha
I'm glad only a few people know about this gem! We get to enjoy it peacefully.
@Joshdrew352
Classic for sure only og fans know
@jalvinlovett16
Absolutely!