He began to gain major recognition in 2010 after his first retail release, Overly Dedicated. The following year, Lamar independently released his first studio album Section.80, which included his debut single, "HiiiPoWeR" which was produced by J. Cole. By that time, he had amassed a large Internet following and collaborated with several artists in the hip-hop industry, including The Game, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne and Drake.
Lamar secured a major-label record deal with Aftermath and Interscope Records, in 2012. His major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, was released in October 2012 to critical success. The record contained the top 40 singles "Swimming Pools (Drank)", "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe", and "Poetic Justice". It debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Lamar won his first Grammy Award for "i", the lead single from his critically acclaimed third album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). The album drew on free jazz, funk, soul, and spoken word debuted atop the charts in the U.S. and the UK, and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 58th ceremony. In 2016, Lamar released untitled unmastered., a collection of unreleased demos that originated during the recording sessions for Butterfly.
Lamar has received several accolades throughout his career, including seven Grammy Awards. In early 2013, MTV named Lamar the number one "Hottest MC in the Game", on their annual list. Time named Lamar one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016.
Lamar's fourth album, DAMN. was released on April 17, 2017, to widespread critical acclaim. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, earning Lamar his third consecutive number-one album in the United States. The album was supported by the lead single, "Humble.". Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for DAMN.
Lamar's fifth album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers was released on May 13, 2022, his first album in five years.
Rigamortis
Kendrick Lamar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Real quick, Ali
Mm
Got me breathing with dragons
I'll crack the egg in your basket, you bastard
I'm Marilyn Manson with madness
Now just imagine the magic I light to asses
(He dead), yes sir (Amen), church
(He dead), I killed him (Amen), bitch
And this is rigor mortis and it's gorgeous when you die
Ali recorded and I'm Morpheus, the Matrix of my mind
I'm out the orbit, you an orphan and a hairdresser combined
I'm on the toilet when I rhyme, if you the shit then I decline
I climax where you begin and then I end on Cloud 9
And that's important when you morph into a angel in the sky
And don't be forging all my signatures, my listeners reply and tell me
That you biting style, you got a hell of an appetite
And I'ma be here for a while, just buckle up before the ride
Or knuckle up if you could fight, we always making 'em duck or die
A suit and tie is suitable and usual in suicide
CSI just might investigate this fucking parasite
(He dead, amen)
That's what they telling me
Aim it at your celebrity, this is studio felony
Ferragami so many and cool enough for the 70's
Nigga, payback's a bitch, and bitch, you been living in debt with me
Dead 'em all and especially
Leave a call on his mother voicemail
To say that he rest in peace, bigger chopper the recipe
Wrestling? That's irrelevant, rather rest at your residence
Whistling to the melody, couldn't think of a better D
Better be on your P and Q, it's just me Jay Rock, Soul and Q
Solar system and barbeque, nothing else you can do
(He dead), yup-yup (Amen), I killed him
(He dead, Amen) Amen
Got me breathing with dragons
I'll crack the egg in your basket, you bastard
I'm Marilyn Manson, don't ask for your favorite rapper
(He dead), yup-yup (Amen), I know
(He dead) for sure (Amen), Amen
Got me breathing with dragons
I'll crack the egg in your basket, you bastard
I'm Marilyn Manson, don't ask for your favorite rapper
I rapped him and made him Casper, I captured the likes of NASA
My pedigree to fly past ya, I pass the weed to the pastor
We all are sinners, won't you send us to Bible study faster?
Your hypocritist reaction a blasphemy
I assassin my casualty and it's casually done, and tell 'em my salary come
In lumps of one hundreds, don't talk to be 'bout no money
The sun is under my feet and I come in peace to compete
I don't run if you rather leap, my statistics go up in weeks
And I go visit the nearest creek, and I get busy on many MC
Really ballistic, anybody can see
Any assistance, everybody done see
Some persistence, recognize I be
Really too vicious, the permanent beast
And the demolition, breaking up the streets
Better partition, better dot your T
And I gon' mention, how the far you see
Putting my dick in the rap industry
Everybody bitchin', getting mad at me
Recognize Kendrick in the battery
And I'm charged up and the catastrophe
Is charged up and the audacity
And y'all fucks never could hassle me
And y'all luck just ran out, you'll see
(He dead), yup-yup (Amen), I know
(He dead) for sure (Amen), Amen
Got me breathing with dragons
I'll crack the egg in your basket, you bastard
I'm Marilyn Manson, don't ask for your favorite rapper
(He dead), yup-yup (Amen), I know
(He dead), for sure (Amen) Amen
In Kendrick Lamar's song Rigamortis, we see the rapper showcasing his technical abilities and lyrical prowess. In the first few lines, he likens himself to a dragon, signaling his ability to breathe fire through his music. He also boasts about his capabilities as a rapper by comparing himself to other famous figures like Marilyn Manson. The wordplay and metaphors throughout the song are impressive, showing Kendrick's ability to weave intricate ideas into his lyrics.
As the song progresses, Kendrick discusses his rise as a rapper and the criticisms he receives from other artists who try to emulate his style. He speaks directly to those who try to copy his flow and warns them that their actions only show their lack of originality. The second half of the song takes a more aggressive tone as Kendrick calls out those who have wronged him and caused him frustration. Playing on the word "dead," he refers to "killing" other artists who have tried to emulate his style and warns them about the consequences of their actions.
Overall, Kendrick Lamar's Rigamortis is a powerful and skillful display of his abilities as a rapper. The song shows off his technical skills, his wordplay, and his ability to weave intricate ideas into his lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Got me breathing with dragons
I'm in a league of my own and breathe fire with my words
I'll crack the egg in your basket, you bastard
I'll demolish you and what you hold dear
I'm Marilyn Manson with madness, now just imagine the magic
I'm unpredictable and make a spectacle of myself, just like Marilyn Manson
I light to asses, don't ask for your favorite rapper
I outshine all other rappers and don't compare me to anyone else
(He dead) Yessir (Amen) Chuuch
I killed that rapper and everyone agrees
(He dead) I killed him (Amen) Bitch
I'll kill any rapper who dares to compete with me
And this is rigamortis and it's gorgeous when you die
My rhymes are deadly and beautiful at the same time
Ali recorded and I'm Morpheus, the Matrix of my mind
I'm the architect of my own rhymes and Ali's my witness
I'm out the orbit, you an orphan and a hairdresser combined
I'm on another level and everyone else is below me
I'm on the toilet when I rhyme if you the shit then I decline
My rhymes are so effortless, I can even write them on the toilet
I climax where you begin and then I end on Cloud 9
I reach my peak before you even start, and end on top
And that's important when you morph into a angel in the sky
I'll go down in history as a legend when I die
And don't be forging all my signatures, my listeners reply and tell me
Don't copy my style, my fans will call you out on it
That you biting style, you got a hell of an appetite
You're stealing my style and showing an insatiable hunger for more
And I'mma be here for a while just buckle up before the ride
I'll be in the game for a long time, so prepare yourself
Or knuckle up if you could fight, we always making them duck or die
I'll fight anyone who tries to take me down because we dominate the game
A suit and tie is suitable and usual in suicide
Musicians are often taken advantage of and end up dead
CSI just might investigate this fucking parasite
I'm so dangerous, even the police might come after me
Aim it at your celebrity, this is studio felony
I'll go after any famous or established artists and make it seem like a crime
Ferragami so many and cool enough for the 70's
I have so many expensive shoes that I could transport back to the 70s and still be fashionable
Nigga, payback's a bitch and bitch you been living in debt with me
You owe me, and I'll make you pay for your actions
That I more than especially, leave a call on his mother voicemail
I killed a rival rapper and left a message for his grieving mother
To say that he rest in peace, bigger chopper the recipe
I killed him with a bigger and better weapon
Whistling to the melody couldn't think of a better D
My rhymes come easily and are always on point
Better be on your P and Q, it's just me Jay Rock, Soul and Q
You better watch out, because it's just me and my crew coming for you
So the system ain't barbeque, ain't nothing else you can do
The system is against us and there's nothing we can do about it
Got me breathing with dragons
I'm on top and breathing fire
I'll crack the egg in your basket, you bastard
I'll destroy everything you hold dear
I'm Marilyn Manson don't ask for your favorite rapper
I'm in a league of my own, don't compare me to anyone else
(He dead) yup-yup (Amen) I know
I killed that rapper and I know it
(He dead) for sure (Amen) Amen
He's really dead, I made sure of it
I rapped him and made him Casper, I captured the likes of NASA
I outshone that rapper and it was noticed by NASA
My pedigree to fly past ya, I pass the weed to the pastor
I'm from a different class and even religious leaders smoke weed with me
We all are sinners, won't you send us to bible study faster
We're all flawed and could use some religious redemption
Your hypocrite-esque reaction a blasphemy
Your fake and insincere reaction is an insult to religion
I assassin my casualty and it's casually done and tell 'em my salary come
I effortlessly take out my rivals and get paid to do so
A lump sum of hundreds don't talk to be 'bout no money
I have so much money that I don't even want to hear about it
The sun is under my feet and I come in peace to compete
I'm on top and come in peace, but I'm always ready to compete
I don't run if you rather leap, my statistics go up in weeks
I don't back down from a challenge, and my stats keep getting better week by week
And I go visit the nearest creek and I get busy on many MC
I go to secluded places to write rhymes and take down any rapper who crosses me
Really ballistic, anybody can see any assistance, everybody done see
I'm really good at what I do, and everyone knows it
Some persistence, recognize I be really too vicious, the permanent beast
My persistence pays off, and my ruthlessness is part of my permanent persona
And the demolition, breaking up the streets, better partition, better dot your T
I'm breaking down the system and causing chaos, so you better be prepared
And I gon' mention, how the far you see, putting my dick in the rap industry
I'm dominating the rap industry and there's nothing anyone can do about it
Everybody bitchin', getting mad at me, recognize Kendrick in the battery
Everyone's complaining, but I'm still on top, and everyone recognizes my talents
And I'm charged up and the catastrophe is charged up and the audacity
I'm on fire and causing chaos, and I'm not afraid to say it
And y'all fucks, never could hassle me and y'all luck, just ran out you'll see
None of you can take me on, and your luck just ran out
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: William T. Brown, Kendrick Lamar, Anthony Mark Spears
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@xLamont_
Kendrick didn’t go mainstream. Mainstream went Kendrick.
@NewWorldSinner
Oof sorry Tech but it's true
@goyonman9655
Soo True
@leggocrewtv2052
Thiiiiiiisss
@EShoopla500
Faxxx
@PDSREACTION
Fax
@ragingcamel7356
This kendrick guy seems pretty good. I hope he makes it.
@mojofvckfine1022
you got jokes
@Mookaron
🤣💀
@kappakuppa7255
me to he's been underground for awhile