Monday, March 9, 2015

Kendrick Lamar Evokes Biggie's Spirit With 'The What' Freestyle

Christopher Polk, Getty Images

After putting the music world on notice with the release date of what is one of the most anticipated sophomore albums in recent memory, Kendrick Lamar has begun to make his rounds through the media circuit. The rapper visited recently-relaunched Real 92.3 in Los Angeles to speak with Big Boy as the first guest on his new morning show, K. Dot decided to oblige the people with a quick freestyle live on air.


Being that today also marks the 18th anniversary of the Notorious B.I.G.‘s death, it was was only right that the self-proclaimed “King of New York” would do his thing over beats that were once blessed by the original K.O.N.Y., dropping lyrics of fury over Biggie’s Ready to Die classic, “The What.”


“I don’t give a buh about no politics or rap,” the MC begins, showing that his brazen statements aren’t relegated strictly to studio songs, before getting into the thick of his verbal assault. “I came in this game, I stuck my fangs in this game / I wore no chains in this game, my hood, my name in this game.”


He then paints a picture of his Left Coast surroundings in vivid detail while taking a few more jabs at the establishment. “Everything is everything, it’s scandalous / So don’t motion for the ambulance, the project filled with cameras / The LAPD gambling, scrambling / Football numbers, slandering homies names on paper / You snitched all summer / The streets, don’t fail me now / They wanna put the gang down / From Compton to Congress, they set trippin’ all around,” he rhymes, completely obliterating the timeless beat.


Details on his next album may be scarce, but if he’s rapping with the urgency that’s on display during this freestyle, one thing that we can count on is that it will be worth the wait. Kendrick sounds like he’s a man on a mission.


His sophomore opus, [Untitled], arrives Mar. 23.


Listen to Kendrick Lamar’s “The What” Freestyle


See 10 Most Anticipated Rap Albums of 2015