A.D.H.D (Kendrick Lamar song) explained

A.D.H.D
Artist:Kendrick Lamar
Album:Section.80
Recorded:2011
Label:Top Dawg
Producer:Sounwave

"A.D.H.D" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar from his debut studio album, Section.80 (2011). The song was produced by frequent collaborator and Top Dawg in-house producer Sounwave, of Digi+Phonics.

Background and theme

The song's name refers to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It addresses the high drug and medication tolerance of people born during the 1980s,[1] who are referred to as "crack babies" in the song due to the crack epidemic that was notable during that period. Gabrielle Domanski of Exclaim! called it a "lethargic, drug-infused track".[2]

Critical reception

"A.D.H.D" received critical acclaim from music critics upon release. In his review, Pitchfork's Jordan Sargent wrote "There's the Based God's paranoia, Drake's singing/rapping fluidity, the soothing synthscapes of Wiz's mixtapes, and, of course, an obsession with drugs." He noted its simplicity, but added that "Lamar's individuality and skill as a rapper shine through" the song.[3] Complex named "A.D.H.D" the 13th best song of 2011. The magazine wrote that "it captures the mood of today's lonely, drugged-out youth who seem more interested in Bay Area Kush and Purple Label tags than anything else."[4] The song was also featured in Grand Theft Auto V soundtrack station in Radio Los Santos. The song was nominated to the 2013 Spike Video Game Awards for Best Song in a Game.[5]

In his 2012 review of Lamar's second album, Dan Jackson of cmj.com called "A.D.H.D" Lamar's best song prior to the release of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.[6] In 2013, San Antonio Current wrote that "A.D.H.D", and the album's lead single "HiiiPoWeR", were hits that put Lamar into the national spotlight in 2011.[7] In 2014, NPR writer Eric Ducker called "A.D.H.D" one of Lamar's three best songs.[8] In 2018, Billboard ranked the song number eight on their list of the 20 greatest Kendrick Lamar songs,[9] and in 2021, Rolling Stone ranked the song number six on their list of the 50 greatest Kendrick Lamar songs.[10]

Uncredited sample

The song samples the 2010 The Jet Age of Tomorrow track "The Knight Hawk".[11] In 2017 Matt Martians accused Sounwave of non-payment for the sample.[12] [13]

Music video

The music video for the song was released on August 24, 2011. It shows Lamar with his friends "cruising through a bodega and an empty office, and it gets over on pure kids-having-fun atmosphere."[14] He said about the music video: "I wanted the video to illustrate the emotion he paints with words, while avoiding gratuitous shots of any substance. Despite the song's title and content, the focus isn't the drugs, but rather, that basic human experience of apathetic youth. That simple mood of emptiness which we choose to either address or self-medicate."[15] The video was directed by Vashtie Kola (Va$htie), who wrote: Inspired by "A.D.H.D"s dark beat and melancholy lyrics which explore a generation in conflict, we find Kendrick Lamar in a video that illustrates the songs universal and age-old theme of apathetic youth. Shot in New York City during the sweltering July Summer heat, "A.D.H.D" is the third video to be released from Kendrick Lamar's debut album Section.80. As of August 2023, the video has 91 million views on YouTube.[16]

Live performances

Lamar performed the song live on October 23, 2011 at CMJ[17] and on November 11 at a Sneaker Pimps event,[18] both in New York City. Lamar performed the song again on July 20, 2014 at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. exclaim! writer Stephen Carlick wrote that it was "a perfect reminder that Kendrick Lamar was Kendrick Lamar before he became a Good Kid, and that the man who would be king is now firmly seated in the throne."[19]

Notes and References

  1. News: Velez. Brian. Lavernapalooza raps up semester. 5 December 2014. Campus Times. University of La Verne. 11 May 2012. He then performed “A.D.H.D.,” a song about the generation born in the 1980s and its fascination with legal and illegal drugs.. https://web.archive.org/web/20141210213740/http://laverne.edu/campus-times/2012/05/lavernapalooza-raps-up-semester/. 2014-12-10. dead.
  2. News: Domanski. Gabrielle. Kendrick Lamar "A.D.H.D." (video). https://archive.today/20141205021523/http://exclaim.ca/MusicVideo/ClickHear/kendrick_lamar-dhd_video. dead. 5 December 2014. 5 December 2014. Exclaim!. 25 August 2011.
  3. News: Sargent. Jordan. Kendrick Lamar "A.D.H.D.". 5 December 2014. Pitchfork. 14 July 2011.
  4. News: The 25 Best Songs of 2011. 5 December 2014. Complex. 30 December 2011.
  5. Web site: Nunneley. Stephany. 2013-12-07. Spike VGX 2013 Award winners: Grand Theft Auto 5 wins Game of the Year. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20131211185228/http://www.vg247.com:80/2013/12/07/spike-vgx-2013-award-winners-injustice-gods-among-us-nabs-best-fighting-game/ . December 11, 2013 . 2020-10-12. VG24/7.
  6. News: Jackson. Dan. Review: Kendrick Lamar good kid, m.A.A.d. (Interscope, 2012). 5 December 2014. cmj.com. 31 October 2012. ...his best pre-GKMC track was called “A.D.H.D.".... https://web.archive.org/web/20121108071116/http://www.cmj.com/reviews/kendrick-lamar-good-kid-m-a-a-d-city/. 2012-11-08. dead.
  7. News: Courtney. James. 11 June 2013. Kendrick Lamar Brings His Talented Friends to Our Neck of the Woods. San Antonio Current. 5 December 2014.
  8. News: Ducker. Eric. A Rational Conversation: The Sound Of TDE's Success. 5 December 2014. NPR. 23 July 2014.
  9. Kendrick Lamar's 20 Best Songs: Critic's Picks. Bianca. Alysse. Billboard. February 5, 2018. March 28, 2022.
  10. The 50 Greatest Kendrick Lamar Songs. Rolling Stone. November 1, 2021. March 28, 2022.
  11. Web site: Kendrick Lamar's 'A.D.H.D.' sample of The Jet Age of Tomorrow's 'The Knight Hawk' . . https://web.archive.org/web/20231230014901/https://www.whosampled.com/sample/104959/Kendrick-Lamar-A.D.H.D.-The-Jet-Age-of-Tomorrow-The-Knight-Hawk/ . 30 December 2023.
  12. News: Monroe . Jazz . The Internet's Matt Martians Claims He Wasn't Paid for Kendrick "A.D.H.D" Sample . . February 8, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240122105735/https://pitchfork.com/news/71466-the-internets-matt-martians-claims-he-wasnt-paid-for-kendrick-adhd-sample/ . 22 January 2024.
  13. News: Dandridge-Lemco . Ben . Matt Martians Says He Was Never Compensated For A Sample On Kendrick Lamar's "A.D.H.D." . . February 8, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231230014900/https://www.thefader.com/2017/02/08/matt-martians-never-payed-for-sample-tde-kendrick-lamar-adhd . 30 December 2023.
  14. News: Breihan. Tom. Kendrick Lamar – "A.D.H.D." Video. 5 December 2014. Stereogum. 24 August 2011.
  15. News: Life + Times Video Premiere: Kendrick Lamar's "A.D.H.D.". 5 December 2014. Life + Times. 24 August 2011.
  16. Web site: Top Dawg Entertainment. Top Dawg Entertainment. Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D (Official Video). YouTube. August 24, 2011. June 13, 2020.
  17. News: Kendrick Lamar: "A.D.H.D." & "Ronald Reagan Era" (Live At CMJ) (Video). 5 December 2014. prefixmag.com. 24 October 2011.
  18. News: Kendrick Lamar: "ADHD" F. ASAP Rocky (Live In NYC) (Video). 5 December 2014. prefixmag.com. 12 November 2011.
  19. News: Carlick. Stephen. Kendrick Lamar Green Stage, Union Park, Chicago IL, July 20. 5 December 2014. Exclaim!. 21 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140902063122/http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/PitchforkMusicFest/kendrick_lamar-green_stage_union_park_chicago_il_july_20. 2014-09-02. dead.
  20. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=Kendrick Lamar|chart=Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs}} Kendrick Lamar – Chart History: Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ]. . . January 16, 2017.

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