Untitled 08 – 09.06.2014. Explained

Untitled 08 | 09.06.2014.| cover =| alt =| type =| artist = Kendrick Lamar| album = untitled unmastered.| released =| format =| recorded = September 6, 2014| studio =| venue =| genre = G-funk, jazz rap, alternative hip hop| length = 3:55| label = | writer = Kendrick Duckworth| producer = }}"Untitled 08 | 09.06.2014." (stylized untitled 08 | 09.06.2014.), titled "Untitled 2" before its official release, is a jazz rap[1] song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, featured on his compilation album, untitled unmastered..[2]

Composition

Lyrically, the track discusses the futility of hopelessness in the face of adversity (mashed up with 'untitled 2' for Kendrick's Fallon performance in January). The lyrics show little optimism, though Lamar cushions his anger and disappointment with "irresistibly" feel-good vibes, suggesting there may be hope after all.[3] USA Today described the narrative: "one of a young woman struggling with her come-up, the other an impoverished voice lashing out at Kendrick’s own accounts of his struggles. Both stories dissolve into his own, as he ends the album questioning what exactly we're owed by the universe for existing, and how hard we need to fight for what we're not."[4] Musically, critics compared the song with "King Kunta", for its "hydraulic-pumping synthesized bass thump and Lamar's slangy flow".[5]

Live performances

The song was performed for the public for the first time on January 7, 2016, on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[6]

Charts

Chart (2016)Peak
position
Belgium Airplay (Ultratop Flanders)[7] 48
US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard)[8] 3

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kendrick Lamar "2 Untitled". pitchfork. January 8, 2016 . January 13, 2016.
  2. Web site: Kendrick Lamar Debuts New Song "Untitled II" On The Tonight Show. hotnewhiphop. January 8, 2016 . January 13, 2016.
  3. Web site: Kendrick Lamar's 'untitled unmastered.' – Track By Track First Listen . NME . March 4, 2016 . March 4, 2016 . Bartleet, Larry.
  4. Web site: Kendrick Lamar's 'untitled unmastered': A track-by-track review . USA Today . March 5, 2016 . March 5, 2016 . Jaleesa M. Jones, Patrick Ryan and Maeve McDermott.
  5. Kendrick Lamar Flaunts Casual Brilliance on 'Untitled Unmastered' . Rolling Stone . March 4, 2016 . March 4, 2016 . Reeves, Mosi.
  6. Web site: Kendrick Lamar Unveils Powerful New Song 'Untitled 2' on 'Fallon'. rollingstone. January 8, 2016 . January 13, 2016.
  7. Web site: Ultratop.be – Kendrick Lamar – Untitled 08 – 09.06.2014. . fr. Ultratop Airplay.
  8. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=Kendrick Lamar|chart=Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs}} Kendrick Lamar – Chart History: Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ]. . . March 15, 2016.