Kendrick Lamar was under a lot of pressure when he dropped good kid m.A.A.d. city. The expectations for the project were impossibly high, but Kendrick ended up delivering a final project that satisfied his fans, and definitely scored him some new admirers. The album continues sell into the new year, with "Poetic Justice" recently going gold. But the question has already now become, can he do it again?
"Man it’s crazy, they would say they expected a lot before the album. I don’t even know what pressure is called anymore (laughs)," said K-Dot in a recent interview. The Compton emcee spoke of the constantly evolving expectations of him, as he was asked, "‘How much pressure is it to work with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre?’ and then I delivered the album, now they’re saying how much pressure is it for you to do it again."
"I don’t even know what pressure is now. I’m just doing me man," he declared. "I don’t even look at it as pressure anymore, I never looked at it as pressure. I just felt I’d make the best music I could make. You either like it or you don’t, but it’s always gonna real to me."
When Kendrick signed with Dre, many expected to hear some new production from the legendary beatmaker on Lamar's debut. K-Dot spoke of how Dre felt the rapper was already developed enough in his own style, and continue in the rout he had carved with his previous releases.
"He said I was already ready. All I needed to do is go out and continue to do what I’m doing. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That was the main thing he was always saying. By the time I came and turned the album in to him in, that was when we were supposed to lock in the studio and do some records. But he decided and said ‘You’re done. You don’t need to go back in with me. Because you have all the records here."
Despite his long personal narrative on good kid, Kendrick is confident he has still has a lot to say. "I still have a whole lot more to talk about", he said, adding, "with that album you only got one day in the life of me being 17 years old." While he has focused on touring these days the rapper still continues to write. "I've just got a pen and a pad now" he said, but insisted "I'm always writing." As far as getting back in the studio, the TDE rapper revealed "once I get inspired to get back in, that's when I'm really gonna go in for it."
Listen to the full interview below