Big Boy's Neighborhood Instagram page dropped an exclusive Kendrick Lamar freestyle to mark the one-year anniversary of Damn. The video which can be viewed below, entertains the thought of Kendrick's lyrical pedigree teleported in time. Kendrick would have likely taken up arms with his fellow West Coasters had they been called into action. Suffice to say, the East/West rivalry has been disseminated for what it was in reality. The release of his "Hit "Em Up" freestyle coincides with his two spot appearances on the weekend, once during a Vince Staples set, and a second time with SZA for their duet of "Doves in the Wind."
Kendrick over "Hit "Em Up" is a dream sequence. From the looks of it the video seems to date back to 2017 during his stop at Big Boy TV. Kendrick spits whatever comes to mind, matching syllables with the time signature of the record. His off the dome approach may not produce the most memorable of verses, it does however showcase how fluidly and fluently he deploys his language skills. He manages to adjust his intonation at times, though you'd think he just "threw some words in the air." This gambit is better understood under the premise of hard work coming into existence: "Been rockin' since I was 9, you know I sign."