King Kunta

Kendrick Lamar

About King Kunta

"King Kunta" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar, taken from his third album, To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). It was released as the album's third single on March 24, 2015.


3:55
118 
#1

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I got a bone to pick
I don't want you monkey-mouth motherfuckers sittin' in my throne again
Ayy, ayy, nigga, what's happenin'? K-dot back in the hood, nigga!
I'm mad (he mad!), But I ain't stressin'
True friends
One question

Bitch, where you when I was walkin'?
Now I run the game, got the whole world talkin'
King Kunta, everybody wanna cut the legs off him
Kunta, black man taking no losses, oh yeah
Bitch, where you when I was walkin'?
Now I run the game, got the whole world talkin'
King Kunta, everybody wanna cut the legs off him
When you got the yams (what's the yams?)

The yam is the power that be (that be, that be, that be, that be, that be)
You can smell it when I'm walkin' down the street
(Oh yes, we can, oh yes, we can)
I can dig rappin'
But a rapper with a ghost writer?
What the f*ck happened? (Oh no)
I swore I wouldn't tell (tell, tell, tell, tell)
But most of y'all sharing bars
Like you got the bottom bunk in a two-man cell (a two-man cell)
Something's in the water (something's in the water)
And if I gotta brown-nose for some gold
Then I'd rather be a bum than a motherfuckin' baller (oh yeah)

Bitch, where you when I was walkin'?
Now I run the game, got the whole world talkin'
King Kunta, everybody wanna cut the legs off him
King Kunta, black man taking no losses, oh yeah
Bitch, where you when I was walkin'?
Now I run the game, got the whole world talkin'
King Kunta, everybody wanna cut the legs off him (King Kunta)
When you got the yams (what's the yams?)

The yam brought it out of Richard Pryor (Pryor, Pryor, Pryor, Pryor)
Manipulated Bill Clinton with desires
24/7, 365 days times two, I was contemplatin' gettin' off stage
Just to go back to the hood, see my enemy, and say (oh yeah)

Bitch, where you when I was walkin'?
Now I run the game, got the whole world talkin'
King Kunta, everybody wanna cut the legs off him
King Kunta, black man taking no losses, oh yeah
Bitch, where you when I was walkin'?
Now I run the game, got the whole world talkin'
King Kunta, everybody wanna cut the legs off him

You goat-mouth mammyfucker
I was gonna kill a couple rappers, but they did it to themselves
Everybody's suicidal, they ain't even need my help
This shit is elementary, I'll probably go to jail
If I shoot at your identity and bounce to the left
Stuck a flag in my city, everybody's screamin', "Compton!"
I should probably run for mayor when I'm done, to be honest
And I put that on my momma and my baby boo too
20 million walkin' out the court buildin', woo-woo!
Aw, yeah, f*ck the judge
I made it past 25, and there I was
A little nappy-headed nigga with the world behind him
Life ain't shit but a fat vagina
Screamin', "Annie, are you okay? Annie, are you okay?"
Limo tinted with the gold plates
Straight from the bottom, this the belly of the beast
From a peasant to a prince to a motherfuckin' king (oh yeah)

Bitch, where you when I was walkin'?
By the time you hear the next pop
The funk shall be within you
Now I run the game, got the whole world talkin'
King Kunta, everybody wanna cut the legs off him
King Kunta, black man taking no losses, oh yeah
Bitch, where you when I was walkin'?
Now I run the game, got the whole world talkin'
King Kunta, everybody wanna cut the legs off him

Funk
Funk, funk
Funk, funk, funk, funk, funk, funk, funk, funk
We want the funk!
We want the funk!
Now if I give you the funk, you gon' take it?
We want the funk!
Now if I give you the funk, you gon' take it?
We want the funk!
Now if I give you the funk, you gon' take it?
We want the funk!
Do you want the funk?
We want the funk!
Do you want the funk?
We want the funk
Now if I give you the funk, you gon' take it?
We want the funk!

I remember you was conflicted, misusing your influence

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987), simply known as Kendrick Lamar, is an American hip hop recording artist from Compton, California, currently signed to Top Dawg, Aftermath, and Interscope. Lamar is a member of hip hop supergroup Black Hippy, along with fellow West Coast rappers and label mates Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul. He first gained major attention after the release of his fourth mixtape, Overly Dedicated, in 2010. In 2011 he released his first independent album to critical acclaim, Section.80, released exclusively through iTunes and instantly ranked as one of the top digital hip hop releases of the year. Early in his career, before releasing his major label debut, Lamar amassed a large Internet following, and had already worked with D… more »

10 fans

Written by: Ahmad A. Lewis, David Blake, Johnny Burns, Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears, Michael Joe Jackson, Stefan Kendal Gordy

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Artist Evolution
"King Kunta" is a song by Kendrick Lamar from the album "To Pimp a Butterfly", it shows a significant artistic progression from his previous works, diving deeper into jazz, funk, and soul influences.
Album Position
The song is positioned third in the tracklist of "To Pimp a Butterfly".
Inspiration
Kendrick Lamar titled the song after Kunta Kinte, the main character in the novel "Roots: The Saga of an American Family" by Alex Haley. Kinte was an African man who was enslaved and taken to America and the story of his struggle and resilience inspired this track.
Pared Down Sound
Unlike many rap songs that are heavy with production, "King Kunta" encompasses a pared-down sound that highlights the rawness and bewitching rhythm of funk.
Chart Performance
The song was a commercial success, becoming a Top 40 hit in the United States and reaching the Top 20 in the UK and Australia.
Lyric Content
The song references numerous social issues, including race, privilege, and the media's representation of black culture.
Music Video Settings
The music video for "King Kunta" was filmed in Kendrick's hometown, Compton, California. It shows typical neighborhood scenes, from liquor stores to house parties, reflecting the realness of Kendrick’s lyrics.
Song Structure
The song deviates from a traditional verse and chorus structure. Instead, it progresses through three lengthy verses, intermixed with a repeated melodious phrase as its chorus, creating a distinctive lyrical narrative.
Political Accolades
Rolling Stone magazine ranked "King Kunta" at number 80 on its list of the 100 Greatest Political Songs, signifying its relevance and impact on society.
Live Performance
Lamar started his 2016 Grammy performance with the song "The Blacker the Berry", transitioned into "Alright", and concluded with a freestyle rap over the "King Kunta" instrumental.
Production
The song was produced by veteran hip-hop producers Thundercat and Sounwave, their unique blend of funk and hip-hop forms the distinctive sound of this song.
Sampling
"King Kunta" is known for its use of samples from classic funk songs, notably "The Payback" by James Brown, it showcases Kendrick's ability to pay homage to his musical influences while creating something entirely new.
Award Recognition
Despite not winning, "King Kunta" was nominated for the Best Rap Performance at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards in 2016.

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    King Kunta

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 2015

    Billboard #58


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