Kendrick Lamar

conflict; a bold challenge

Tell me what you gon' do to me

Confrontation ain't nothin' new to me

You can bring a bullet, bring a sword, bring a morgue

prior; denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important

Reaping everything I sow, so my karma comin' heavy

No preliminary hearings on my record

I'm a motherfucking gangster in silence for the record, uh

award; a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction

My newfound life made all of me magnified

How many accolades do I need to block denial?

The shock value of my success put bolts in me

native; originating where it is found

Smiles and cold stares, the temperature goes there

Indigenous disposition, feel like we belong here

I know the walls, they can listen, I wish they could talk back

law; an act passed by a legislative body

So that's why we get chastised, that's why we're in the position we're in

Until we come back to these laws, statutes and commandments

And do what the Lord says, these curses is gonna be upon us

poor; of or characteristic of low rank or importance

Promises are broken and more resentment come alive

Race barriers make inferior of you and I

See, in a perfect world, I'll choose faith over riches

dominant; most frequent or common

Killin' us, crime, intelligent, felonious

Prevalent proposition with 9's

Ducky was well-aware

a striking or unlikely combination of events

Then you start remindin' them about that chicken incident

Whoever thought the greatest rapper would be from coincidence?

Because if Anthony killed Ducky, Top Dawg could be servin' life

constant; repetitive and persistent

A demon, you're better off killing her

What is a relative making repetitive narratives, on how you did it first?

That is a predator, hit reverse, all of your presidents' evil thirst

combine; unite into one

I can debate on my theories and sharing it (whoa)

Consolidate all my comparisons

Humblin' up because time was imperative (whoa)

story; a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events

A demon, you're better off killing her

What is a relative making repetitive narratives, on how you did it first?

That is a predator, hit reverse, all of your presidents' evil thirst

sympathetic; showing empathy or ready comprehension of others’ states

You better off to have one woman, never think tricky right now

You niggas live in denial, ay, fuck anybody empathetic to the other side, I vow

A bitch nigga love bitch niggas, they exist with them in style

doubtful; subject to question

Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down

Whatever, though, call me crazy, everybody questionable

Turn me to an eskimo, I drew the line and decimals

amaze; an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration

My present life is Kendrick Lamar

A rapper lookin' at the lyrics to keep you in awe

The only factor I respected was raisin' the bar

destruction; an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something

Really too vicious, the permanent beast

And the demolition breaking up the street

Better partition, better dot your T

divide; a vertical structure that divides (as a wall divides one room from another)

And the demolition breaking up the street

Better partition, better dot your T

And I gon' mention how the far you see

government; the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit

I can feel it, the dream is more than process

I can put a regime that forms a Loch Ness

I can feel it, the scream that haunts our logic

shared; common to or shared by two or more parties

Feel like only me and the music, though

I feel like your feelin' ain't mutual

I feel like the enemy you should know

examine; to look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail

Feel like my thought of compromise is jaded

Feel like you wanna scrutinize how I made it

Feel like I ain't feelin' you all

temporary; one who stays for only a short time

Guilt trippin' and feelin' resentment

I never met a transient that demanded attention

They got me frustrated, indecisive and power trippin'

healing; tending to cure or restore to health

The Black Noah, I just strangled me a goat

I walked in with a therapeutic flow

Put a few hundred up, let 'em go, let 'em go

recognize; declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

And, you know, while as I said it can be scary, it can also be a little bit comfortin'

Because I've learned that when I get to that point, and I can acknowledge

"Okay, you know, Audrey, that's as much as you can do", I can actually let it

compete; compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others

Si-si, wait a minute

Ven aquí (ven aquí), c'est la vie (c'est la vie)

I tell the whole truth from A to Z, ayy

obvious; clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

Once I finish this, witnesses will convey just what I mean

I mean, it's evident that I'm irrelevant to society

That's what you're tellin' me, penitentiary would only hire me

reason; something that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary

This plot is bigger than me, it's generational hatred

It's genocism, it's grimy, little justification

I'm African-American, I'm African

forward-thinking; a person who favors reform and the protection of civil liberties

Now I can lend all my ear into how to stack these residuals tenfold

The liberal concept of what men'll do

2006, he didn't hear me

live in; make one’s home in a particular place or community

Yeah, I'm out the way, are you happy for me?

Truth, it resides in the fire

The need of it's dire

construct; put together out of artificial or natural components or parts

I blew cool from AC, ayy, Obama just paged me, ayy

I don't fabricate it, ayy, most of y'all be fakin', ayy

I stay modest 'bout it, ayy, she elaborate it, ayy

working together; accomplished by collaboration

Strategies on how to be great amongst the averages

I picked his brain on what was ordained, highly collaborative

Rep pushed the label the same, amongst the savages

unclear; open to two or more interpretations

I find it just as difficult to love thy neighbors

Especially when people got ambiguous favors

But they hearts not in it, see, everything's for the paper

guarantee; make certain of

Top used to record me back when it was poor me

And now we at the round table for what assures me

I guess my motivation was the yearnin' for independence

excuse; excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with

Tears of a clown, guess I'm not all what is meant to be

Shades of gray will never change if I condone, oh yeah

Turn this page, help me change, so right my wrong

second rate; moderate to inferior in quality

Nigga you're babblin', your words ain't flatterin', I'm imaginin' Denzel be lookin' at O'Neal

Kazaam is sad thrills, your gimmick is mediocre, the jig is up

I seen you from a mile away losin' focus

beautiful or artistic; relating to or dealing with the subject of aesthetics

I never ask for too much credit

Seeking validation just for the aesthetics, bitch

I deserve it all

legal identification; any authorization to pass or go somewhere

The constant big money talk about mansions and foreign whips

The private jets and passports, presidential glass floor

Gold bottles, gold models, sniffin' up the ass for

expectation; a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations

Remind me of the homies that used to know me, now follow this

I'll tell you my hypothesis, I'm probably just way too loyal

K Dizzle would do it for you, my niggas think I'm a god

expected; capable of being foretold

I could see your insecurities written all on your face

So predictable your words, I know what you gonna say

Who you foolin'? Oh, you assuming you can just come and hang

ill famed; known widely and usually unfavorably

Bitches want you, but they ain't strong enough

I heard her talkin' we notorious

It's so much, I can only

amusing; humorously sarcastic or mocking

Rush a nigga quick and then we laugh about it

That's ironic, 'cause I've never been violent

Until I'm with the homies

unplanned; happening or arising without apparent external cause

Ooh, just gotta let you know

You were spontaneous, firecracker, plus our love is dangerous

Life of passion, laughin' at you lose your temper, slightly crashin'

creation; a deliberately false or improbable account

Of course I had to wrap it up, I didn't fully trust you

Fabrication, I disgust you, then you blocked me, I said, "Fuck you"

Nigga, what? I gave you life

reasonable; capable of or reflecting the capability for correct and valid reasoning

Both is true, it take some tough skin just to deal with you

Logical explanation don't exist, flippin' pages

Chapter after chapter, probably remarry and head to Vegas

apparent contradiction; (logic) a statement that contradicts itself

And frame of mind for them bustas, ain't talkin' "Woo-hah!"

Need a paradox for the pair of daughters they tutored

Like two Todds, L-L, you lose two times

skill; subtly skillful handling of a situation

Ayy, I remember syrup sandwiches and crime allowances

Finesse a nigga with some counterfeits, but now I'm countin' this

Parmesan where my accountant lives in fact, I'm downin' this

experimental; under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon

My innocence limited the experience lacked

Ten of us with no tentative tactic that cracked

The mind of a literate writer, but I did it in fact

bargain; discuss the terms of an arrangement

The industry has killed the creators, I'll be the first to say (what the fuck?)

To each exec', "I'm saving your children", we can't negotiate (what the-)

I caught a couple of bodies myself, slid my community

speak up for; push for something

If you resist, I'll back off quick, go catch a flight or two

But if you pick destiny over rest in peace then be an advocate

Tell your homies especially to come back home

add detail; mark by complexity and richness of detail

I don't fabricate it, ayy, most of y'all be fakin', ayy

I stay modest 'bout it, ayy, she elaborate it, ayy

This that Grey Poupon, that Evian, that TED Talk, ayy

use; eat immoderately

Let these words be your earth and moon

You consume every message

As I lead this army make room for mistakes and depression

victim; a person who is the aim of an attack

As the record spin, I should pray

For the record, I recognize that I'm easily prey

I got ate alive yesterday

respect; the condition of being honored (esteemed or respected or well regarded)

I'm talkin' days we got school watchin' movie screens

And spike your self esteem the new James Bond gon' be black as me

Black as brown, hazelnut, cinnamon, black tea

understanding; understanding and entering into another’s feelings

King of the answer, king of the problem, king of the forsaken

King of the empathy, you resent me, king of remorse

King of my enemies, may they father feed, I rejoice

essential; having superior power and influence

"Where you stay?" She said "Down the street from Dominguez High"

Okay, I know that's borderline Compton or Paramount

"Well is it Compton?"

attacking; the action of attacking an enemy

We didn't talk for a while, he seemed more distant

Wasn't comfortable around me, everything was offensive

But I recall we both had a sick sense of humor

come from; reason by deduction; establish by deduction

If you derive your sense of identity from being a victim

Let's say, bad things were done to you when you were a child

suppose; to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds

I can rap on some nineties shit, wrap your leggings around my hip

I'm so hip to it, tourists want to come speculate

But if I stay monogamous promise this kiss will always taste like candy

fake; intended to deceive

On the corners where the gangsters and the killers dwell

The fraudulent tender scars that get unveiled

Everyone I knew was either Crip or Piru

distressed; excessively agitated; distraught with fear or other violent emotion

You niggas fear me like y'all fear God

You sound frantic, I hear panic in your voice

Just know the mechanics of making your choice and writin' your bars

possible; capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are

Die in a pitiful vain, tell me a watch and a chain

Is way more believable, give me a feasible gain

Rather a seasonal name

strong belief; an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence

Shit I've been through prolly offend you, this is Paula's oldest son

I know murder, conviction, burners, boosters

Burglars, ballers, dead, redemption

not extreme; being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme

A better way to make a wave, stop defendin' them

I meditate and moderate all of my wins again

I'm hangin' on the fence again

benefit; governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need

(Tell 'em when you went to the park and everybody came back and...)

And welfare don't mean well for you, you, you, you

(What about when you tried to do a side for that but you...)

inform; make understand

What's your life about? Enlighten me

Is you gon' live on your knees or die on your feet?