"Untitled 08 , 09.06.2014." (stylized untitled 08 , 09.06.2014.), titled "Untitled 2" before its official release, is a
jazz rap
Jazz rap (or jazz hip hop) is a fusion of jazz and hip hop music, as well as an alternative hip hop subgenre, that developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. AllMusic writes that the genre "was an attempt to fuse African-American music of the ...
song by American rapper
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his Progressive rap, progressive musical styles and Social consciousness, socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most infl ...
, featured on his compilation album, ''
untitled unmastered.''.
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.
''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' 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." Musically, critics compared the song with "
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. Lamar co-wrote the song with Thundercat, whi ...
", for its hydraulic-pumping synthesized bass thump and Lamar's slangy flow.
Live performances
The song was performed for the public for the first time on January 7, 2016, on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...
''.
Charts
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Untitled 08 - 09.06.2014.
2016 songs
Kendrick Lamar songs
Songs written by Kendrick Lamar
Song recordings produced by DJ Khalil