Untitled Unmastered | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Compilation album by | ||||
Released | March 4, 2016 [1] | |||
Recorded |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 34:06 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
Kendrick Lamar chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Untitled Unmastered | ||||
|
Untitled Unmastered (stylized as untitled unmastered.) is a compilation album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 4, 2016, [1] through Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. It consists of previously unreleased demos that originated during the recording of Lamar's album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), [2] continuing that work's exploration of politically charged and philosophical themes, as well as its experimentation with free jazz, soul, avant-garde music, and funk styles. The album received widespread acclaim from critics, and it debuted atop the US Billboard 200.
In December 2014, while preparing for the release of his third album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), Lamar performed an unreleased, untitled track as a musical guest on an episode of The Colbert Report . [4] In January 2016, he performed another untitled song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon . [5] Following his acclaimed performance at the 2016 Grammy Awards, which included aspects of another new untitled track, Lamar revealed the existence of a collection of tracks that did not make it onto Butterfly: "I got a chamber of material from the album that I was in love [with] where sample clearances or something as simple as a deadline kept it off the album." [5]
Following hints of a potential new release from Lamar's label Top Dawg Entertainment, and allegedly aided by NBA player LeBron James's public request to TDE head Anthony Tiffith that Lamar's untitled work be released, [6] Untitled Unmastered first surfaced on Spotify on March 4, 2016 containing eight untitled tracks but without an apparent release date. [7] [8] The project was officially released on the iTunes Store later that day. It spans 34 minutes and features eight untitled tracks, each dated. These dates indicate that the songs were written and recorded at various points between 2013 and 2016. [9] Later that day, Lamar confirmed that the tracks were unfinished demos from To Pimp a Butterfly. [10] In an interview with Spin , vocalist Anna Wise, while recalling the demos that appear on Untitled Unmastered, claims she knew of the compilation album's existence for an undisclosed amount of time, and was asked to keep it a secret until its release. [11] Untitled Unmastered was released to digital retailers and streaming services on March 4. The physical CD release of its explicit edition followed on March 11 and an edited version was released on March 18. [12] On March 23, 2016, "untitled 07 | levitate" was released separately on iTunes Store as the lone single. [13]
The songs performed during Lamar's appearances on The Colbert Report ("untitled 03 | 05.28.2013.", plus a new coda), The Tonight Show ("untitled 08 | 09.06.2014." plus the end of "untitled 02 | 06.23.2014.") and the end of the 2016 Grammys (part of his first verse from "untitled 05 | 09.21.2014.") were all included on Untitled Unmastered. The Tonight Show performance was previously known as "Untitled 2". Previously, part of Lamar's "untitled 08" verse had been used for remixes of Funkadelic's "Ain't That Funkin Kinda Hard on You". Swizz Beatz has said that his and Alicia Keys' 5-year-old son Egypt produced "untitled 07" and played a large contribution in the productions of "untitled 01" and "untitled 02" through uncredited samples. TDE producer Sounwave has confirmed on Twitter that Egypt produced the second half of the track. [10] "untitled 06 | 06.30.2014" features uncredited vocals from American singer CeeLo Green, [14] while it was produced by both Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest. Fuse TV described the album's tracks: "they have no official titles, have fascinating imperfections, and represent Kendrick in his rawest form while shedding insight into his creative development over the last three to four years." [14] According to an interview with Complex , Sounwave mentioned that Kendrick Lamar opted against mastering the tracks of Untitled Unmastered, because Lamar "wanted [Untitled Unmastered] to feel 100 percent authentic." [15] Comparing the unusual nature of the album's presentation to that of Kanye West's The Life of Pablo (2016), The Independent 's Christopher Hooton wrote that: 'I don't think we should consider this a Kendrick Lamar album in the same way we do Good Kid, M.A.A.D City [sic], TPAB etc, but it definitely feels more formal and considered than a mixtape [...] the whole thing still feels cohesive.' [16]
The Boston Globe characterized Untitled Unmastered as "pull[ing] listeners right back into [a] web of jazz-soaked, funk-drunk internal conflict and social commentary," while The Guardian described the album as "filled with the free jazz, funk, politically charged lyrics and experimental sounds that made To Pimp a Butterfly such an instant classic." [6] Tiny Mix Tapes described the album's music as "both ambient yet thrashing, melodic yet radiating, with standout tracks like "untitled 02" and "untitled 07" fully exhibiting Lamar’s vertiginous flows and adept ear for exciting, tuneful, next-level rap production." [17] The Chicago Tribune also observed the "soul, spoken word and avant-garde music that permeated [Butterfly]," noting that "the tracks favor upright bass, skittering drums and horn textures as much as loops and samples [while] Lamar employs a range of vocalists, from SZA and CeeLo Green to augment his typically dense, diamond-hard rhymes." [18] Lyrically, the release furthers Lamar's exploration of psychological and politically charged ideas, with references to spirituality and race featured throughout. Drowned in Sound also noted the thematic interplay between sexuality and oppression present in the release. [19]
"Untitled 01" was described by NME as an "unashamedly apocalyptic opening," [21] while The Guardian described it as "vividly, cinematically drawn, its descriptions of towers crumbling, oceans drying and rapists fleeing – as well as its promise of an end to war, discrimination and superficiality – capture terror and justice in equal measure." [22] Tiny Mix Tapes characterized the track as "a hallucinatory odyssey through the psyche of a conflicted young man," with production that "complements Lamar’s dark narrative perfectly, with the bass often sounding like it’s sizzling up from under the intoxicating beat." [17] The following track, "untitled 02", was characterized by NME as "a chin-stroking track about faith, gifts from God and the ostentatious material indulgence of his peers, that incorporates "faint saxophone squalls and cloying synths," [21] while The Guardian noted Lamar's vocal experimentation, with him "push[ing] his timbre into an ancient-sounding quaver before seizing the shifting sands of the beat with relish for a bravura final rap verse." [22] The chant "Pimp pimp!... Hooray" on this track is the first mention of an album-spanning refrain. On "untitled 03," Lamar pursues a "loose concept of Afrofuturism [..] which he briefly collides head-on with Eastern philosophies and contemporary inner-city living." [17] The track pits "the utopian vision [..] ostensibly based around black identity [with] the possibility of a much bleaker dystopian society." [17] "Untitled 04", the shortest track on the album, is filled with feverish whispers, with empowering, pro-education message. [21]
"Untitled 05" is a thicket of drums and saxophone, a piano glissando from Robert Glasper, a vocal from Anna Wise and guest raps from Jay Rock and Lamar's TDE manager Punch. It is based on the chord changes to a Miles Davis song, "Nardis", beginning with an ostinato played by Thundercat, and the drummer opts to use a crash cymbal as a ride cymbal, creating a raucous, cutting rhythm that adds an angry bite to an otherwise melancholic set of changes. It discusses treatment of and expectations for minorities in the US. [21] Lamar's performance at the 2016 Grammy Awards found him rhyming over L.A. singer-producer Iman Omari's "Omari's Mood"; that beat, in slightly altered form, is the basis of "Untitled 05". [23] "Untitled 06" has a jazz-funk groove, marked by xylophone and flute, and a lush chorus from Cee-Lo. In the track, Lamar seems to be addressing a girl he's trying to impress, but some lines seem to show him plagued by self-doubt. "Pimp pimp... Hooray!" – also the final line of the whole album – makes its return on "Untitled 07", a three-part 8-minute song, glides easily from a trap-influenced call to "levitate," [23] and a wordless choral melody, to Lamar's broadsides against his competitors, before closing with tape hiss and studio chatter. [23] Musically, critics compared "untitled 08" (unofficially known as "Blue Faces"), with "King Kunta", for its hydraulic-pumping synthesized bass thump and Lamar's slangy flow. The song counters feelings of futility and hopelessness with optimism, suggesting there may be hope after all. [21]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 8.2/10 [24] |
Metacritic | 86/100 [25] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The A.V. Club | A− [27] |
Chicago Tribune | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 4/5 [28] |
Pitchfork | 8.6/10 [29] |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 8/10 [31] |
Vice (Expert Witness) | A− [32] |
Untitled Unmastered received widespread acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 86, based on 31 reviews. [25] Evan Rytlewski of The A.V. Club wrote that "although Untitled begs to be graded on a curve, it doesn’t need to be. Leftovers or not, this is magnificent music from a rare talent working at peak creativity." [27] Writing for Tiny Mix Tapes , Brooklyn Russell stated that "whether rhythmically bustling or meditative, these eight previously unreleased demos from the Butterfly sessions seethe with Lamar’s still-startling visions and artistic ambitions." [17] Writing for The Guardian , Alex Macpherson thought the album "is collection whose understatement allows different facets of Lamar’s talent to shine." [22] Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune wrote that his songs "openly struggle with issues of race and racism, identity and self-worth, the desire to possess the world or destroy it. We are all works in progress, he suggests -- unstable, volatile, ever-changing. Why should a collection of songs be any different?" [18]
Kellan Miller, writing for Drowned in Sound , observed that "Kendrick’s experimental hankering is constantly in flux. He spends the entirety of the record fusing seemingly disparate parts and wafting between snippets of ideas," ultimately asserting that "the Compton native’s appeal can be spliced in illimitable categories, but the conclusion is always his art's untamed, almost psychotic brilliance. [19] In The Boston Globe , Julian Benbow noted: "In a way, it’s all as tightly woven as his Grammy-winning work, even if none of these cuts fit that album’s meticulous narrative." [33] In NME , Larry Bartleet opined "there are few unfamiliar messages and it’s all dense and considered, but never overwrought or explicitly angry. What really emerges is Kendrick's nuanced worldview." [28] Will Hermes of Rolling Stone concluded his review writing "there's brilliance in even Lamar's cast-offs, and an intimacy here that makes this more than just a gift for his ravenous fans." [23]
Untitled Unmastered debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, earning 178,000 album-equivalent units for the week ending March 10, 2016. 142,000 came from traditional album sales. The compilation album gave Lamar his second chart-topping set in less than a year. [34] It has sold 205,000 copies domestically as of April 30, 2016. [35] [36]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Untitled 01 | 08.19.2014." |
| Ritz Reynolds | 4:07 |
2. | "Untitled 02 | 06.23.2014." |
|
| 4:18 |
3. | "Untitled 03 | 05.28.2013." |
| Astronote | 2:34 |
4. | "Untitled 04 | 08.14.2014." |
|
| 1:50 |
5. | "Untitled 05 | 09.21.2014." |
|
| 5:38 |
6. | "Untitled 06 | 06.30.2014." |
|
| 3:28 |
7. | "Untitled 07 | 2014–2016" |
|
| 8:16 |
8. | "Untitled 08 | 09.06.2014." |
|
| 3:55 |
Total length: | 34:06 |
Notes
Credits adapted from official liner notes [37]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [66] | Silver | 60,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Worldwide | March 4, 2016 | Digital download | [67] | |
Canada | March 11, 2016 | CD | [68] | |
Europe | [69] | |||
United States | [70] | |||
South Korea | April 1, 2016 | Universal Music Korea | [71] | |
United States | May 27, 2016 | Vinyl |
| [72] |
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is an American rapper and songwriter. Regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and one of the greatest rappers of all time, he is known for his technical artistry and complex songwriting. He was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first musician outside of the classical and jazz genres to be honored.
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City is the second studio album by the American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on October 22, 2012, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album features guest appearances from Drake, Dr. Dre, Jay Rock, Anna Wise and MC Eiht. It is Lamar's first major label album, after his independently released first album Section.80 in 2011 and his signing to Aftermath and Interscope the following year.
"King Kunta" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar, 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, while Terrace Martin, Michael Kuhle, and Sounwave served as producers. The song features interpolations and references to lyrics written by Michael Jackson, James Brown, Fred Wesley, John Starks, Ahmad, Redfoo, and Johnny Burns, who are all credited as songwriters.
To Pimp a Butterfly is the third studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 15, 2015, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album was recorded in studios throughout the United States, with production from Sounwave, Terrace Martin, Taz "Tisa" Arnold, Thundercat, Rahki, LoveDragon, Flying Lotus, Pharrell Williams, Boi-1da, Knxwledge, and several other high-profile hip hop producers, as well as executive production from Dr. Dre and Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. Guest appearances include Thundercat, George Clinton, Bilal, Anna Wise, Snoop Dogg, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, and Rapsody.
"For Free? (Interlude)" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It is the second track on his third studio album To Pimp a Butterfly, released on March 15, 2015. It features uptempo bebop instrumentals, with Lamar rapping over them. A music video for the song was uploaded to Vevo and YouTube on July 31, 2015.
"Alright" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar featured on the artist's third studio album, To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). The song expresses ideas of hope amid personal struggles and features uncredited vocals in its chorus from co-producer Pharrell Williams. "Alright" was released to radio stations as the album's fourth single on June 30, 2015. Many music publications considered it among the best songs and videos of the year. "Alright" received four nominations at the 58th Grammy Awards: Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song, winning the latter two. It was also nominated for a MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.
"The Blacker the Berry" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar. It was included as the thirteenth song on the track-listing of his third studio album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). "The Blacker the Berry" was released as the second single from the album on February 9, 2015. The song shares its title with the novel The Blacker the Berry by American author Wallace Thurman. The track was produced by Boi-1da, Terrace Martin, and KOZ. It has a chorus that features uncredited vocals from Jamaican artist Assassin. The album version also contains additional vocals provided by neo soul singer Lalah Hathaway. Upon its release, "The Blacker the Berry'" received rave reviews from contemporary music critics. However, it also elicited controversy due to Kendrick Lamar's commentary on the death of Trayvon Martin. In the United States, it peaked at number sixty-six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single has since been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Malibu is the second studio album by American rapper Anderson .Paak. It was released on January 15, 2016, by ArtClub International, Empire Distribution, OBE and Steel Wool Records following the release of his EP, Link Up & Suede, with Knxwledge.
"Untitled 08 | 09.06.2014.", titled "Untitled 2" before its official release, is a jazz rap song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, featured on his compilation album, untitled unmastered..
"Untitled 02 | 06.23.2014." is a song by the American rapper Kendrick Lamar, featured on his compilation album, Untitled Unmastered. The song was produced by Cardo and Yung Exclusive.
"Untitled 07 | 2014–2016" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar, taken from his 2016 compilation album, untitled unmastered. On March 23, 2016, "untitled 07 | levitate" was released separately on the iTunes Store as the compilation's lead single.
Blank Face LP is the fourth studio album by American rapper Schoolboy Q. It was released on July 8, 2016, through Top Dawg Entertainment and distributed by Interscope Records. The album serves as his second release under a major record label to music retailers, following 2014's Oxymoron. The album features guest appearances from several prominent artists, such as Kanye West, Jadakiss, E-40, Tha Dogg Pound, Miguel and Anderson .Paak, among others.
"Untitled 03 | 05.28.2013.", titled "Untitled 1" before its official release, is a song by the American rapper Kendrick Lamar, featured on his compilation album, Untitled Unmastered.
The discography of American musician Thundercat includes four studio albums, an extended play, and twelve singles.
Damn is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, released on April 14, 2017, through Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Lamar assembled numerous artists and producers to produce the album, including executive producer and Top Dawg Entertainment label-head Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, Mike Will Made It, and Ricci Riera, as well as further production contributions from James Blake, Steve Lacy, BadBadNotGood, Greg Kurstin, The Alchemist, and 9th Wonder, among others. It features guest appearances from Rihanna, Zacari, and U2.
"Feel" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his fourth studio album Damn, released on April 14, 2017. The fifth track on the album, the song was written by Lamar and Mark Spears, a.k.a. Sounwave, and produced by Sounwave. The song features bass from bass guitarist Thundercat and vocals from Chelsea Blythe. The song originally had a music video which was never released and randomly leaked on YouTube.
"Lust" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his fourth studio album Damn, released on April 14, 2017. The ninth track on the album, the song was written by Lamar, DJ Dahi, Mark Spears a.k.a. Sounwave, and BadBadNotGood, and was produced by DJ Dahi, Sounwave, and BadBadNotGood. The song features uncredited guest vocals from record producer Kaytranada. Although not released as a single, the song charted in multiple countries in 2017.
The American rapper Kendrick Lamar has released five studio albums, one compilation album, one extended play (EP), one soundtrack album, and five mixtapes. His records have sold more than 17.9 million album-equivalent units worldwide, 7.5 million of which are certified in the United States. Throughout his career, he has earned four number-one albums on the US Billboard 200.
Redemption is the third studio album by American rapper Jay Rock. It was released by Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and Interscope Records on June 15, 2018. The album, which serves as Rock's major-label debut, succeeds his second album 90059 (2015), released three years prior.
Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers is the fifth studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, released on May 13, 2022, by PGLang, Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. The album serves as his first release under his creative company PGLang, and his final project with both TDE and Aftermath. It features narration by Whitney Alford and Eckhart Tolle, and guest appearances from Blxst, Amanda Reifer, Sampha, Taylour Paige, Summer Walker, Ghostface Killah, Baby Keem, Kodak Black, Sam Dew, Tanna Leone, and Beth Gibbons of Portishead. Lamar, who executive produced the album under the pseudonym Oklama, reunited with frequent collaborators Sounwave, J. Lbs, DJ Dahi, and Bekon for the majority of the album's production.