With Pulitzer winner Compton’s very own herculean emcee Kendrick Lamar’s freshest guest performance at the primetime of SNL 48, we unwind the clock and revisit his iconic appearances on the late night show. This past weekend marked K Dot’s total fifth time at the SNL faculty.
2013 Debut
On his SNL debut in 2013, a novice-esque Kendrick made his mark on the big stage to promote his good kid, m.A.A.d city opus. The performance saw Kendrick straddle through a medley of hit song “Swimming Pools (Drank)” and a jazzy live rendition of “Poetic Justice” without collaborator Drake. At this point, Kendrick was growing in stature, visibly finding his feet in the bright lights of celebrity but yielding his uncontrollable breath control and unwavering microphone skills. Although a stellar performance in terms of how he conducted himself in a composed fashion for a bow, this would be more of a data-collection performance as it was among his first ever nationalized live television sets. He used this as an opportunity to learn the familiarities of the stage and get used to the intimidating cameras, bright lights, and on-looking audience.
2014 “I” To Pimp A Butterfly Era
To mark his major label sophomore, Kendrick found a new sense of creativity, bravado and charismatic charm. This supplemental pep to his step is what emboldened him to an elite class of artistry, and no longer just a rapper. A trip to South Africa, and immersive soul-searching quest including unlocking his inner-Tupac, and blackness, Kendrick paid SNL a visit in 2014 to share with them his new album’s single, “I” and a “Pay For It” offering alongside then label-mate Jay Rock. For SNL 40, Kendrick was more animated, assured, choreographed, dialed in to a character – and came with a deep message that represented a community more than himself. Speaking to Jimmy Fallon in 2016, KDot revealed he was inspired by Isley Brothers and gangster rap, even intimating that this was the type of album he always wanted to make but wasn’t “confident enough”. From the kink and nap in his hair, his aesthetic, performative craft, kinesics, and musicality, this showing was more than skin-crawling at the time, and remains so. It’s the risks took during this night that easily make Kendrick a marvel, and musical monster. The reason the audience pay top dollar.
2014 Imagine Dragons – Radio Active featuring Kendrick Lamar
“Everything in this life is subject to change” Kendrick rapped on this adrenaline-hinged song. Following in the footsteps of rap lore’s greats, Kendrick like Hov joined rock band Imagine Dragons for their emotionally charged single “Radio Active” – in the same breadth Hov would team up with Coldplay & Linkin Park in his hay day. Kendrick has done multiple guest verses outside of rap, including “Freedom” with Beyoncé & “Don’t Wanna Know” with Maroon 5, but this one stood out as K.Dot was now branching out into new avenues. Displaying range and virtuoso, Kendrick humbly took this song to a new stratosphere and their stage presence was immaculate – without one overshadowing the other. This also allowed for him to actually feel comfortable in the “Bad Blood” pop lexicon of Taylor Swift that surprisingly turned out better than he’d thought. Just Kendrick doing Kendrick things.
2018 Anderson Paak featuring Kendrick Lamar – Titans
For SNL 44, a fast rising Anderson Paak made his debut, and did so in superb fashion bringing a guest with. And who else, other than THE Kendrick Lamar. The rap titan absolutely brought fans to their feet with his acrobatic rhymes and unmatched skill set supporting Grammy Award winner and friend Anderson. Although, Kendrick was only a guest, at this point in his career, he was already regarded to as one of the greats, and he vehemently took charge of the show with just a verse alone.
SNL 48 – Kendrick Lamar brings Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
In his first SNL appearance for over four years, Mr. Morale was fresh off his North American leg tour of The Big Steppers tour. Sticking to the theme of the show, Kendrick performed in a cubicle box that asked fans to let him out of the box. Swirling through hits “Rich Spirit” and “N95” off one of the best-selling Hip Hop albums of the year, currently at 800,000 units, Kendrick wore a blue exclusive PG Lang baseball cap (for friends and family only according to designer Dave Free) as he performed in a lowly lit set. His shadow and silhouette right behind him, the PG Lang founder rocked R13 boots by Daryl Brown as Kendrick tapped British singer Sampha for the tear-jerking single “Father Time” on the second performance of the season opener. Easily Kendrick’s most personal performance on Live Televsion, he conveyed the performance with poise as he spoke on the intimate and complex relationship with black fatherhood – a topic largely viewed as taboo-like and gray in the landscape of society and Hip Hop in totality.
