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.


Year:
2015
3:55
1,355 
#7

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com

I got a bone to pick
I don't want you monkey mouth motherfuckers sittin' in my throne again
(Aye aye nigga whats happenin' nigga, 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
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
You can smell it when I'm walking down the street
(Oh yes we can, oh yes we can)
I can dig rapping, but a rapper with a ghost writer?
What the f*ck happened? (Oh no) I swore I wouldn't tell
But most of y'all share 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 got a brown nose for some gold then I'd rather be a bum than a motherfuckin' baller

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
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 brought it out of Richard Pryor
Manipulated Bill Clinton with desires
24/7, 365 days times two
I was contemplatin' gettin' on stage
Just to go back to the hood see my enemies and say

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
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 mammy fucker)
I was gonna kill a couple rappers but they did it to themselves
Everybody's suicidal they don'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 Mama and my baby boo too
Twenty million walkin' out the court buildin', woo woo!
Ah 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 ok? Annie are you ok?"
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

Bitch where was you when I was
(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
Bitch where was 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)
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

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com


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.

Discuss the King Kunta Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "King Kunta Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/31768257/Kendrick+Lamar/King+Kunta>.

    Missing lyrics by Kendrick Lamar?

    Know any other songs by Kendrick Lamar? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    King Kunta

    135.5M
    802.3K     38,940

    Top Hot 100 Songs 2015

    Billboard #58


    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    Who is the DJ/Singer/Actor who released Supernova?
    A Ansel Elgort
    B Wi.lli.am
    C Khalid
    D DJ Snake

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Kendrick Lamar tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!