Kendrick Lamar’s 25 Favorite Albums

Kendrick Lamar is a rapper with a wide range of listening habits—traces of which can be heard throughout his debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city. Having grown up in the city of Compton, he has an understandable preference for West Coast rap, but his taste in hip-hop transcends geographical boundaries. His favorite LP selections—presented here in chronological order of release—reveal a mixture of music from and about his hometown and records that show a particular sort of musical curiosity. Read on to find out which albums defined Kendrick Lamar’s coming of age in hip-hop, and which artist was on such heavy rotation in his childhood home that he can’t remember which songs were from which album.

This feature is a part of Complex’s “good kid, m.A.A.d city” week.

Peep Kendrick’s 25 favorite albums after the jump.

DJ Quik, Quik Is The Name (1991)
Ice Cube, Death Certificate (1991)
Dr. Dre, The Chronic (1992)
Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle (1993)
Notorious B.I.G., Ready To Die (1994)
2Pac, Me Against The World (1995)
Tha Dogg Pound, Dogg Food (1995)
2Pac, All Eyez on Me (1996)
Jay-Z, Reasonable Doubt (1996)
2Pac, Makaveli (1996)
Notorious B.I.G., Life After Death (1997)
DMX, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot (1998)
Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
Juvenile, 400 Degreez (1998)
DJ Quik, Rhythm-al-ism (1998)
B.G., Chopper City in the Ghetto (1999)
Lil Wayne, The Block Is Hot (1999)
E-40, Charlie Hustle (1999)
Kurupt, Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha (1999)
Dr. Dre, 2001 (1999)
Nas, Stillmatic (2001)
Clipse, Lord Willin’ (2002)
Jay-Z, The Black Album (2003)

Previously: Kendrick Lamar Breaks Down “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst” [Video]