KarenCivil.com

By now, everyone knows Kendrick Lamar. Everyone knows Kendrick Lamar dropped arguably Hip-Hop’s finest album of 2012. And pending you’re active on the blog world and/or Twitter universe, you know Lil Wayne was one of the guests K. Dot brought out this past weekend at Power 106′s Cali Christmas concert. An obvious form of respect and recognition from two different generations of rap, indeed, but what’s even more intriguing is the history many have either forgotten or were unaware of totally.

Kendrick’s respectful adaptation of “I’m too (two) much for these niggas, and three much for these hoes…” line from “Michael Jordan” on 2010′s Overly Dedicated was originally found on Wayne’s “Swag Surfin’” from the previous year’s No Ceilings. And through both Kendrick and Wayne’s respect for Jay Rock, there was always a common bond in that sense. Yet, even the most die hard of Lamar fans have probably forgotten about his 2009 C4 mixtape. Wayne offers his co-sign on the project’s opening track first track and from there a then still very much unknown Kendrick adds his own spin to several instrumentals from Weezy’s Carter III. Long before GKMC, Section.80 and even Overly Dedicated, there was depth in K. Dot’s rhyme scheme that sold even Dr. Carter himself.

I really had a chance to catch up with Kendrick where we spoke on a range of topics, including this forgotten mixtape and his appreciation for Wayne. Here’s what he had to say: