Untitled 08 – 09.06.2014.

The correct title of this article is Untitled 08 | 09.06.2014. The substitution of the vertical bar is due to technical restrictions.
"Untitled 08 | 09.06.2014."
Song by Kendrick Lamar
from the album untitled unmastered.
RecordedSeptember 6, 2014
Genre
Length3:55
Label
Songwriter(s)Kendrick Duckworth
Producer(s)

"Untitled 08 | 09.06.2014." (stylized untitled 08 | 09.06.2014.), titled "Untitled 2" before its official release, is a jazz rap[1] song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, featured on his compilation album, untitled unmastered..[2]

Composition

Lyrically, the track discusses the futility of hopelessness in the face of adversity (mashed up with 'untitled 2' for Kendrick's Fallon performance in January). The lyrics show little optimism, though Lamar cushions his anger and disappointment with "irresistibly" feel-good vibes, suggesting there may be hope after all.[3] USA Today described the narrative: "one of a young woman struggling with her come-up, the other an impoverished voice lashing out at Kendrick’s own accounts of his struggles. Both stories dissolve into his own, as he ends the album questioning what exactly we're owed by the universe for existing, and how hard we need to fight for what we're not."[4] Musically, critics compared the song with "King Kunta", for its "hydraulic-pumping synthesized bass thump and Lamar's slangy flow".[5]

Live performances

The song was performed for the public for the first time on January 7, 2016, on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[6]

Charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 27
Belgium Airplay (Ultratop Flanders)[8] 48
Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[9] 16
US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard)[10] 3

References

  1. ^ "Kendrick Lamar "2 Untitled"". pitchfork. January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  2. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Debuts New Song "Untitled II" On The Tonight Show". hotnewhiphop. January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  3. ^ Bartleet, Larry (March 4, 2016). "Kendrick Lamar's 'untitled unmastered.' – Track By Track First Listen". NME. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  4. ^ Jaleesa M. Jones, Patrick Ryan and Maeve McDermott (March 5, 2016). "Kendrick Lamar's 'untitled unmastered': A track-by-track review". USA Today. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  5. ^ Reeves, Mosi (March 4, 2016). "Kendrick Lamar Flaunts Casual Brilliance on 'Untitled Unmastered'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  6. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Unveils Powerful New Song 'Untitled 2' on 'Fallon'". rollingstone. January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  7. ^ "Kendrick Lamar – Untitled 08 – 09.06.2014" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  8. ^ "Ultratop.be – Kendrick Lamar – Untitled 08 – 09.06.2014". Ultratop (in French). Ultratop Airplay.
  9. ^ "Kendrick Lamar – Untitled 08 – 09.06.2014" (in Dutch). Ultratop Urban. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  10. ^ "Kendrick Lamar – Chart History: Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 15, 2016.