| "Untitled 03 | 05.28.2013." | |
|---|---|
| Song by Kendrick Lamar | |
| from the album untitled unmastered. | |
| Recorded | May 28, 2013 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:34 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) |
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"Untitled 03 | 05.28.2013.", titled "Untitled 1" before its official release, is a song by the American rapper Kendrick Lamar, featured on his compilation album, Untitled Unmastered.
Content
The song tells a story of four people that give Lamar advice: an Asian, Indian, black and white man, the latter of whom attempts to financially exploit him. Anna Wise prompts the section for each person. The song also explores the concepts of Afrofuturism and freedom. The original repeated ending line "Tell 'em we don't die, we multiply" has been viewed as a reference to the movie Bebe's Kids (1992) and the N.W.A song "Real Niggaz Don't Die" (1991). This line was removed on the official release, with Consequence reasoning that this was to make the "solution remain vague".
Critical reception
Justin Davis of Complex wrote that Lamar's fast rapping near the end of "Untitled 03 | 05.28.2013." showcased "his outrageous technical skill". He described the song as impactful and reckoned that fans who did not like the single "I" would be "very relieved" by Lamar's return to more jazz-style music. In 2022, Consequence listed "Untitled 03" as Lamar's ninth-best song, complimenting its exploration of the topic of maintaining personal integrity when confronted with tempting rewards from manipulative record executives. Graham Corrigan of Complex listed it as one of his ten favorite songs of 2016.
Live performances
The song was performed publicly for the first time on December 16, 2014, on The Colbert Report, during promotion for Lamar's third studio album, To Pimp a Butterfly. This made it the first Untitled Unmastered song ever publicly revealed. According to Terrace Martin, the lyrics were composed the day before the show because of Lamar's reluctance to perform "I".
Charts
| Chart (2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan) | 19 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) | 49 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 67 |
References
- ^ Hooton, Christopher (December 19, 2014). "Kendrick Lamar debuted a powerful, experimental new track on The Colbert Report". The Independent.
- ^ Russell, Brooklyn. "Music Review: Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
- ^ Bartleet, Larry (2016-03-04). "Kendrick Lamar's 'untitled unmastered.' – Track By Track First Listen". NME. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
- Tardio, Andres (2016-03-04). "TDE's Punch Details Kendrick Lamar's 'Spiritual Side' & Prince Inspiration on 'Untitled Unmastered' Project". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
- Mansfield, Brian. "Kendrick Lamar premieres untitled song on 'Colbert'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
- Lockett, Dee (2014-12-17). "Watch Kendrick Lamar Perform a New Song as The Colbert Report's Final Musical Guest". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
- Kivel, Adam (2016-03-07). "Kendrick Lamar's untitled unmastered. Lives in the Same Cathartic World as To Pimp a Butterfly". Retrieved 2024-06-26.
- Davis, Justin (December 17, 2014). "Kendrick Lamar Premieres "Untitled" on "The Colbert Report"". Complex. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
- "Kendrick Lamar's 10 Best Songs: See The List". 2022-05-10. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
- "The Complex Staff Lists Their Favorite Songs and Albums of 2016". Complex Networks. December 21, 2016.
- "Kendrick Lamar Debuts New Song on 'The Colbert Report'". Pitchfork Media. 17 December 2014.
- Khoury, Olivia Jade (2015-02-12). "Kendrick Lamar Wrote His Untitled 'Colbert Report' Song The Day Before?". VIBE.com. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
- "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 10, 2016" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
- "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 27, 2016.