DUCKWORTH.

What’s crazy is that Kendrick saved this story for this deep into his career. Most artists would jump right out on their first album with a story this wild

Weird how this album came out nearly two years ago but I just recently became obsessed with this song.. That's true art that ages well.

9th Wonder (Producer): how many beat switch ups do you want? Kendrick Lamar: Yes

2 extra biscuits saved Kendrick lamar life

I love how the beat changes for each person's part of the story. It adds to the art of storytelling. I love Duckie's beat!

"What happens on earth stays on earth." Smart.

Whoever produced this is a damn genius.

This ends just like a video game with multiple choices : Good path : the curse upon Kdot is raised because Anthony chose to let ducky live , leaving a young Kendrick with a father to guide him to the good path , where this blind woman will never shoot him Bad path (listen to the album from duckworth to blood) : Ducky is dead , leaving Kendrick to life with fear , lust , pride and a curse upon him because nobody pray for him . This leads him to the blind woman and the gunshot , closing the album At the end of day , is it wickedness ? Is it weakness ? You decide , is he gonna live or die ?

Lyrics. It was always me versus the world Until I found it's me versus me Why, why, why, why? Why, why, why, why? Just remember what happens on earth stays on earth! We gon' put it in reverse Darling I told you many times And I am telling you once again Just to remind you sweetheart that my— Oh Lamar, Hail Mary and marijuana, times is hard Pray with the hooligans, shadows all in the dark Fellowship with demons and relatives, I'm a star Life is one funny mothafucka A true comedian, you gotta love him, you gotta trust him I might be buggin', infomercials and no sleep Introverted by my thoughts Children listen, it gets deep See once upon a time inside the Nickerson Garden projects The object was to process and digest poverty's dialect Adaptation inevitable, gun violence, crack spot Federal policies raid buildings and drug professionals Anthony was the oldest of seven Well respected, calm and collected Laughin' and joking made life easier Hard times, momma on crack A four-year-old telling his nanny he needed her His family history pimpin' and bangin' He was meant to be dangerous Clocked him a grip and start slangin' Fifteen scrapin' up his jeans with quarter pieces Even got some head from a smoker last weekend Dodged a policeman workin' for his big homie Small time hustler, graduated to a brick on him Ten thousand dollars out of a project housing That's on the daily, seen his first mil twenty years old Had a couple of babies, had a couple of shooters Caught a murder case, fingerprints on the gun They assumin', but witnesses couldn't prove it That was back when he turned his back And they killed his cousin He beat the case and went back to hustlin' Bird shufflin', Anthony rang The first in the projects with the two-tone Mustang That 5.0 thing, they say 5-0 came Circlin' parkin' lots and parking spots And hoppin' out while harrasing the corner blocks Crooked cops told Anthony he should kick it He brushed them off and walked back To the Kentucky Fried Chicken See at this chicken spot There was a light-skinned nigga that talked a lot With a curly top and a gap in his teeth He worked the window, his name was Ducky He came from the streets the Robert Taylor Homes Southside Projects, Chiraq, the Terror Dome Drove to California with a woman on him and 500 dollars They had a son hoping that he'd see college Hustlin' on the side with a nine to five to freak it Cadillac Seville, he'd ride his son around on weekends Three-piece special with his name on the shirt pocket 'Cross the street from the projects Anthony planned to rob it Stuck up the place before back in '84 That's when affiliation was really eight gears of war So many relatives telling us, selling us devilish works Killing us crime, intelligent, felonious Prevalent proposition with nines Ducky was well aware, they robbed the manager And shot a customer last year He figured he'd get on these niggas good sides Free chicken every time Anthony posted in line Two extra biscuits, Anthony liked him and then let him slide They didn't kill him, in fact it look like They're the last to survive Pay attention, that one decision changed both of they lives One curse at a time, reverse the manifest And good karma and I'll tell you why You take two strangers And put 'em in random predicaments Give 'em a soul so they can Make their own choices and live with it Twenty years later them same strangers You make 'em meet again Inside recording studios where they reaping their benefits Then you start reminding them 'bout that chicken incident Whoever thought the greatest rapper Would be from coincidence Because if Anthony killed Ducky Top Dawg could be servin' life While I grew up without a father and die in a gunfight So I was taking a walk the other day

Best song on the album

KDOT was so genius on this album, he literally made an album you can listen from end to start, straight backwards and it goes even harder.

The sneaking genius of this song isn't just its true story, the solid samples, or the masterful delivery, but also how it quietly incorporates the themes of all the other previous titles on the album, all into this one song. Love, loyalty, God, humility, DNA, being in his element--every thing from the other 13 songs got put into this one song. A lot of people always miss that part. He saved the best track for last.

“If Anthony killed ducky top dawg could be serving life while i grew up without a father and die in a gun fight...”

Top 5 on the album 1. Duckworth 2. Fear 3. XXX 4. DNA 5. Pride

Pls kdot, wake up from your hibernation. We need you in these dark times.

That "oh lamar" always hit so fucking hard

This is the real Rap.

K-DOT is one of the best story tellers no doubt

It gives me chills Everytime he goes “if Anthony killed ducky, top dawg could be serving life, while I grew up without a father and died in a gunfight” then when the gunshot happens... in reverse (which people usually find evil/ devilish phrases) it says “your fucked in the ass n**ga”. Kendrick is truly a genius.. I’m left in chills every time I hear this

I feel like people are downplaying this album because it came after tpab, but if this album was on any other rappers discog's, it would be their best without a doubt. DAMN. has some of kendrick's best work and some of the best songs hip hop has to offer, songs like Duckworth, Fear, Feel, Dna