The 'Not Like Us' hitmaker's journey to hip-hop stardom almost featured an early collaborative track with the fellow famous figures, but it never materialized.
- Aug 8, 2024
AceShowbiz - Kendrick Lamar's journey to hip-hop stardom almost featured an early collaboration with Lil Wayne, but it never materialized. In a recent episode of HipHopDX's The Bigger Picture, DJ Hed revealed that Kendrick Lamar was originally slated to appear on Jay Rock's 2008 single, "All My Life (In the Ghetto)". Hed claimed to have a recording of Lamar's hook on the song, which never saw the light of day.
According to Hed, Lamar's initial verse was different and the song was titled "Ghetto". However, Top Dawg Tiffith, the founder of TDE, felt Lil Wayne's guest verse was too long and rearranged the song.
While Lamar missed out on that collaboration, he eventually worked with Wayne on two tracks. The first was Mike WiLL Made-It's "Buy the World" and the second was "Mona Lisa" from Wayne's Tha Carter V.
However, Wayne revealed in a recent concert that he struggles to perform "Mona Lisa" due to its lyrical complexity. Despite this, he promised to learn the song and deliver it to his fans.
Although Lamar's collaboration with Wayne on "All My Life (In the Ghetto)" never happened, it remains a fascinating piece of hip-hop history, showcasing the early connections and missed opportunities that shaped Lamar's path to becoming one of the genre's most influential figures.