Kendrick Lamar‘s 2012 debut album good kid, m.A.A.d city turned Kendrick into a star. Here are 5 facts about good kid, m.A.A.d city.
The handwriting font on the cover art of Kendrick Lamar’s second studio album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was done by his fellow TDE member Schoolboy Q. You can view a photo of Schoolboy Q designing the 2012 Good Kid, M.A.A.D City font above.
The van on the cover was actually the van Kendrick Lamar talks about it throughout the entire album.
4. That was Kendrick Lamar’s real parents leaving voice messages on the album.
“Those skits are actually my real mother and father. Those are people that I was raised by, so I decided to put them in the skits as themselves. And those are my real homeboys being themselves. It ties the storyline in perfect. My parents love the album.” Kendrick Lamar told Complex. His father was in the Backseat Freestyle music video. Watch from 1:28.
After the release of his second album, K. Dot kept a diary so he didn’t forget how he felt at the time of the album’s release.
2. m.A.A.d has two meanings.
“It’s two, two meanings. The first is ‘my angry adolescence divided,’ and the basic standout meaning is ‘my angel’s on angel dust.’ That’s the reason why I don’t smoke,” Kendrick Lamar revealed. “That was me. I got laced. The reason I don’t smoke, and it’s in the album. It’s in the story. It was just me getting my hands on the wrong thing at the wrong time, being oblivious to it.” Kendrick Lamar revealed in an interview with L.A. Leakers while explaining the meaning behind m.A.A.d.
“m.A.A.d” is also a reference to 90s Compton based hip-hop group “WC and the Maad Circle.”
1. Backseat Freestyle beat was originally produced for Ciara.
Producer Hit-Boy of G.O.O.D. Music revealed he originally made the beat for singer Ciara. She never responded, so he sent it to Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick Lamar mentions Ciara in Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter’s Daughter.
Bonus fact. Jay Rock recorded a follow up to “Money Trees” titled “Money Trees Deuce,” which was released on his album, 90059.
Read: 5 facts about Kendrick Lamar’s album ‘DAMN.’
Read: 5 facts about Nas’ album ‘Illmatic’
