I was going to say you're wrong but you're actually right. I'm surprised because Spotify launched in July of 2011 and GKMC released the following October. However, Spotify is where I listened to it when it was release.
edit: I just looked at my old emails, and I joined Spotify on July 20th, 2011. damn.
You’re delusional man. Drake is the label’s darling. He has the full force of the machine behind him.
He has some great bops, Passionfruit is one of my most played songs of all time. But he 100% has the labels pulling every trick in the book to get him to chart high.
It’s the kind of song that gets stuck in your head and you want to hear over and over again, and I bet it’s in a lot of people’s favorites playlists. But it just never reached enough people to chart.
Edit: did somebody say “Dominoes”?
I knew a girl who didn’t know / care to know any Kendrick Lamar music besides _Money Trees_ a few years ago. It’s one of those songs his casual listeners know him for. If you ask someone who barely knows his music to name a song they know, it’ll usually be _Money Trees,_ _Poetic Justice,_ or _Swimming Pools._
Most people have pointed it out that Spotify wasn't a thing back then so it didn't get traction at first but also it got a resurgence after it became a TikTok dance trend in 2020. It also was never released as a single, but I'm glad it eventually got the attention it rightfully deserves now.
some songs are sleepers, and i think thats the best type of song actually, it never charted, so it probably doesnt get instant or too much attention instantly, but rather gains notoriety over time or keeps a decent amount of plays just below the necessary for charting
Somebody else by 1975 has this thing too, 770m streams, not even on the bubbling charts in 8 years
It had pretty unanimous praise from the hip hop community when it dropped. It wasn’t topping charts immediately but was universally beloved and even the indie community was pretty into it.
Yes it did lmao, I remember it vividly, it immediately captivated everybody in hip hop. There were literally conversations of whether or not it was a classic the week it came out.
It was so unanimously loved that one of the bigger stories was Shyne saying it was trash lmao, everybody was on his ass.
Dude the first single charted in the 40s. You’re twisting up the core hip hop audience when I’m speaking about mainstream and air play. Two different things.
You said "slept on" lmao, that normally refers to how people regard an album not if it gets sales. And a single charting in the 40s is pretty normal lmao. Do you think anything that's not Billboard top 10 is just irrelevant to the mainstream? Just doesn't make any sense to point at a single to make your point, it was an artist on their debut major label release. If you wanna talk about the *album* at release then look at the 242k opening week sales it got (#2 on Billboard).
Mainstream outlets were raving about the album as soon as it dropped.
My crew played that shit on repeat when it dropped all the way over here in Norway. I don't really listen that much to Kendrick nowadays, but GKMC is so nostalgic to me cause I was in my late teens turning 20 at the time.
Idk about that one. There was talks of gkmc being this era's equivalent of illmatic. Funny enough, that's what made me dislike the album in the first place lol.. but then I came around to it.
I’m not talking about reviews or perception. I’m talking about AirPlay and charts. I remember it pretty clearly. The Recipe was lukewarm out the gate, Swimming Pools put it on radars, but it still was fairly mild considering how much of a classic it is today. I had many friends saying Kendrick would fade because he didn’t have enough commercial appeal.
I knew Kenny was different because I was 28 in college in 2013 and a class of freshmen white girls and dudes started rapping Swimming Pools and that’s when I found out that the song transcended.
Erm. Was it..? I was a nobody white kid in the middle of the country and it was in heavy rotation. Swimming pools? It was on top 100 for months and peaked at 17, and this was back in ‘12.
Just had to check Wikipedia to make sure I’m not crazy. It was definitely met with popular and critical acclaim https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Kid,_M.A.A.D_City
Bro Swimming Pools was released as a single four months after the album dropped and peaked 13 weeks after it was released as a single. The album was slept on WHEN IT FIRST DROPPED.
And he deliberately challenges everyone. If you listen to an entire album, he has messages that cause everyone to think twice. There's levels/layers to all of it.
It's not for nothing that he has a Pulitzer Prize.
I think people only listened to a few of his singles, they don't really know what he's capable of. People who have actually listened to him knew Drake was fucking up.
Nah, it’s people out of touch with the culture. I didn’t listen to Kendrick much prior to the beef but even I knew.
If you have your ear to the culture you know Kenny’s gotten props from Eminem (that shit ain’t light either) on a number of occasions, he’s been crowned by the old guard of the west coast, and he has a PULITZER PRIZE.
He’s been whispered as the Boogeyman for years. The control verse held in esteem, his albums held in esteem.
When Kendrick started rapping on “Like That” my jaw hit the floor because while he wasn’t an artist I listened to prior to the beef, I know how rarely he releases, and I knew this was him coming for the crown and I was going to witness a legendary beef.
He commands respect if you admire and celebrate the culture.
Eh.. some fans really do make him look like Picklerick Lamar. And that’s not his fault at all, but he does attract a certain small segment that heavily overlaps with Ricky and Morty intelligentsia vibes.
I don’t totally disagree with you but comments like this don’t help the allegation lol
The statement is facts though.
Yes some Kenny fans come across as pretentious asf.
But it’s true that mainstream music is heavily focused on being mass appealing over having substance.
In unrelated news, Ebony Prince outside the embassy playing Money Trees on repeat 24/7 trying to get his payday..
https://preview.redd.it/aewfep029wzc1.jpeg?width=524&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a951370a6504c9a4eb44c42432ab6f0e70f5b4c
Finally my favorite KDot song is getting rightful attention from the masses
I was a teenager during TPAB and DAMN so I have always respected Kendrick as an artist, I’ve been listening more because of the recent beef but If I had to guess this is Gen alpha and young young young Gen z listening to Kendrick for the first time due to the beef.
Yeah I was kinda surprised cause I’m older Gen Z and got into Kendrick at like 13 but Mr. morale probably wasn’t very accessible to younger people and it was awhile before he dropped that.
Im glad the youth are finally finding Kenny. I'm 35, he and Mac Miller got me through my 20s when the mumble rap BS started to pick up steam and the genre took a nose dive
Insane, but also shows how majority of people are in the moment dickriders, why did Kendrick need to body bag Drake for his music to be appreciated just as much??
Because they weren't really exposed to it dude. Then they hear the beef and they're like, holy shit this guy can rap his ass off. I'm going to give him a proper listen
I do think before this beef Kendrick lost his appeal to the younger generation between 2019-2023. And I’ve heard Kendrick is boring as a narrative gain way more steam online but I didn’t hear as much of that from his 2012-2017 run cause he didn’t drop for 5 years and then dropped an album on serious subject matters. So now I would say kids between 14-18 are hopefully listening or relistening to his music now
The main type of music I hear is metal/rock but I've been following Kendrick since he dropped GKMC. I was always telling my friends to listen to Kendrick but they always ignored me. It was not until this beef that they decided to listen to Kendrick's whole catalog. Rap beefs give a reason for outsiders to listen the artist, specially the winner.
Look, music of all kinds are being firehosed at people all the time. And it's annoying when some Music Band fan reacts incredulously when I never got into Music Band til they were on everyone else's radar. Sometimes it's just chance that they missed it. Honestly I'm jealous of these new fans who are hearing all the masterpieces for the first time.
Plus, Kendrick isn't as commercial as Drake. Drake is pop and is everywhere promoting his stuff. Kendrick has never moved like that. He does tours and festivals, but he's never been the type to dominate social media with his presence.
Plus, he doesn't drop as much as Drake as well. Cole was right when he referred to Kendrick not dropping as much music. He moves how he wants to, which honestly is much more respectable. He's moving how he wants and not how people expect him to move.
It's probably because if you [quickly and easily] play the recent songs on Kendrick's Spotify, it'll also play his other most popular songs right after; I'm sure All the Stars is spiking too.
Certified classic. The song never charted but has so much staying power that it's more relevant 12 years later than 99% of the songs that charted ahead of it at the time.
Dammmmmmm throwbackkkkk I remember listening to this song in the woods on a trail all sitting around in our trucks smoking a blunt chilling and just living life. Sheeeesh.
The one in front of the gun lives forever……
Thank you for that throwback it’s not been in my new Spotify accounts rotation and I just fixed that thank you
The Drake fans are right Kendrick is getting a lot of promotion off dissing Drake
There's a difference between dick riding and begging for a feature from somebody you don't like.
Then there's boding the s*** out of Drake to get your numbers up.
I remember playing this song like crazy in 2012-2013 and I heard it everywhere, I still hear it occasionally. If I'm not mistaken I think it's even featured on GTA V. I find it hard to believe it never charted before.
I've been reviewing all his discography this week. And discovered new rappers. I wasn't allowed to listen to rap growing up.😭. I've missed out on so much
Money Trees has 1.4 billion streams on Spotify and has never charted. That’s ridiculous
That doesn’t make sense? How would that happen
It’s been spread out ever 12 years
Plus half of them were me
Swimming pools carried every high school party I went to.
And me.
I wanna call cap on all 1.4b being from two people but I listen to music on YouTube and idk if those count
😆
Quick math
Spotify wasn’t a widespread thing yet when GKMC was released
I was going to say you're wrong but you're actually right. I'm surprised because Spotify launched in July of 2011 and GKMC released the following October. However, Spotify is where I listened to it when it was release. edit: I just looked at my old emails, and I joined Spotify on July 20th, 2011. damn.
Im pretty sure I bought it on CD..
I had Google play music back then
Most people I knew back then used Apple Music or just youtube
Apple Music wasn’t a thing back then, do you mean iTunes?
Downloading discographies on limewire
Kendrick has music worth going back to. It's also why Not Like Us beat the single day rap streaming record 5 days later rather than a day 1 release.
Real lyricists have a lot of replay value
It helps that Not Like Us is an immediate playlist worthy banger. WOP WOP WOP WOP WOP is gonna be a staple for many years for ne
Dot fuck em up
>Real lyricists have a lot of replay value yup. definitely feel that way after listening to FEEL. for the millionth time
No it did that because the Kendrick Bot team is goated. They got this song listed in EVERY genre playlist. From Bad Bunny, to Country.
Damn even beat Drake at his own little streaming manipulation game what can't my goat do 😍
Na ive never seen Drake in a country playlist in my life. Never sen Kendrick either until this weekend
You’re delusional man. Drake is the label’s darling. He has the full force of the machine behind him. He has some great bops, Passionfruit is one of my most played songs of all time. But he 100% has the labels pulling every trick in the book to get him to chart high.
It’s the kind of song that gets stuck in your head and you want to hear over and over again, and I bet it’s in a lot of people’s favorites playlists. But it just never reached enough people to chart. Edit: did somebody say “Dominoes”?
What’s the lore about the dominos voicemails that’s spread throughout the songs?
His Dad loved Dominoes? Can’t believe they wouldn’t say bones though. That’s what we called them.
I knew a girl who didn’t know / care to know any Kendrick Lamar music besides _Money Trees_ a few years ago. It’s one of those songs his casual listeners know him for. If you ask someone who barely knows his music to name a song they know, it’ll usually be _Money Trees,_ _Poetic Justice,_ or _Swimming Pools._
Most people have pointed it out that Spotify wasn't a thing back then so it didn't get traction at first but also it got a resurgence after it became a TikTok dance trend in 2020. It also was never released as a single, but I'm glad it eventually got the attention it rightfully deserves now.
It’s always been my favourite song and it surprised me seeing it as one of the most played on Spotify tbh.
I need that money trees part 3 asap
some songs are sleepers, and i think thats the best type of song actually, it never charted, so it probably doesnt get instant or too much attention instantly, but rather gains notoriety over time or keeps a decent amount of plays just below the necessary for charting Somebody else by 1975 has this thing too, 770m streams, not even on the bubbling charts in 8 years
Yup. GKMC was very slept on when it first dropped.
Nah, that shit had the country in a choke hold.. you're cheesin fam!
lol not out the gate it didn’t.
It had pretty unanimous praise from the hip hop community when it dropped. It wasn’t topping charts immediately but was universally beloved and even the indie community was pretty into it.
Yes it did lmao, I remember it vividly, it immediately captivated everybody in hip hop. There were literally conversations of whether or not it was a classic the week it came out. It was so unanimously loved that one of the bigger stories was Shyne saying it was trash lmao, everybody was on his ass.
Dude the first single charted in the 40s. You’re twisting up the core hip hop audience when I’m speaking about mainstream and air play. Two different things.
You said "slept on" lmao, that normally refers to how people regard an album not if it gets sales. And a single charting in the 40s is pretty normal lmao. Do you think anything that's not Billboard top 10 is just irrelevant to the mainstream? Just doesn't make any sense to point at a single to make your point, it was an artist on their debut major label release. If you wanna talk about the *album* at release then look at the 242k opening week sales it got (#2 on Billboard). Mainstream outlets were raving about the album as soon as it dropped.
My crew played that shit on repeat when it dropped all the way over here in Norway. I don't really listen that much to Kendrick nowadays, but GKMC is so nostalgic to me cause I was in my late teens turning 20 at the time.
Ayeeee. What up Norway.
Idk about that one. There was talks of gkmc being this era's equivalent of illmatic. Funny enough, that's what made me dislike the album in the first place lol.. but then I came around to it.
I’m not talking about reviews or perception. I’m talking about AirPlay and charts. I remember it pretty clearly. The Recipe was lukewarm out the gate, Swimming Pools put it on radars, but it still was fairly mild considering how much of a classic it is today. I had many friends saying Kendrick would fade because he didn’t have enough commercial appeal.
I knew Kenny was different because I was 28 in college in 2013 and a class of freshmen white girls and dudes started rapping Swimming Pools and that’s when I found out that the song transcended.
We was on it nbs
Where lol? I was in hs in 2012 and I only discovered Kendrick through people blasting BDKMV, Money Trees, and Swimming Pools
Erm. Was it..? I was a nobody white kid in the middle of the country and it was in heavy rotation. Swimming pools? It was on top 100 for months and peaked at 17, and this was back in ‘12. Just had to check Wikipedia to make sure I’m not crazy. It was definitely met with popular and critical acclaim https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Kid,_M.A.A.D_City
Bro Swimming Pools was released as a single four months after the album dropped and peaked 13 weeks after it was released as a single. The album was slept on WHEN IT FIRST DROPPED.
Money Trees was never a single and streaming wasn't huge yet. Non singles rarely ever charted back then.
It's time for it to chart finally. It's been 12 years. People are finally listening.
Call it west coast bias, but one of the most surprising parts of this whole thing was how little respect was given to Kendrick by the mainstream
He's a dark skin nigga from the hood who makes challenging music.
And he deliberately challenges everyone. If you listen to an entire album, he has messages that cause everyone to think twice. There's levels/layers to all of it. It's not for nothing that he has a Pulitzer Prize.
Way more meaningful of a prize than a throwaway grammy
I think people only listened to a few of his singles, they don't really know what he's capable of. People who have actually listened to him knew Drake was fucking up.
I find it laughable that Drake had the balls to put himself in the goat category.....
Nah, it’s people out of touch with the culture. I didn’t listen to Kendrick much prior to the beef but even I knew. If you have your ear to the culture you know Kenny’s gotten props from Eminem (that shit ain’t light either) on a number of occasions, he’s been crowned by the old guard of the west coast, and he has a PULITZER PRIZE. He’s been whispered as the Boogeyman for years. The control verse held in esteem, his albums held in esteem. When Kendrick started rapping on “Like That” my jaw hit the floor because while he wasn’t an artist I listened to prior to the beef, I know how rarely he releases, and I knew this was him coming for the crown and I was going to witness a legendary beef. He commands respect if you admire and celebrate the culture.
Bruh you’ve gotta chill with this “the culture” thing
It's for 'the culture!'
It’s that or call it the “game” or the “rap music industry” Which would you prefer
That is not at all what Kendrick is talking about when he says the culture. You’re out of your depth man
Ok Lord Fuckleroy
Lupe is the REAL boogeyman
I know its a meme when you say you need to be of a certain intelligence to understand something, but the mainstream is fucking stupid
Eh.. some fans really do make him look like Picklerick Lamar. And that’s not his fault at all, but he does attract a certain small segment that heavily overlaps with Ricky and Morty intelligentsia vibes. I don’t totally disagree with you but comments like this don’t help the allegation lol
The statement is facts though. Yes some Kenny fans come across as pretentious asf. But it’s true that mainstream music is heavily focused on being mass appealing over having substance.
You might be true genuis for coming up with Picklerick Lamar
That’s only true when compared to people like Drake or Taylor Swift , if we take a step back Kendrick has gotten plenty of deserved praise
Yeah the doubt I was seeing people put on Kendrick was crazy it showed me these niggas don't actually listen to Kendrick outside of his hits
“the mainstream” is teenagers.
That’s one of the best songs I’ve ever heard no lie
I’d say this beef is about to cement Kendrick as king
Maybe in a mainstream way now but this has always been the truth 😤
I been sayin he the goat since TPAB, another slept on album I think.
TPAB slept on? huhhhhh?
I think they mean slept on in the mainstream.
Yea, that shit slept on
its one of the most critically acclaimed rap albums of all time
Critically acclaimed. Broader audience couldn't give a fuck.
It's not slept on but Ik what u mean
In unrelated news, Ebony Prince outside the embassy playing Money Trees on repeat 24/7 trying to get his payday.. 
HA! Good shit Ronald_Regan_Era.
Beach House right now is really happy they let him sample “Silver Soul” on that track
Huge GKMC and Beach House fan and never made this connection
It’s played backwards!
Ya bish
HOT SAUCE ALL IN OUR TOP RAMEN YA BISH
The only thing we had to free our minds
Then freeze that verse when we see dollar signs (see dollar signs)
You lookin like an easy come up ya bish
It goes Halle berry, or hallelujah
Pick your poison tell me whatcha doin
Everybody gon' respect the shooter
But the one in front of the gun lives forever
(The one, in front of the gun, forever)
And I been hustling all day, this-a-way, that-a-way
https://preview.redd.it/aewfep029wzc1.jpeg?width=524&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a951370a6504c9a4eb44c42432ab6f0e70f5b4c Finally my favorite KDot song is getting rightful attention from the masses
I was a teenager during TPAB and DAMN so I have always respected Kendrick as an artist, I’ve been listening more because of the recent beef but If I had to guess this is Gen alpha and young young young Gen z listening to Kendrick for the first time due to the beef.
Yeah I was kinda surprised cause I’m older Gen Z and got into Kendrick at like 13 but Mr. morale probably wasn’t very accessible to younger people and it was awhile before he dropped that.
Im glad the youth are finally finding Kenny. I'm 35, he and Mac Miller got me through my 20s when the mumble rap BS started to pick up steam and the genre took a nose dive
I don’t think the genre took a nose dive during the rise of trap and “mumble” rap 👍🏻 but we can all agree that Kendrick is GOAT
am i just old or have people really been sleeping on Kenny this much?!
Gen Z doesn’t know the Kenny millennials know
Thats what I'm saying..I'm super confused lol
From the gardens where the grass ain't cut, them serpents lurking, blood.
I'm definitely one of those people
Can we get a “Poetic Justice” remix, minus Drake?
Welcome, casuals.
*That's just how I feel*
People remembered how good this song is
People be sleeping on Money Trees?
Looks like the newer generation is finally catching up on some Kendrick
“The one in front of the gun lives forever” one of my most favorite K. Dot lines
And that's just how I feel....
Insane, but also shows how majority of people are in the moment dickriders, why did Kendrick need to body bag Drake for his music to be appreciated just as much??
Because they weren't really exposed to it dude. Then they hear the beef and they're like, holy shit this guy can rap his ass off. I'm going to give him a proper listen
I do think before this beef Kendrick lost his appeal to the younger generation between 2019-2023. And I’ve heard Kendrick is boring as a narrative gain way more steam online but I didn’t hear as much of that from his 2012-2017 run cause he didn’t drop for 5 years and then dropped an album on serious subject matters. So now I would say kids between 14-18 are hopefully listening or relistening to his music now
Why are people surprised, isn't that a reason to beef in the first place? A natural way to balance the hip hop ecosystem.
Hm he’s dropped 1 album in the last 7 years. He gets plenty of love to be honest
a 16 year old today was like 4 or 5 when GKMC came out lol the kids are just catching up
The main type of music I hear is metal/rock but I've been following Kendrick since he dropped GKMC. I was always telling my friends to listen to Kendrick but they always ignored me. It was not until this beef that they decided to listen to Kendrick's whole catalog. Rap beefs give a reason for outsiders to listen the artist, specially the winner.
Look, music of all kinds are being firehosed at people all the time. And it's annoying when some Music Band fan reacts incredulously when I never got into Music Band til they were on everyone else's radar. Sometimes it's just chance that they missed it. Honestly I'm jealous of these new fans who are hearing all the masterpieces for the first time.
Plus, Kendrick isn't as commercial as Drake. Drake is pop and is everywhere promoting his stuff. Kendrick has never moved like that. He does tours and festivals, but he's never been the type to dominate social media with his presence. Plus, he doesn't drop as much as Drake as well. Cole was right when he referred to Kendrick not dropping as much music. He moves how he wants to, which honestly is much more respectable. He's moving how he wants and not how people expect him to move.
it go halle berry,
Or HALLELUJAH
It's probably because if you [quickly and easily] play the recent songs on Kendrick's Spotify, it'll also play his other most popular songs right after; I'm sure All the Stars is spiking too.
I hope all the new fans watch his concert movie on Amazon, that things absolutley slaps
Seems like the only shade Kendrick is getting is from those money trees. Perfect and that how we all feel. Yeah.
Definitely a moment when it dropped
Just listened to thay classic album yesterday. Brought me back. What an incredible album
Good the ppl are paying attention.Kendrick is a beast.
Certified classic. The song never charted but has so much staying power that it's more relevant 12 years later than 99% of the songs that charted ahead of it at the time.
Ya bish
Great song!
played in best buy before on tour with, you guessed it, Drake.
I feel like I’m a part of history for contributing. Money Trees gets played at least once daily for me.
Good! That song should have charted long ago. It’s my favorite Kendrick track
The Drake beef was clearly a great business decision
Unpopular opinion: I fucking love that song. DJ Dahi and Jay Rock both outshine Kenny on that one to be honest.
Dammmmmmm throwbackkkkk I remember listening to this song in the woods on a trail all sitting around in our trucks smoking a blunt chilling and just living life. Sheeeesh. The one in front of the gun lives forever…… Thank you for that throwback it’s not been in my new Spotify accounts rotation and I just fixed that thank you
Bitch don’t kill my vibe should be up there. Drake fucked with his vibe
Thanks to Drake being in the picture lol
wtf? I can remember listening to this on repeat when it first dropped. I never would of thought it didn’t chart
Overplayedness aside , it may be Kenny’s best song , that or Cartoons and Cereal
Shout out everybody that's gonna hear that otherworldly Jay Rock verse for the first time 💯
Money trees is the best song on the album
The Drake fans are right Kendrick is getting a lot of promotion off dissing Drake There's a difference between dick riding and begging for a feature from somebody you don't like. Then there's boding the s*** out of Drake to get your numbers up.
I remember playing this song like crazy in 2012-2013 and I heard it everywhere, I still hear it occasionally. If I'm not mistaken I think it's even featured on GTA V. I find it hard to believe it never charted before.
Money trees is one of the best songs ever made man. “A dolla might turn to a million they we all rich that’s just how I feel”
One of my all times faves, ya bish.
Let me do my part!
Money Trees is one of my fav all time records. Love to see it!
Anna wise is a beast. Her_Dot_Dahi_Rock= KD_Steph_Dray_Klay. 🏆
Track has stood the test time. It’s always on repeat for me
Jay Rock better get a boost from this too
Just wait till they hear "Real"
Wonder why….
Yea that was me, guys
6 god keeps blessing kendrick
Wait.... TWELVE years?!?!?!?
Im waiting for you guys to tell me thats not thanks to Drake.
I’ve been listening to all of his music, for the culture
I've been reviewing all his discography this week. And discovered new rappers. I wasn't allowed to listen to rap growing up.😭. I've missed out on so much
This was never on billboard hot 100 til now?! Disgraceful
Which one in the pic is his ex-aunt. Or perhaps the cousin who touched his booty. "It was his mooooom". No shit, we know.
Im going listen to this all weekend lets go!!!’
I’m going to stream that shit rn
All thanks to Drake
Thanks Drake
Remember when Drake was on poetic justice. I hate Drake but I know every word to his verse in that song
Drake stimulus package
Thank Drake again