Kendrick Lamar, an acclaimed American rapper and songwriter, is known not only for his profound lyrics and innovative musical style, but also for his intriguing aliases. Here is the list of his different names, including K. Dot and Kung Fu Kenny.
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Also Read: Kendrick Lamar isn’t just a rapper
Kendrick Lamar: Popular Nicknames
Over the years Kendrick has been known by many names. Some of them still resonate among his older fans.
- Kendrick Lamar: This is his real name and the one he is most widely known by. He started using his real name professionally in 2009.
- K. Dot: This was his stage name early in his career, from 2003 to 2009. He released several mixtapes under this name.
- Kung Fu Kenny: This alter ego was introduced on his 2017 album DAMN. The name was inspired by Don Cheadle’s character Kenny in Rush Hour 2.
- King Kendrick: This nickname was gained for his hip-hop success.
- Hip Hop King: He is considered a hip hop legend.
- Mr. Morale: This nickname reflects his uplifting influence.
- Black Panther: This nickname reflects his African American origin and his impact on hip-hop culture.
- The New Generation’s Tupac: This moniker links Kendrick Lamar to one of the most legendary hip-hop musicians, Tupac Shakur.
While all of the above mentioned names are still popular amongst his wide range of fans, but below two are the most famous stage names of Kendrick Lamar known revered by the fans.
K. Dot
Before he was known as Kendrick Lamar, he adopted the stage name K. Dot. This was early in his career, around 2003. Under this moniker, he released several mixtapes, including Youngest Head Nigga in Charge at the age of 16, and then C4. However, in 2009, following the release of his C4 mixtape, Kendrick decided to drop the stage name K.Dot in favor of his real, government name. Less than 12 months later, he released a self-titled EP, and Kendrick Lamar, the rapper, was officially born.
Kung Fu Kenny
Kendrick Lamar introduced his alter ego, Kung Fu Kenny, to the world on his album DAMN. He even opened his headlining 2017 Coachella set with a three-part short film titled, The Damn Legend of Kung Fu Kenny. This moniker is not the only one Kendrick has used throughout his career, but it certainly stands out due to its unique origin and the narrative it carries.
Inspiration
The name Kung Fu Kenny was inspired by Don Cheadle’s character Kenny in Rush Hour 2, who owned a Chinese food restaurant and studied martial arts. Despite starring in the music video for ‘DNA.’, Cheadle failed to make the connection until Kendrick debuted a short karate film, The Damn Legend of Kung Fu Kenny, at his Coachella headline set in 2017.
The Story
In the short film, Kendrick Lamar, aka Kung Fu Kenny, is a promising martial artist looking to master his skills. He ultimately does so by finding the glow – in a woman’s vagina no less. When Lamar’s alter ego finally finds the glow, it signifies that the rapper has reached his full potential as an artist and is at the top of his game. Lamar’s short film ends with the words “Kung Fu Kenny Found the Mothafuckin’ Glow Hoe,” signifying that he believes he is one of the biggest hip hop acts around right now
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