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A.D.H.D (Kendrick Lamar song)

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"A.D.H.D"
Song

"A.D.H.D" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, taken from his debut studio album, Section.80 (2011). The song was produced by frequent collaborator and Top Dawg in-house producer Sounwave, of Digi+Phonics.

Background and theme

The song's name refers to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It addresses the high drug and medication tolerance of people born during the 1980s,[2] who are referred to as "crack babies" in the song due to the crack epidemic that was notable during that period. Gabrielle Domanski of the Canadian music magazine exclaim! called it a "lethargic, drug-infused track."[3]

Critical reception

"A.D.H.D" received critical acclaim from music critics upon release. In his review, Pitchfork's Jordan Sargent wrote "There's the Based God's paranoia, Drake's singing/rapping fluidity, the soothing synthscapes of Wiz's mixtapes, and, of course, an obsession with drugs." He noted its simplicity, but added that "Lamar's individuality and skill as a rapper shine through" the song.[4] Complex named "A.D.H.D" the 13th best song of 2011. The magazine wrote that "it captures the mood of today's lonely, drugged-out youth who seem more interested in Bay Area Kush and Purple Label tags than anything else."[5] The song was also featured in Grand Theft Auto V soundtrack station in Radio Los Santos. The song was nominated to the 2013 Spike Video Game Awards for Best Song in a Game.

In his 2012 review of Lamar's second album, Dan Jackson of cmj.com called "A.D.H.D" Lamar's best song prior to the release of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.[6] In 2013, San Antonio Current wrote that "A.D.H.D" and the album's lead single "HiiiPoWeR" were hits that put Lamar into the national spotlight in 2011.[7] In 2014, NPR writer Eric Ducker called "A.D.H.D" one of Lamar's three best songs.[1]

Music video

The music video for the song was released on August 23, 2011. It shows Lamar with his friends "cruising through a bodega and an empty office, and it gets over on pure kids-having-fun atmosphere."[8] He said about the music video: "I wanted the video to illustrate the emotion he paints with words, while avoiding gratuitous shots of any substance. Despite the song's title and content, the focus isn't the drugs, but rather, that basic human experience of apathetic youth. That simple mood of emptiness which we choose to either address or self-medicate."[9] The video was directed by Vashtie Kola (Va$htie), who wrote: Inspired by "A.D.H.D."s dark beat and melancholy lyrics which explore a generation in conflict, we find Kendrick Lamar in a video that illustrates the songs universal and age-old theme of apathetic youth. Shot in New York City during the sweltering July Summer heat, "A.D.H.D" is the third video to be released from Kendrick Lamar's debut album Section.80. As of December 2017, the video has 49 million views on YouTube.[10]

Live performances

Lamar performed the song live on October 23, 2011 at CMJ[11] and on November 11 at a Sneaker Pimps event,[12] both in New York City. Lamar performed the song again on July 20, 2014 at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. exclaim! writer Stephen Carlick wrote that it was "a perfect reminder that Kendrick Lamar was Kendrick Lamar before he became a Good Kid, and that the man who would be king is now firmly seated in the throne."[13]

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard)[14] 8

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[15] Gold 500,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b Ducker, Eric (23 July 2014). "A Rational Conversation: The Sound Of TDE's Success". NPR. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  2. ^ Velez, Brian (11 May 2012). "Lavernapalooza raps up semester". Campus Times. University of La Verne. Retrieved 5 December 2014. He then performed "A.D.H.D.," a song about the generation born in the 1980s and its fascination with legal and illegal drugs.
  3. ^ Domanski, Gabrielle (25 August 2011). "Kendrick Lamar "A.D.H.D." (video)". Exclaim!. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  4. ^ Sargent, Jordan (14 July 2011). "Kendrick Lamar "A.D.H.D."". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  5. ^ "The 25 Best Songs of 2011". Complex. 30 December 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  6. ^ Jackson, Dan (31 October 2012). "Review: Kendrick Lamar good kid, m.A.A.d. (Interscope, 2012)". cmj.com. Retrieved 5 December 2014. ...his best pre-GKMC track was called "A.D.H.D."...
  7. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Brings His Talented Friends to Our Neck of the Woods". San Antonio Current. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  8. ^ Breihan, Tom (24 August 2011). "Kendrick Lamar – "A.D.H.D." Video". Stereogum. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Life + Times Video Premiere: Kendrick Lamar's "A.D.H.D."". Life + Times. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  10. ^ Top Dawg Entertainment (24 August 2011). "Kendrick Lamar - A.D.H.D (Official Video)". YouTube.
  11. ^ "Kendrick Lamar: "A.D.H.D." & "Ronald Reagan Era" (Live At CMJ) (Video)". prefixmag.com. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  12. ^ "Kendrick Lamar: "ADHD" F. ASAP Rocky (Live In NYC) (Video)". prefixmag.com. 12 November 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  13. ^ Carlick, Stephen (21 July 2014). "Kendrick Lamar Green Stage, Union Park, Chicago IL, July 20". Exclaim!. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  14. ^ "Kendrick Lamar – Chart History: Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
  15. ^ "American single certifications – Kendrick Lamar – A.D.H.D". Recording Industry Association of America.
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