Released: October 22, 2012

Songwriter: Kendrick Lamar Pharrell Williams

Producer: Pharrell Williams

[Produced by Pharrell Williams]

[Chorus: Pharrell Williams]
Mass hallucination, baby
Ill education, baby
Want to reconnect with your elations?
This is your station, baby

[Verse 1: Kendrick Lamar]
Look inside these walls and you see I'm havin' withdrawals
Of a prisoner on his way
Trapped inside your desire to fire bullets that stray
Track attire just tell you I'm tired and ran away
I should ask a choir: "What do you require
To sing a song that acquire me to have faith?"
As the record spin I should pray
For the record, I recognize that I'm easily prey
I got ate alive yesterday
I got animosity buildin', it's prob'ly big as a buildin'
Me jumpin' off of the roof is me just playin' it safe
But what am I 'posed to do when the topic is red or blue
And you understand that I ain't
But know I'm accustomed to just a couple that look for trouble
And live in the street with rank
No better picture to paint than me walkin' from bible study
And called his homies because he had said he noticed my face
From a function that tooken place, they was wonderin' if I bang
Step on my neck and get blood on your Nike checks
I don't mind 'cause one day you'll respect
The good kid, m.A.A.d city

[Chorus: Pharrell Williams]
Mass hallucination, baby
Ill education, baby
Want to reconnect with your elations?
This is your station, baby

[Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar]
All I see is strobe lights, blindin' me in my hindsight
Findin' me by myself, promise me you can help
In all honesty I got time to be copacetic until
You had finally made decision to hold me against my will
It was like a head-on collision that folded me standing still
I can never pick out the difference and grade a cop on the bill
Every time you clock in the morning, I feel you just want to kill
All my innocence while ignorin' my purpose to persevere
As a better person; I know you heard this and probably in fear
But what am I 'posed to do when the blinkin' of red and blue
Flash from the top of your roof and your dog has to say woof
And you ask: "Lift up your shirt," because you wonder if a tattoo
Of affiliation can make it a pleasure to put me through
Gang files, but that don't matter because the matter is racial profile
I heard 'em chatter: "He's prob'ly young, but I know that he's down
Step on his neck as hard as your bullet-proof vest
He don't mind, he know we'll never respect
The good kid, m.A.A.d. city."

[Chorus: Pharrell Williams]
Mass hallucination, baby
Ill education, baby
Want to reconnect with your elations?
This is your station, baby

[Verse 3: Kendrick Lamar]
All I see in this room: 20's, Xannies and these 'shrooms
Grown-up candy for pain, can we live in a sane
Society? It's entirely stressful upon my brain
You hired me as a victim, I quietly hope for change
When violence is the rhythm, inspired me to obtain
The silence in this room with 20's, Xannies and 'shrooms
Some grown-up candy, I lost it, I feel it's nothin' to lose
The streets sure to release the worst side of my best
Don't mind, 'cause now you ever in debt to good kid, m.A.A.d. city

[Chorus: Pharrell Williams]
Mass hallucination, baby
Ill education, baby
Want to reconnect with your elations?
This is your station, baby

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter from Compton, CA.

He first gained major attention after the release of his 2010 mixtape O(verly) D(edicated). In 2011, his album Section.80, released exclusively through iTunes, instantly ranked as one of the top digital hip-hop releases of the year. In 2012, he crossed over to mainstream audiences with his major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, which was widely regarded as an instant classic. In 2015, he released To Pimp a Butterfly to widespread acclaim. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The following year, untitled unmastered. was released by surprise. In April of 2017, Kendrick released DAMN. on Good Friday.

Known for his storytelling, imagery, wordplay, passion and varied song structures, Kendrick brings hard-hitting lyricism with narratives to the West Coast, not traditionally known for its lyricists.