About Kendrick Lamar - From Mixtapes to Master of his Craft (Updated November 28, 2012)

Like other rap and hip-hop artists who had come before him, Kendrick Lamar didn't turn heads with a media blitz or a reality show appearance. Instead, the youngster from California gained a following thanks to a series of mixtapes and a self-titled EP, not to mention the backing of some very powerful artists.

Lamar, who cites Tupac Shakur as his biggest influence, began recording mixtapes when he was just a teen. He released his first compilation in 2003 at the age of 16, and five years later made a cameo appearance in the music video for Jay Rock's debut single, "All My Life (In the Ghetto)." Still performing as "K-Dot," he dropped the stage name in 2009 to release the self-titled "Kendrick Lamar EP" in late 2009.

With a strong following and an upward career trajectory, Lamar toured with Jay Rock and Tech N9ne on "The Independent Grind" tour in 2010. That September, he also released "Overly Dedicated," a mixtape which garnered the attention of Dr. Dre and led to Lamar working with the legendary hip hop producer and Snoop Dog on Dre's "Detox" album.

In March 2012, Lamar entered into a joint venture deal with Top Dawg Entertainment, Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment. He premiered his commercial debut single, "The Recipe," the following month, and his first official album, "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City," bowed on October 22. It debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200 and earned the highest first-week hop hop album sales of 2012 for a male artist.