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Kendrick Lamar’s albums have repeatedly proven he is no one-trick pony and can pull off various styles. From jazz-hop to trap, he has shown fans and music critics alike that he is a versatile and formidable force.

Many MCs who find themselves in the charts quickly realise that they can’t adapt to the ever-changing sound of hip-hop, and, if there is one thing that is necessary in contemporary rap music, it is the ability to change with the times. More importantly, it’s essential to stand out from the crowd, and with his wide range of listening habits, Kendrick Lamar has always been able to distinguish himself sonically.

Whether it’s Good Kid m.A.A.d City or Mr Morale & The Big Steppers, traces of other music can be heard in Lamar’s projects. Not only can you hear the fusion of different genres, such as jazz and gospel but, you can often hear how different regional forms of hip-hop in his tracks.

Lamar has previously opened up about his love for East Coast, West Coast and Down South rappers and has attributed several iconic names to his unique sound. However, he could never deny that, as a Compton native, the West Coast truly shaped him as a person and artist.

During a sit-down conversation with Complex magazine, the Section.80 lyricist opened up about his childhood, his experiences in the inner-city projects of LA and the music that provided the soundtrack to his formative years.

His choices highlight a mixture of music from and about his hometown and extraordinarily rare records that show a particular sort of musical curiosity.

Beginning on the East Coast, Lamar explained how his idea of a quality concept album came from Lauryn Hil., Citing her 1998 debut as a significant influence on hum, the ‘Swimming Pools’ emcee stated, “That [record] probably had the most hits on it than I’ve ever heard. Even going back and listening to it now. Crazy, I think she was way ahead of her time—just the feeling and the cohesiveness and the concept behind it. It was just genius to me.”

The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill was the first female rap album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 and is a diamond-certified project. Elaborating on how the album’s accompanying visuals were amazing to him, Lamar continued, “[I] Really just [remember] the videos, how dope the videos were. They were cool and it was just a different feel. It had a natural organic feel.”

Recalling that era, the DAMN rhymer concluded, “Back then the videos coming out, everybody had the high-class, high-end type look, hers was more natural, being-herself type look. I thought that was dope, and it’s dope that I recognised that at a young age.”

Unsurprisingly, Dr Dre’s sophomore effort, 2001, was a West Coast project that significantly impacted him. Recounting how his father bought it for him, Kendrick recalled the enthusiasm with which he opened the CD, disclosing, “I remember ripping the packaging for that CD; my pops had brung it. I just remember him playing it all day just for months, for months for months for months. For months. Got attached to it. And years later, he’s still playing it, so that’s how I know it’s an actual classic.”

However, despite his love for Dr Dre, one artist constantly had Lamar’s attention and remains the soundtrack of his childhood. DJ Quik. The West Coast rapper released his fifth album, Balance & Options, in 2000, and Kendrick distinctly remembers hearing it all the time.

Fondly looking back on that time, Lamar told Complex, “My homeboy Earl would play that album all day. One of the first songs on there ‘I Don’t Wanna Party Wit U’ is one I could remember that really jumps out to me and really gave me that feel. It was summertime, we was running around, and that was always playing.”