Duckworth (song)

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"Duckworth." redirects here. For other uses, see Duckworth (disambiguation).
"Duckworth"
Song by Kendrick Lamar
from the album Damn
Recorded2017
StudioWindmark Studios, Jungle City Studios
Genre
Length4:09
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Duckworth" (stylized as "DUCKWORTH.") is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, taken from his fourth studio album Damn, released on April 14, 2017. The fourteenth and final track on the album (first on the Collector's Edition of Damn[2]), the song was written by Lamar and record producer Patrick Douthit, known professionally as 9th Wonder, and produced by 9th Wonder, with additional production by Bēkon. The song's title is Lamar's actual last name.[3][4][5]

The song tells the true story[5] of Lamar's father meeting Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith years prior to Lamar getting signed by his record label.[6]

Lyrics[]

The song uses storytelling to tell the connection of Lamar with his father, known as Ducky, and his label boss, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith.[4] Specifically, the song tells the story about Tiffith's previous encounters with Ducky, Lamar's father, years prior to Tiffith signing Lamar to his label.[7][4]

More specifically, it tells the story of how Anthony "Top Dawg" was a gangbanger. When he was younger, he frequented the KFC where Ducky worked; this is the same KFC that Top Dawg had stuck up a few years ago, when he killed a manager, and maybe even a few customers. Ducky found out about this, and made sure he was on Anthony's good side: giving him free chicken, extra biscuits, etc. When Anthony did eventually hold up the restaurant again, he and his friends made sure not to kill Ducky. If it weren't for this happening, Kendrick wouldn't be the rapper he is today, and could've even died at a young age.

The song, like "Fear",[8] another track from Damn, incorporates "backwards vocals", also known as backmasking.[9]

Critical reception[]

Teddy Craven of The Daily Campus described "Duckworth" as Damn's "strongest song" and "ends the album with a fantastic philosophical mic-drop."[10] Craven compared the track to "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" from Lamar's second studio album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, a song that also tells personal stories about the unexpected consequences of Lamar's music.[10]

The song attracted attention of media in the former Yugoslavia due to its sample of "Ostavi Trag" by Yugoslav jazz-rock band September.[11]

Samples[]

The song contains samples of "Atari" by Hiatus Kaiyote,[12] "Ostavi Trag" by September, "Let the Drums Speak" by Fatback Band, and "Be Ever Wonderful" by Ted Taylor.[13][14] 9th Wonder sampled "Mole on the Dole" by Climax Blues Band for the track's drums.

Credits and personnel[]

Credits adapted from the official Damn digital booklet.[1]

  • Kendrick Duckworth – songwriter
  • Patrick Douthit – songwriter, producer, mixing
  • Bēkon – additional production, additional vocals
  • Kid Capri – additional vocals
  • Derek Ali – mixing
  • Tyler Page – mixing, mix assistant
  • Cyrus Taghipour – mix assistant
  • Zeke Mishanec – additional recording
  • Brendan Silas Perry – additional recording

Charts[]

Chart (2017) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[15] 52
Ireland (IRMA)[16] 52
Portugal (AFP)[17] 56
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[18] 76
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[19] 7
UK Singles (OCC)[20] 80
US Billboard Hot 100[21] 63
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[22] 36

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[23] Gold 40,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[24] Gold 500,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Digital Booklet - DAMN. copy.pdf". DocDroid. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  2. ^ India, Lindsey (December 8, 2017). "Kendrick Lamar Surprises Fans With 'Damn.' Collector's Edition". XXL. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  3. ^ "Kendrick Lamar: 10 Facts You Didn't Know About The 'Good Kid' Rapper". Capital XTRA. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Norwin, Alyssa (April 14, 2017). "Kendrick Lamar Tells The Most Incredible Story On 'Duckworth' & Fans Love It". Hollywood Life. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "9th Wonder Confirms Kendrick Lamar's "Duckworth" Is A True Story". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  6. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Tells Wild Story About His Father Meeting Top Dawg on "Duckworth"". Complex. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  7. ^ ClassicOne (April 18, 2017). "9th Wonder Confirms Whether Or Not Kendrick Lamar's "Duckworth" Was True". Exclusive Hip Hop News, Interviews, Rumors, Rap & Music Videos | Allhiphop. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  8. ^ "What's Kendrick Lamar saying in reverse on "Fear" and "Duckworth"? Listen to the original". Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  9. ^ "Kendrick Lamar "Duckworth." Lyrics: Every verse in the standout track from 'Damn.'". Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b "Album review: Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN."". The Daily Campus. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  11. ^ Raknić, Damjan (April 28, 2017). "VIDEO: REPERSKA MEGAZVIJEZDA KENDRICK LAMAR SEMPLIRALA EX-YU JAZZ ROCKERE 'Recite Tihomiru hvala za bezvremensku glazbu'". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  12. ^ "Kendrick Lamar's 'DUCKWORTH.' - Discover the Sample Source". WhoSampled. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  13. ^ Kendrick Lamar – DUCKWORTH., retrieved April 21, 2017
  14. ^ Genius (April 17, 2017), Every Sample On Kendrick Lamar's 'DAMN.', retrieved April 21, 2017
  15. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  16. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  17. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Kendrick Lamar – Duckworth.". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  18. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201716 into search. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  19. ^ "Swedish Heatseekers Chart - 14 April 2017". Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  20. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  21. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  22. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  23. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Kendrick Lamar – Duckworth". Music Canada. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  24. ^ "American single certifications – Kendrick Lamar – Duckworth". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 7, 2018.

External links[]

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