The Making Of Kendrick Lamar's "Backseat Freestyle" With Hit-Boy | Deconstructed

Kendrick Lamar released his single, “Backseat Freestyle,” in 2012 from his second album, 'good kid, m.A.A.d city.' It received endless praise and has since been certified Platinum. The song is produced by Hit-Boy, who’s worked with a number of major artists. Genius recently sat down with the Southern California producer to break down how the song was made.
Read more on Genius: genius.com/a/the-making-of-ke...
Read all the lyrics to "Backseat Freestyle" on Genius: genius.com/Kendrick-lamar-bac...
Watch the official music video for "Backseat Freestyle": • Kendrick Lamar - Backs...
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#KendrickLamar #BackseatFreestyle #HitBoy

[@tasenova2717]

I think we all forget as producers that songs can literally be made with any genre. I noticed that the sample in the beginning was an Indian chant, and it already had me thinking, "damn why didn't I Think of that"

[@IamDevron]

Cuz who tf thinks of that lmao that’s something you just stumble upon

[@tommytimmy8441]

Yeah, the sample for xxxtentacions “look at me” had like this weird vocal chant and the producer totally flipped it.

[@brandondavid934]

*Latín chant dude

[@tasenova2717]

@@tommytimmy8441 ooh true. Mala.

[@tasenova2717]

@@brandondavid934 whoops

[@butitaintralphthough6705]

i’m more amazed that the producer even HAS that FL file still wtf

[@empxctmusic]

Chris Boyle as a creative, you always keep your old work. I still have old notebooks filled with lyrics and beat projects from 2014. I keep them personally to watch how much I’ve grown

[@superhobo500]

@@empxctmusic Word. i still got 2006 flps. nvr know when you might need to recall somethin

[@ryuman757]

I've still got some of my first drawings I ever did as a kid. I love watching my progress, but I can't imagine how elevated that'd be for something I made as classic as this beat. I'd frame the flashdrive that beat was on 🤣🤣🤣

[@deadbeatzproductiongarcia4321]

@@empxctmusic (kk

[@salt4821]

it came from 2012

[@catwearingshades]

GKMC shaped my teen years in high school what a classic

[@mindworm7689]

Subverted on godddd

[@wavecomingmusic2833]

Same!

[@JustASnack]

extremely relatable comment

[@Roofdaddynick]

Subverted I’m a little older.. graduated high school in 2009 and this is my generations “the chronic” if that makes any sense. I witnessed the reach of this album in ways that I haven’t seen since I was a kid in the 90’s, specifically Dre and Em. Shit was crazy

[@amarelogan7081]

Damn bro u make me feel old and I'm still young class of 07

[@LLusion]

this episode long over due

[@nut_salad]

bruh it's you

[@88rkinlaw]

How can people say rap isn't music? This is so intricate and precise. This takes absolute talent and knowledge. Classic!

[@PtylerBeats]

Who’s saying this isn’t music?

[@tamunotamuno3564]

@@PtylerBeats Ben Shapiro 😂

[@PtylerBeats]

@@tamunotamuno3564 don’t even get me started on Ben Shapiro’s take on what constitutes music lol it’s so incredibly flawed in so many ways it physically pains me to hear him talk about it

[@tamunotamuno3564]

@@PtylerBeats and the worst part is that he is really smart so i don't know how an intelligent person like that talks so much trash about a genre of music 😂

[@mealovesyu]

@@tamunotamuno3564 that’s what racism does to someone’s brain

[@noskcaj1665]

8 years later and I just realize how random this beat is.

[@cjmartinez5484]

8 years later and this still sounds fire as hell though, GKMC aged well.

[@noskcaj1665]

@@cjmartinez5484 agreed

[@nedkuczmynda3782]

It kinda puts modern production to shame all the weird sounds he layers into this amazing beat

[@kevindube7096]

“I found this sound, then I found this loop so I took that too, then I found a scratch sound and I put it over that” I wish they would have gone into how it was mixed, not just describing what loops he found in some sound library

[@theorrymusic]

@@kevindube7096 its just leveling and basic eqing

[@yungswamprat8519]

“I got a beat cd get your freestyles ready”. Stop liking this plz

[@aclg7087]

You 11?

[@LH-wd7mc]

Don’t be a dick he is just vibin

[@sharondalewis1620]

@@aclg7087 that's a line from Kendrick's GKMC album. What's up with all these people just blindly insulting others?!?

[@joshualekan8178]

Yo!!!🔥🔥

[@savvy4272]

Scum Da Goon who still uses cds

[@deanjohnston1460]

that "dirty bell" makes the whole thing for me!

[@snehadeepkamble4476]

It's an indian sample

[@KishanPatel1997]

@@snehadeepkamble4476 from where?

[@snehadeepkamble4476]

@@KishanPatel1997 from movie taal a song name ramta jogi

[@4sup47]

Hit-boy is underated he got a lot of songs that people don't even know he produced he don't gotta tag Edit : I guess he has a tag now but back when he was producing for Kendrick n good music he didn't

[@thumperfoldemup9664]

Oh damn I never noticed that he doesn’t

[@luumaven]

RVA Savage highly agree. I saw that Genius didn’t list him as one of the best producers in last decade and I’m almost flipped my shit. Smh.

[@nahum9260]

He does have a tag on some of Juice Wrld songs from Death Race to Love

[@yoitscaptain]

if you know you know, real hip hop heads have high respect for him. he’s got multiple classics

[@musiew683]

"Hit-Boy on the beat so bitch you gotta bezerk"

[@IzzyRomero]

The record scratch at 3:59 is so HARDDDD

[@kungfukennytde6065]

Fuck yeah 🔥

[@joshrentos216]

Israel Romero when I heard that before the album dropped I was like “oh this is gon be a classic for real”

[@benjable7502]

IKR I feel like that added so much to the song

[@pprophet]

Israel Romero it sound like a sound from a game

[@skzy_music]

It’s a power puff girls sample. He definitely didn’t FIND it like that, so it was manipulated to sound like a scratched record

[@sanfizz]

Crazy how something so catchy and hard hitting can also be so simple

[@nakulkrejimon]

thats why i love this song so much!

[@yy-jx3sh]

We need that DUCKWORTH or Sing About Me Deconstructed

[@soberakin9415]

Might need a mini series on duckworth

[@fuglybunny69]

there’s a dope breakdown of sing about me by sandurz

[@yy-jx3sh]

fuglybunny69 never heard of it

[@FeastTheStoic]

fuglybunny69 I miss sandurz

[@maximusrusso8758]

Fuck FeaSt he was by far the best beat breakdown guy on yt what happened to him?

[@HardyBeats]

this just shows how creative you can be with samples to make something completely new

[@citylights3452]

We need swimming pools

[@jaspesc]

Heck yeah

[@johnindigo5477]

Facts

[@Fume1337]

We need all the songs

[@Dav3L]

For real doe

[@limeflavoredbleach5570]

Mix In The City and Money Trees

[@RAF_Ai]

Hit-Boy will always be a Legend just because of this beat !!!!

[@harivyas9550]

2 2 Hitboy is nasty af on them beats, most people don’t even know how much work he really put into some of them. Producers really need more credit .

[@YamikaniKalinde]

Hit Boy made "Niggaz in Paris". that's bigger

[@nmasijika7557]

Yamikani Kalinde no it’s not

[@someguy315]

@@YamikaniKalinde nah

[@dguy8804395]

Yawnnnz Ingg it is a way bigger song can literally play it anywhere and the majority of the crowd would know it. Thats not to say its a better song but its definitely more popular

[@atlas4974]

Can't believe Good Kid MAAD city didn't get a grammy

[@aaronwinder3930]

He got robbed for real

[@HarleyGPFYL]

F*ck macklemore

[@achinthyamadhusoodanan2007]

@@HarleyGPFYL it's not Macklemores fault,,idk why y'all act like this, y'all should be saying "fuck grammies" for that..grammies robbed him not Macklemore

[@shivang4420]

@@achinthyamadhusoodanan2007 they are 14 year old idiots...they think writing something like this will make them look cool and edgy

[@biffmcspandex7748]

The Grammys are shit... so many great artists got fucked by them over the years

[@kappakappa3223]

This format is literally the best on the whole channel. It's so inspiring to see how big producers think and how they work. I really appreciate the opportunity to look behind all these awesome songs. Keep up with that! ♥️

[@albertitos859]

SOMEBODY SAY D O M I N O E S?

[@IIIXTREME]

Wrong song

[@ianrobinson222]

@@IIIXTREME right album

[@bennyguevara9898]

Love the fact he gives props to Dre and Timbo in a real professional way, no overreacted or looking for something back. That’s original respect.

[@steezyasfvck]

2013 anthem

[@winterwarden]

I never realized how random this beat is until a saw the breakdown. Masterpiece.

[@louislambrecht160]

2012: nope 2013: nope 2014: nope 2015: nope 2016: nope 2017: nope 2018: nope 2019: nope 2020: (master oogway voice) the time has come

[@quavozack6104]

You forgot : Originality : Never

[@daringe8290]

@YellowVision YELLOW VISIIIOOONNN!!!

[@daringe8290]

@YellowVision 💕

[@482.]

the video came out 2 hours ago 🤦

[@tyreemakesbeats]

LMAO! MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY.

[@stefan_4508]

2:06 Ali must’ve put some insane effects on that vocal sample loop while mixing the beat cos it sounds nothing like it does in the finished product

[@muet-jb6rt]

Stefan Trifunovic i think they re-recorded it

[@TheBariNoZ]

@@muet-jb6rt wym it sounds nothing like the finished product; its like 80% there

[@muet-jb6rt]

Monolithic Fishmonger-X i mean i think they recorded someone singing the sample

[@TheBariNoZ]

@@muet-jb6rt oh my bad i @'ed the wrong person. and yeah its a possibility. tbh i always thought it was k dot's voice

[@BlaxicanBeautyTV333]

Think it was just pitched lower... Sounds the same.

[@NakulBeats]

Kendrick Lamar is one of the best lyricists in rap, but you have to appreciate the amount of time and effort producers put into making songs.

[@Salt9696]

Dude I was just listening to this song on repeat as a reference to one of the beats I was making. Crazy.

[@5518sw]

Most underrated Producer. When I say he has Hits ...HE GOT HIT HITS. HitBoy literally has multiple Number 1 records

[@JoeyBurbs]

one of the hardest beats of my lifetime

[@czar17_28]

I swear I’m in my car and I see this video, decide to watch it when I get home, start my music and skip the first song and then Backseat Freestyle plays.

[@dreco214]

Czar17 _ I was talking about the beat and then this showed up in my recommendation. The one time I’m okay with my phone being a listening leech ha

[@pukay4975]

KENDRICK HAD A DREAAAAAMMM

[@BenlshTracker]

Got goosebumps when they dropped the first verse through the live recordings and i love how humble hit boy is

[@davidferrini3609]

When u guys did that recap video i thought y'all were done with this. but u guys came back wit classics. i'm so grateful

[@aicsynthesizer]

3:57 powerpuff girls, season 2, episode 5-a; Beat Your Greens. hit-boy really sampled buttercup for this track, and it sounds dope. awesome.

[@HipHopTheology]

It's crazy to see how the producers go about their craft. As he built out the beat, I was thinking, "that's good" but he would keep looking for more stuff to add and it all meshed so well and made a full sound. That's dope production.

[@theboys5659]

Song comes out in 2012 Oh, ya its 2020, I think it's time to deconstruct the song

[@samidouifi]

Better late than ever

[@hi-volumebeats595]

U know they deconstructed a biggie beat too right, so thats 20+ years later

[@collinlerro6818]

The Boys this song doesn’t exist in a year, it exists separately from time, space, and reality.

[@keinplanvonmusik3152]

I guess a new kendrick album is near

[@Don-xn7nr]

When I heard this beat and then K-dot rapping over it back when I was 15 I immediately fell in love with Kendrick Lamar’s music, and I must thank this guy for making that sick beat. Great work brother!

[@madimakes]

i always love a fire beat evolution story...the intro being hand crafted, and such a small but integral part of this beat. Also loved hearing Kendrick expounding on it, you can tell he's grown, but even had a purpose when he first wrote it.

[@alexmathewmendoza]

I love these breakdowns, it gives so much context to the song.

[@gavinwarner3480]

GKMC is one of my favorite albums ever thanks for this

[@joshh6724]

If you’re gonna do this, please do Money Trees

[@Official2RST]

It's already out

[@delta6878]

Genius remembering how important producers are. We NEED decon videos on the regular. I never NOT want to know how music is made from the production view. Easily the best series ya'll have on the channel.

[@beatskxdd]

Better late than never.. up next "The Making of the Star-Spangled Banner"

[@lightsoutmedia7370]

beatskxdd lmaooooo facts

[@ArcenyHax]

The melody was actually a British drinking song! No joke haha

[@detectivejimmymcnulty1676]

Lmaooo

[@sksmadeit766]

I love seeing how other producers do it 🔥

[@Emerson-np9cn]

This is a much needed deconstructed! Thanks Genius 🙏🏻

[@LinxoZulu]

From the fast high pitched vocal sample to those fast paced bell loop, that's just incredible 👌🏽✔️💯🔌🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦

[@martinmahlatse9021]

I'm not into hip hop or even can hear what Kendrick is saying in this song, but this beat combined with Kendrick's genius, There was no way I could ignore such a musical masterpiece.

[@JayJean]

Hit Boy is legendary. Definitely an inspiration of mine

[@calebm3465]

One of the hardest songs ever. I hope Kendrick and hit-boy make more songs

[@ChAllynge]

Listened to this song 3 times today for no reason. happy asl to see this video

[@mfanelothegreat8145]

As a producer i always thought that these huge successful producers go way deeper when making beats but after watching alot of deconstructed i see they be doing basic stuff i be also doing when making a beat.. i guess it comes down to how creative you are

[@QuinnBJones]

One of Kendricks best tracks...Still get hyped when it comes on from the album🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💯💯💯💯🐐👑

[@remedeebeats5384]

The instrumental for this song is crazy. A few records that I would like to see on Deconstructed is Started from the Bottom, What's Free, Stay Schemin' and R.I.C.O

[@TimeWarpBeats]

Keep these classic breakdowns coming 🔥

[@justlpsy4647]

It would be great if Genius splitted deconstructed series for classics and recents. And keep it weekly but two episodes

[@thablackkat9905]

Or one every week. One week recents, next week throwbacks.

[@GoofyJuice]

KEEP EM COMIN GENIUS!!🔥🔥🔥

[@imalsoTOMATO]

Love how he acknowledges the types of sounds and influences he adds, very intricate

[@brantblk7360]

I’ve been waiting for this for YEARS

[@traplover6357]

Boomers thought this was Kendrick being radio-friendly and ditching conscious rap. But boi did Backseat Freestyle fit in GKMC oh so well.

[@elijahgavin6706]

Traplover it is “conscious” because it’s a perusal of the mentality of a young black man’s ambitions and aspirations in the modern day

[@KT-el6yn]

I've hyped myself up so damn much dat if Kendrick drops im having a seizure, on everything LMAO.

[@kayliathequeen9612]

Wow the creativity is amazing

[@joshualekan8178]

Was listening to the whole album today on repeat. Thanks Genius.

[@ayyj_24]

We need some more Kendrick beats🙌🏽🔥

[@clementmatrat]

Absolute classic, Kendrick is a legend already, GKMC and TPAB are amongst the greatest rap albums of all time imo

[@KaylaMadison444]

We love to see it !!!

[@QuinnYouTube]

Every sound in this beat is perfect

[@godzwilltypebeats]

This beat is truly GENIUS

[@Niko-vc2wm]

I would murder to see dre make hits back in the time

[@sefdestruct1]

this song and that whole album brings back memories to when I was 13, life was simple back then

[@lowbeats7916]

3:35 is my favorite part love the sound and that speaker shake

[@FinanceOptimum]

Such a classic album

[@TEEBANKS419]

Ah classic I think we all remember listening Kendrick as youngins

[@brodywhite1753]

Definitely need more Deconstructed Videos

[@kj_tricksta]

producers are hard workers and they deserve a lot of credit cuz they made those beats to be straight up fire 🔥

[@thexfaceable]

I remember that "arrinkeenkeenkeen" from an old techno song from like the 90s

[@DocKaosBeats]

I want a constructed of DNA maybe it's just me but that's one of my favorite Kendrick beats

[@aaronwinder3930]

Look it up. I think they did it already

[@DocKaosBeats]

@@aaronwinder3930 Nope never did DNA,they did LOVE but not DNA

[@kxdebeats]

Love these so much

[@FlipStar26]

I swear I’m so fascinated by these “making of" videos ....

[@levlev3_22]

He really made one of the most legendary beats using a ball mouse

[@LeBeautiful]

all these years and I still don't know who sherane is

[@FakeAccount]

It's master splinters daughter

[@touchme1806]

@@FakeAccount oh ffs

[@johannesgutenburg6425]

So you didn’t listen to GKMC?

[@Surfingthekaliyuga]

Master splinters daughter

[@RileyWuzzHere]

She was actually in the backseat freestyle video.

[@ariesfrmheavn]

been waiting for dis for like, forever

[@afrikankodo]

Classic. Masterpiece. Amazing to see the process behind it.

[@lul420]

holy shit this a classic

[@robinho64]

Do a episode with OZ, swiss producer for drake, travis scott, shindy etc. Part of the production of Sicko Mode.

[@thesoulcast956]

This dude knows what he talking about, mad respect for him and other good producers for Hip-Hop 🙌🔥🔥

[@aidans4588]

The way the video is cut is perfect

[@Kal-El207]

Nobody: Genius 8 years later: The making of Kendrick Lamar’s backseat freestyle.

[@kimi5425]

*screams “MARTIN HAD A DREAM! MARTIN HAD A DREAM! KENDRICK HAS A DREAAAM!”

[@cowboi9042]

My nigga did you just farted

[@kimi5425]

Cowboi every time that beat comes on like how can you not? I do it right when he said......... “YAK! YAK! YAK !YAK! MAN DOWN! WHERE YOU FROM NIGGA? FUCK WHO YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU FROM MY NIGGA?!” Somewhere along those lines 🙂

[@blackstonemediacollective2200]

I needed two days to process this video drop. I WAS NOT READY 🔥🔥🔥

[@April4thbeats]

fire! Need more episodes

[@SweetScaleTV]

This BEAT SLAPS!!! Ableton Gang Still Though!!

[@youse8605]

- SweetScale TV - ableton look like microsoft excel haha this message is from fl gang

[@SpringLeafWolf]

yeah...but Ableton Live 10 Suite is $750

[@shobhitchandankhede5849]

@@youse8605 I use Ableton but I couldn't agree with you more. Ableton looks like ass.

[@five6iix]

My music gon blow soon

[@Joey-vc3or]

Thank you for making this one

[@ayushbhattacharjee9879]

We need more deconstructed episode, it helps producer like us more.

[@ThasOmar]

Where’s the album Kendrick !! We waiting 🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@JustusWilcox]

Just listening to this yesterday. Y’all watching me.🤨

[@gonzaloberterretche3491]

I hit the like buttom before i see the video. EPIC BEAT

[@madeINaBATHtub]

I ALWAYS mess up by goin overkill on layers n what not. This track is so perfect cuz it’s so simple. He just works the groove hard af n keeps that bounce as the real centerpiece to let Kendrick do his thing. If u listen to the instrumental, you can’t help but spit over it. THAT is how I can tell a good beat from a bad one. When flows just fly outta your mouth with ease and it’s cuz the beat, you know you got a winner.

[@pattipooh]

damn he pretty much just found every part of the beat lmao

[@tareefsmith9027]

2:14 Uh, that sample is _Rock The Bells_ by LL Cool J, which sampled _Flick of the Switch_ by AC/DC. Dr. Dre had zero to do with that. How y'all don't know that?😕

[@D-One]

He just said "it *felt* like some Dre or Eazy-e shit". The "Indian" sample is also from a Latin Soul Group from Belgium and has nothing to do with "India"

[@tareefsmith9027]

@@D-One ??? Then it would feel like some Rick Rubin (the producer of "Rock The Bells") shit. Especially since "Rock The Bells" was released before Dre produced anything hip-hop related. Hit-Boy simply didn't know where that classic guitar riff came from. And he was born in the 80s, so age can't be used as an excuse lol. Annnnd Hit-Boy not knowing the difference between traditional Latin and "Indian" music being from Cali is... Nevermind bruh lol

[@sampledigger9955]

This is the type of beat that should be featured in Deconstructed videos!!!

[@gotthatfromjumbo]

CLASSIC!! It's a shame we don't hear more beats like this now a days! We were just talking about classic records like this on our last episode!