God (Kendrick Lamar song)

{{Redirect|God.|the concept of a supreme "God" in the context of monotheism|God|other uses|God (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox song

| name = God

| cover =

| alt =

| type =

| artist = Kendrick Lamar

| album = Damn

| released =

| recorded = 2017

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Hip-hop|R&B|trap}}

| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=08}}

| label = {{hlist|Top Dawg|Aftermath|Interscope}}

| writer = {{hlist|Kendrick Duckworth|Ricci Riera|Mark Spears|Dacoury Natche|Daniel Tannenbaum|Ronald LaTour|Anthony Tiffith|Daveon Jackson|Mike Hector|Travis Walton|Brock Korsan{{Cite web|url=https://repertoire.bmi.com/DetailView.aspx?detail=titleid&keyid=24946860&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&blnAltTitles=True|title = BMI | Songview Search}}}}

| producer = {{hlist|Riera|Sounwave|DJ Dahi|Bēkon|Cardo|Tiffith|Yung Exclusive|Hector|Walton}}

}}

"God" (stylized as "GOD.") is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his fourth studio album Damn, released on April 14, 2017. The thirteenth and penultimate track on the album (second on the Collector's Edition of Damn{{cite web|last1=India|first1=Lindsey|title=Kendrick Lamar Surprises Fans With 'Damn.' Collector's Edition|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/new-music/2017/12/kendrick-lamar-surprises-fans-damn-collectors-edition/|website=XXL|access-date=December 9, 2017|date=December 8, 2017}}), the song was produced by Ricci Riera, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, Bēkon, Cardo, Tiffith, with additional production by Yung Exclusive, Mike Hector, and Teddy Walton.

The song details Lamar's successes, how it feels, and why he works so hard to get to where he is today.{{Citation|title=Kendrick Lamar – GOD.|url=https://genius.com/Kendrick-lamar-god-lyrics|access-date=April 24, 2017}} The song also finds Lamar declaring his faux-divinity as a rap god.{{Cite news|url=https://relevantmagazine.com/slice/kendrick-lamar-wrestles-with-god-and-fame-on-his-new-album/|title=Kendrick Lamar Wrestles With God and Fame on His New Album|work=RELEVANT Magazine|access-date=April 24, 2017}}

Background

Before the release of Damn, the album itself was rumored to be centered around God.{{Cite news|url=http://www.okayplayer.com/news/kendrick-lamar-new-album-addresses-god-religion.html|title=Will New Kendrick Lamar Album Address God? {{!}} Okayplayer Okayplayer|last=Okayplayer|newspaper=Okayplayer|date=March 2017 |access-date=April 24, 2017}} It was soon confirmed by Lamar himself.{{Cite news|url=http://www.vibe.com/2017/03/kendrick-lamar-new-album-will-center-on-god/|title=Kendrick Lamar Hints His Next Album Will Center On God|date=March 2, 2017|work=Vibe|access-date=April 24, 2017}} Lamar has been a devout Christian since approximately his late teen years or adolescence.{{Cite news|url=https://www.gq.com/story/kendrick-lamars-drake-troll-could-be-his-best-ever|title=Kendrick Lamar's Latest Drake Troll Could Be His Best Ever|last=Woolf|first=Jake|date=April 14, 2017|work=GQ|access-date=April 24, 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/reggieugwu/the-radical-christianity-of-kendrick-lamar|title=The Radical Christianity Of Kendrick Lamar|work=BuzzFeed|access-date=April 24, 2017}}

Lyrics

According to Jake Woolf of GQ magazine, Lamar trolls Canadian musician and rapper Drake by imitating his singing voice on the song's chorus.

Live performances

Lamar performed "God" live at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 23, 2017.{{Cite web|url=http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/kendrick-lamar/2017/empire-polo-grounds-indio-ca-2be62806.html|title=Kendrick Lamar Setlist at Coachella Festival 2017|website=setlist.fm|access-date=April 25, 2017}}

Lamar performed "God" at every show as an encore on The Damn Tour.{{cite web|last=Masley|first=Ed|title=Kendrick Lamar launches DAMN. Tour in Glendale with triumphant one-man show of force|url=http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/07/12/kendrick-lamar-tour-launch-concert-review/463182001/|work=AZ Central|date=July 13, 2017|access-date=October 30, 2017}}

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the official Damn digital booklet.

Kendrick Lamar – songwriter
Ricci Riera – songwriter, producer
Mark Spears – songwriter, producer
Dacoury Natche – songwriter, producer
Daniel Tannenbaum – songwriter
Bēkon – producer, additional vocals
Ronald LaTour – songwriter, producer
Anthony Tiffith – songwriter, producer
Mike Hector – additional drums
Derek Ali – mixing
Tyler Page – mix assistant
Cyrus Taghipour – mix assistant

Charts

scope="col"\| Chart (2017) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
{{single chart\|Canada\|50\|artist=Kendrick Lamar\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 25, 2017}}
{{single chart\|France\|192\|artist=Kendrick Lamar\|song=God.\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2017}}
scope="row"\| Ireland (IRMA){{cite web\|url=http://irma.ie/index.cfm?page=irish-charts&chart=Singles\|title=IRMA – Irish Charts\|publisher=Irish Recorded Music Association\|access-date=April 21, 2017}} \| 57
{{single chart\|Portugal\|55\|artist=Kendrick Lamar\|song=God.\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 28, 2017}}
{{single chart\|Slovakdigital2\|70\|year=2017\|week=16\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 25, 2017}}
scope="row"\| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web\|url=http://www.sverigetopplistan.se/netdata/ghl002.mbr/lista?liid=215&dfom=20170414&newi=0&mode=list&navi=no&platform=Win32&browser=Safari\|title=Swedish Heatseekers Chart - 14 April 2017\|access-date=March 17, 2017}} \| 9
{{single chart\|UK\|81\|artist=Kendrick Lamar\|rowheader=true\|date=20170427\|access-date=October 17, 2018}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|58\|artist=Kendrick Lamar\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 25, 2017}}
{{single chart\|Billboardrandbhiphop\|33\|artist=Kendrick Lamar\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 25, 2017}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2017|certyear=2023|access-date=December 23, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Kendrick Lamar|title=God|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2017|certyear=2021|access-date=March 25, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=God|artist=Kendrick Lamar|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2017|certyear=2018|access-date=June 7, 2018}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true|nosales=true}}

References

Category:2017 songs

Category:Kendrick Lamar songs

Category:Songs written by Kendrick Lamar

Category:Songs written by DJ Dahi

Category:Songs written by Sounwave

Category:Songs written by Cardo (record producer)

Category:Songs written by Teddy Walton

Category:Songs written by Daniel Tannenbaum

Category:Trap music songs