section_path: Career/2009–2011: Overly Dedicated and Section.80
section_name: 2009–2011: Overly Dedicated and Section.80
paragraph_text: 2009–2011: Overly Dedicated and Section.80
  
  Lamar's third mixtape C4, released on January 30, 2009, is a tribute project to Lil Wayne 's Tha Carter III (2008) and was supported by his co-sign. Reeves felt that the mixtape was a "wrongheaded homage to a year-old, well-worn album." From February to July, he toured with the Game on his LAX Tour as a hype man for Jay Rock. Lamar disliked how his stage name diverted attention away from his true identity, and decided to retire it. He opted to use his first and middle names professionally and regards the name change as part of his career growth. For his eponymous debut extended play (2009), Lamar eschewed the creative process of his mixtapes in favor of a project heavily focused on his songwriting over "lovely yet doleful" production. Reeves described the EP as the "first standout project" of his career, praising its melancholic tone. He felt that the project restored his reputation following the sting of criticism he received over C4.
  
  After striking a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music, Lamar released his fourth mixtape, Overly Dedicated, on September 14, 2010. It was his first project to be purchased through digital retailers. Reeves described Overly Dedicated as a partial "victory lap" that marked a shift in his songwriting. The mixtape peaked at number 72 on Billboard ' s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Lamar served as Jay Rock's hype man for a second time during Tech N9ne 's Independent Grind Tour, where Overly Dedicated was introduced to Dr. Dre. After watching the music video for the song "Ignorance Is Bliss" on YouTube, he reached out to Lamar with hopes of working with him and Snoop Dogg on his unfinished album, Detox. He also considered signing him to his record label, Aftermath Entertainment, and was encouraged to by artists such as J. Cole.
  
  Lamar entered a brief relationship with Nitty Scott, and was featured on XXL ' s 2011 Freshman Class list. He released his debut studio album, Section.80, on July 2, 2011, which was supported by its lead single " HiiiPower ". The album explored conscious and alternative hip-hop styles and experimented with "stripped-down" jazz production. Ogden Payne of Forbes considers it to be "the genesis to successfully balancing social commentary with mass appeal." Section.80 marked Lamar's first appearance on the Billboard 200 chart, where it peaked at number 113. It sold approximately 5,000 copies in its first week of tracking, with minimal coverage from mainstream media outlets. To promote the album, Lamar performed at small venues and college campuses across the U.S. He was dubbed the " New King of the West Coast " by Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and the Game during a performance in West Los Angeles. Throughout the year, he appeared on the Game's The R.E.D. Album, Tech N9ne's All 6's and 7's, 9th Wonder 's The Wonder Years, and Drake 's Take Care.
  
  Lamar's third mixtape C4, released on January 30, 2009, is a tribute project to Lil Wayne 's Tha Carter III (2008) and was supported by his co-sign. Reeves felt that the mixtape was a "wrongheaded homage to a year-old, well-worn album." From February to July, he toured with the Game on his LAX Tour as a hype man for Jay Rock. Lamar disliked how his stage name diverted attention away from his true identity, and decided to retire it. He opted to use his first and middle names professionally and regards the name change as part of his career growth. For his eponymous debut extended play (2009), Lamar eschewed the creative process of his mixtapes in favor of a project heavily focused on his songwriting over "lovely yet doleful" production. Reeves described the EP as the "first standout project" of his career, praising its melancholic tone. He felt that the project restored his reputation following the sting of criticism he received over C4.
  
  After striking a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music, Lamar released his fourth mixtape, Overly Dedicated, on September 14, 2010. It was his first project to be purchased through digital retailers. Reeves described Overly Dedicated as a partial "victory lap" that marked a shift in his songwriting. The mixtape peaked at number 72 on Billboard ' s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Lamar served as Jay Rock's hype man for a second time during Tech N9ne 's Independent Grind Tour, where Overly Dedicated was introduced to Dr. Dre. After watching the music video for the song "Ignorance Is Bliss" on YouTube, he reached out to Lamar with hopes of working with him and Snoop Dogg on his unfinished album, Detox. He also considered signing him to his record label, Aftermath Entertainment, and was encouraged to by artists such as J. Cole.
  
  Lamar entered a brief relationship with Nitty Scott, and was featured on XXL ' s 2011 Freshman Class list. He released his debut studio album, Section.80, on July 2, 2011, which was supported by its lead single " HiiiPower ". The album explored conscious and alternative hip-hop styles and experimented with "stripped-down" jazz production. Ogden Payne of Forbes considers it to be "the genesis to successfully balancing social commentary with mass appeal." Section.80 marked Lamar's first appearance on the Billboard 200 chart, where it peaked at number 113. It sold approximately 5,000 copies in its first week of tracking, with minimal coverage from mainstream media outlets. To promote the album, Lamar performed at small venues and college campuses across the U.S. He was dubbed the " New King of the West Coast " by Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and the Game during a performance in West Los Angeles. Throughout the year, he appeared on the Game's The R.E.D. Album, Tech N9ne's All 6's and 7's, 9th Wonder 's The Wonder Years, and Drake 's Take Care.