section_path: Career/2012–2013: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
section_name: 2012–2013: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
paragraph_text: 2012–2013: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
  
  Lamar began planning his second album before Section.80 was released. From February to April 2012, he opened for Drake on his Club Paradise Tour. He began working with J. Cole on a collaborative album around that time. On February 14, Lamar would release the song " Cartoon & Cereal " for digital download, a track that features Gunplay. On March 8, The Fader reported that Lamar had signed a joint venture recording contract with Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records; under the deal, TDE continued to serve as his primary label. His first commercial single, " The Recipe " featuring Dr. Dre, premiered on rhythmic crossover radio on April 2.
  
  Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, Lamar's second album and first under a major record label, was released on October 22, 2012. He worked with producers such as Pharrell Williams, Hit-Boy, Scoop DeVille, Jack Splash, and T-Minus to create an atmospheric West Coast hip-hop album with heavy gangsta rap influences. Its lead single, " Swimming Pools (Drank) ", marked Lamar's first top 20 single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Its other singles, " Backseat Freestyle ", " Poetic Justice ", and " Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe ", enjoyed moderate commercial success. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was met with widespread critical acclaim, who lauded Lamar's nonlinear songwriting and thematic scope. Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune applauded him for giving gangsta tropes a "twist, or sometimes upend them completely" on a record that "brims with comedy, complexity and the many voices in head." The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 242,000 copies sold; the highest first-week album sales of the year by a male rapper. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City surpassed The Eminem Show (2002) to become the longest-charting hip-hop studio album on the Billboard 200. In October 2022, it became the first hip-hop studio album to spend over ten consecutive years on the chart.
  
  From September to October 2012, Lamar headlined the BET Music Matters Tour with Black Hippy and Stalley. He won Lyricist of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards, and was featured on ASAP Rocky 's single " Fuckin' Problems " alongside Drake and 2 Chainz, which reached the top 10 in the U.S. Lamar embarked on two headlining concert tours in 2013: a national college tour with Steve Aoki and his first international tour. He struggled with depression, survivor's guilt and suicidal ideation during promotional events upon learning of the deaths of three close friends. From October to December 2013, Lamar opened for Kanye West on his Yeezus Tour, despite disapproval from his label and management team. He was baptized for a second time during the beginning of the tour, and experienced a nervous breakdown near the end. Lamar won three awards each during the BET Awards and BET Hip Hop Awards, including Best New Artist at the former.
  
  Lamar was featured on six songs throughout the year: " YOLO " by the Lonely Island featuring Adam Levine, the remix of " How Many Drinks? " by Miguel, " Collard Greens " by Schoolboy Q, " Control " with Big Sean and Jay Electronica, " Give It 2 U " by Robin Thicke featuring 2 Chainz, and " Love Game " by Eminem. His performance on "Control" was described as a "wake up call" for the hip-hop industry and commenced his decade-long feud with Drake. Rolling Stone noted that his verse made the track one of the most important hip-hop songs of the last decade. Lamar was named Rapper of the Year by GQ during their annual Men of the Year edition. Following the issue's release, Tiffith pulled him from performing at GQ ' s accompanying party and accused Steve Marsh's profile on him of containing "racial overtones".
  
  Lamar began planning his second album before Section.80 was released. From February to April 2012, he opened for Drake on his Club Paradise Tour. He began working with J. Cole on a collaborative album around that time. On February 14, Lamar would release the song " Cartoon & Cereal " for digital download, a track that features Gunplay. On March 8, The Fader reported that Lamar had signed a joint venture recording contract with Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records; under the deal, TDE continued to serve as his primary label. His first commercial single, " The Recipe " featuring Dr. Dre, premiered on rhythmic crossover radio on April 2.
  
  Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, Lamar's second album and first under a major record label, was released on October 22, 2012. He worked with producers such as Pharrell Williams, Hit-Boy, Scoop DeVille, Jack Splash, and T-Minus to create an atmospheric West Coast hip-hop album with heavy gangsta rap influences. Its lead single, " Swimming Pools (Drank) ", marked Lamar's first top 20 single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Its other singles, " Backseat Freestyle ", " Poetic Justice ", and " Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe ", enjoyed moderate commercial success. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was met with widespread critical acclaim, who lauded Lamar's nonlinear songwriting and thematic scope. Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune applauded him for giving gangsta tropes a "twist, or sometimes upend them completely" on a record that "brims with comedy, complexity and the many voices in head." The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 242,000 copies sold; the highest first-week album sales of the year by a male rapper. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City surpassed The Eminem Show (2002) to become the longest-charting hip-hop studio album on the Billboard 200. In October 2022, it became the first hip-hop studio album to spend over ten consecutive years on the chart.
  
  From September to October 2012, Lamar headlined the BET Music Matters Tour with Black Hippy and Stalley. He won Lyricist of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards, and was featured on ASAP Rocky 's single " Fuckin' Problems " alongside Drake and 2 Chainz, which reached the top 10 in the U.S. Lamar embarked on two headlining concert tours in 2013: a national college tour with Steve Aoki and his first international tour. He struggled with depression, survivor's guilt and suicidal ideation during promotional events upon learning of the deaths of three close friends. From October to December 2013, Lamar opened for Kanye West on his Yeezus Tour, despite disapproval from his label and management team. He was baptized for a second time during the beginning of the tour, and experienced a nervous breakdown near the end. Lamar won three awards each during the BET Awards and BET Hip Hop Awards, including Best New Artist at the former.
  
  Lamar was featured on six songs throughout the year: " YOLO " by the Lonely Island featuring Adam Levine, the remix of " How Many Drinks? " by Miguel, " Collard Greens " by Schoolboy Q, " Control " with Big Sean and Jay Electronica, " Give It 2 U " by Robin Thicke featuring 2 Chainz, and " Love Game " by Eminem. His performance on "Control" was described as a "wake up call" for the hip-hop industry and commenced his decade-long feud with Drake. Rolling Stone noted that his verse made the track one of the most important hip-hop songs of the last decade. Lamar was named Rapper of the Year by GQ during their annual Men of the Year edition. Following the issue's release, Tiffith pulled him from performing at GQ ' s accompanying party and accused Steve Marsh's profile on him of containing "racial overtones".