The latter was issued the same year he became part of Black Hippy-beside fellow Top Dawg artists Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and ScHoolboy Q-a group whose members, for the most part, appeared on one another's mixtapes and albums. Training Day (2005) and C4 (2009) also preceded his decision to go by his birth name. Youngest Head Nigga in Charge (2003), issued when he was only 16 years old, caught the attention of CEO Anthony 'TopDawg' Tiffith who immediately signed a young Lamar to his label, Top Dawg Entertainment. Dot and released a series of mixtapes under that name. A native of Compton, California, Lamar originally rapped as K. Platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated rapper Kendrick Lamar is one of the rare artists who has achieved critical and commercial success while earning the respect and support of those who inspired him.
