11 Reasons Why Kendrick Lamar Is Still Hip-Hop's One True King

Bow. Down.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet King Kendrick Lamar.

Via thegrammys.tumblr.com

(Please hold your applause until the end.)

1. He's been ~*officially*~ crowned the King of the West Coast by the original godfathers of hip-hop.

Getty / Michael Tran

Including Dr. Dre, Game, Lil Wayne, and The Doggfather himself. Those are some pretty dope co-signs.

2. And he took over the East with a single guest verse.

Via halfhiphop.com

Kendrick's blistering bars on Big Sean's "Control" blew the roof off the hip-hop scene, and easily made the song the most talked-about rap joint of 2013.

3. A verse that made over 25 other rappers respond with their own diss tracks.

U mad?

4. As a kid, he saw Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre record the music video for "California Love" in person...

Getty / Taylor Hill

The shoot for the milestone track was in Kendrick's native Compton, California.

5. ...and 15 years later, Dre signed Kendrick to his personal label, Aftermath Entertainment.

REX USA/JABPromotions / Rex

Dre reached out to K. Dot after seeing the video for "Ignorance Is Bliss" on YouTube and has played an active role in the rapper's up-and-coming career ever since.

6. His major label debut went platinum in just nine short months.

Interscope Records / Via amazon.com

The universally acclaimed Good Kid, M.A.A.D City has sold over 1.1 million copies since its release in late 2012.

7. And he's already back in the lab again.

Getty / Johnny Nunez

Kendrick started recording his new album in January 2014. Run and hide, little rappers.

8. You know, when he isn't opening for two of hip-hop's biggest heavyweights.

Getty / Christopher Polk

Fresh from riding shotgun on Kanye West's Yeezus tour, Kendrick's about to strike out again, this time opening for Slim Shady himself, Eminem, on his Rapture tour.

9. He got a staggering seven GRAMMY nominations in one year...

Getty / Roger Kisby

That includes "Best New Artist," "Best Rap Album," "Best Rap Performance," and "Album of the Year."

10. ...where he's performing live with fellow nominee Imagine Dragons.

Getty / Fotonoticias

Getty / Michael Stewart

11. And he's won so many other awards they need their own dang Wikipedia page.

Getty / C Flanigan / Via en.wikipedia.org

12. But you know what? Here's all the proof you really need.

Yeah. It's good to be king.

Getty / Michael Buckner

(OK, you can applaud now.)