Section.80

Section.80 is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar, released exclusively through the iTunes Store on July 2, 2011, under Top Dawg Entertainment. The album features guest appearances from GLC, Colin Munroe, Ashtro Bot, BJ the Chicago Kid, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul and vocals from late singer-songwriter Alori Joh. The production was mainly handled by Top Dawg in-house producers from production group Digi+Phonics, along with THC, Tommy Black, Wyldfyer, Terrace Martin and J. Cole. The concept album features lyrical themes delivered by Lamar such as racism and medication tolerance, and was well received by contemporary music critics.

The album’s lead single “HiiiPoWeR”, was released April 2011. Section.80 sold 5,400 copies in the US solely based upon digital downloads within less than a week, debuting and peaking at number 113 on the US Billboard 200 chart with minimal mainstream media promotion and coverage – however some sources suggest the album entered at number 104. Within a two-week period the album sales totalled to 9,522. As of October 2012 the album has sold 78,000 copies.