Kendrick Lamar signed with the record and fashion label Top Dawg Entertainment.
Kendrick Lamar . Born and raised in Compton , California , he embarked on his musical career as a teenager under the stage name K-Dot , releasing a mixtape that garnered local attention and led to his signing with indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment ( TDE ) . Top Dawg Entertainment ( TDE ) is an American independent record label founded in 2004 , by chief executive officer ( CEO ) Anthony `` Top Dawg '' Tiffith .