Songfacts®:

• Lamar explained the meaning of this Good Kid, M.A.A.d City cut to Complex magazine: "That's about temptation," he said. "After the ride of going on 'The Art of Peer Pressure,' you listen to that, and that was the mind state of thinking everything is about a dollar. That's where we were at the time. Everything was about money. We didn't care about nothing else truthfully."
• The track features Lamar's Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate Jay Rock whose verse is also about how the desire for success provides the motivation for hustling. "Honestly, he was like already done with the album [before I got on it]," said Jay Rock to Complex. "When I heard it that was one of my favorite records. Every time he played it, I'm like, 'Run it back.' He was keeping the album real personal, he didn't want that many features. Not even from us. When bro get in his zone, he gets in his zone. He's so into his craft. He don't do it intentionally.
  "He just so happened to hit me," continued Jay Rock, "like, 'I want you to do a verse for 'Money Trees.' I was honored so I took my time with it, wrote it down, and finished it up. When he heard it he was like 'Man, you took it to the next level.'"
• This was voted #1 Rap Song of 2012 in a poll run by Rap Genius. The website said: "'Money Trees' is a smart, strong outing by the new West Coast idol. Jay Rock also spits with ferocity and together they have the top rap record of 2012. The Rap Genius community has always loved KDot. And what's not to love."
• Jay Rock recorded a follow-up to this song, "Money Trees Deuce," which was released as the first single from his 2015 studio album, 90059.