Kendrick has always been a man of two worlds.
One of the most respected MCs of his generation, Kendrick’s music explores the complexities of race, class, and gender identity through the lens of hip-hop culture. His street-level experiences shaped his lyrical approach.
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born to jazz musician Robert and gospel singer Pam Grier as the nephew and godson of R&B greats Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, whose life he commemorated in his tribute album, To Pimp a Butterfly.
His semi-autobiographical first album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, was met as a certified smash. High school student "K-Dot" chronicles the struggles, pains and temptations that youth face when growing up in gang-infested neighborhoods like Compton, CA. The album has been on the Billboard 200 since its release and provides a cinematic experience that can only be best understood when listened to in full.
While K-Dot and his friends enjoy the pleasantries of youth such as freestyling, the second act begins with "The Art of Peer Pressure," where K-Dot is being tempted by his peers to join in on the malicious activities going on around him in an attempt to shake off the suffocating aura of poverty.
K-Dot will go to any length to prove his gangster, even if that means smoking a laced blunt, running from the police, or breaking into houses to steal electronics. While he regrets the moral implications of his actions, he becomes carried away by dreams of wealth and affluence that will one day shelter him from his hostile environment.
Soon after, his homies begin to pressure him to get with Sherane. He eventually takes her to a hotel room, but as soon as he starts to make a move, she becomes cold and distant. Her friends arrive at the hotel room, and they begin to drink and smoke weed, bringing down the mood. Kendrick is confused and upset by the sudden change of atmosphere and regrets showing up. When he leaves, Sherane begins to laugh at him, which leads him to push her in the pool, symbolizing his realization that he can no longer stay innocent and naive.
This realization serves as the precursor to the rest of the album as he begins to search for a reason to justify his sudden transition into the malicious lifestyle of Compton.
Desperate to wash away their sins, the boys consult a neighborhood prayer warrior. She tells the boys that they are “dying of thirst” and need to accept Jesus into their lives, which they each agree to do.
K-Dot is no longer just a wanna-be gangbanger, and he now has the experience to tout how “Real” he actually is. We hear one final voicemail from his parents: his mother is proud of the changes that he’s making in life, and shares an invitation to record in the studio.
Lamar has managed to replicate his success and maintain G.O.A.T. status, most recently with his 2021 album Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers.
Kendrick’s lyrical approach to music has been one of his greatest strengths; each bar always has a purpose. He’s a poet and a philosopher, and his rhymes are the means of his message.
