MAN CRUSH: THE PHENOMENAL KENDRICK LAMAR
Kendrick Lamar is absolutely one of the most important rappers of our time. With two albums that are considered “universally acclaimed” by critics, Kendrick Lamar is thought of as a new savior of rap music with his meaningful lyrics and wordplay.
Kendrick Lamar is well-known for artistically expressing tragedy. Regardless of the weight of the subject, the masculine elegance of his delivery is always on point and it’s exactly what makes his tragedies so good.
Here’s why Kendrick is super awesome:
“Alright” has become an anthem of hope to all.
What the song says is that no matter what happens, we are going to be alright, even with all the violence. ‘We gon be alright!’.
He loves to give back to the community.
Kendrick continues to visit schools and educate kids about the importance of education. He encourages them to avoid violence and stay positive. In 2015, he received the California State Senate Generational Icon Award for his actions.
Artistic Stage Expressions
Kendrick delivered one of the most memorable Grammy performances of recent years as the striking imagery used in his first track was followed by an energetic rendition of Alright in front of a giant bonfire. He ended his performance with a map of Africa featuring Compton in the centre and an intense new verse about modern slavery that included a nod to Travyon Martin: “On February 26th I lost my life, too.”
Barack Obama is a huge fan
Barack Obama loves Lamar’s music. Obama declared ‘How Much A Dollar Cost’ as his favourite song of 2015. He also opted for Lamar over Drake as the best rapper in a Youtube Q and A.
Achievements
1. In early 2013, MTV crowned Lamar the No. 1 “Hottest MC in the Game”, on their annual list.
2. For the 56th Annual Grammy Awards (2014),he received a total of seven Grammy nominations including Best New Artist, Album of the Year and Best Rap Song.
3. At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards (2015), Lamar won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for his single, “i”.
4. In March 2015, Lamar released his third album, To Pimp a Butterfly, which peaked at number one in various countries, including the U.S. and the UK.
5. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016.
Our favorite quotes from Kendrick Lamar;
“The message I’m sending to myself – I can’t change the world until I change myself first.”
“Build your own pyramids, write your own hieroglyphs.”
“Once I looked in the mirror and decided this is who I am, and I’m not scared of who I am, and I’m not scared that I can’t be like you, and I’m good with just doing me, that’s when I found myself, as a man.”
