Inspired by a visit to South Africa, Lamar embraced jazz and
G-funk styles on his third album, To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). It became his first of four consecutive number-one albums in the U.S., and was one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the
2010s. His work on the remix of "
Bad Blood" (by
Taylor Swift) garnered his first number-one single on the
Billboard Hot 100. Lamar's critical and commercial success continued with his
R&B and
pop-leaning fourth album Damn (2017), yielding his second chart-topping single "
Humble". He left TDE through the
double albumMr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022), and scored his third number-one single with "
Like That" (2024; with
Future and
Metro Boomin).
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born on June 17, 1987, in
Compton, California.[1] He is the first child of Kenneth "Kenny" Duckworth, a former
gang hustler who previously worked at
KFC,[2] and Paula Oliver, a hairdresser who previously worked at
McDonald's.[2] Both of his parents are
African Americans from the
South Side of Chicago.[2] When they were teenagers, they relocated to Compton in 1984, due to his father's affiliation with the
Gangster Disciples.[3] Lamar was named after singer-songwriter
Eddie Kendricks of
the Temptations.[4] He was an only child until the age of seven and was described as a loner by his mother.[2][5] Eventually, his parents had his two younger brothers and younger sister, businesswoman Kayla Sawyer (
née Duckworth).[6] His cousins include basketball player
Nick Young and rapper
Baby Keem.[7][8]
Lamar and his family lived in
Section 8 housing, were reliant on
welfare and
food stamps, and experienced
homelessness.[9][10] Although he is not a member of a particular gang, he grew up with close affiliates of the
Westside Pirus.[3] Despite suffering hardships, Lamar remembered having "good memories" of his childhood that sparked his interest in
hip hop music; such as sneaking into his parents'
house parties.[2][11] He was raised
secular, although he occasionally attended church services and was taught the
Bible by his grandmother.[12] He felt "spiritually unsatisfied" as a child due to the "empty" and "one-sided" nature of the
sermons.[13]
After hearing a recording of his voice for the first time, Lamar became interested in
rapping.[14] He was introduced to
police brutality after experiencing the first day of the
1992 Los Angeles riots.[2] When he was five years old, he witnessed a murder for the first time while sitting outside of his apartment unit, as a teenage drug-dealer was killed in a
drive-by shooting.[2] "It done [sic] something to me right then and there," Lamar later admitted to
NPR Music. "It let me know that this is not only something that I'm looking at, but it's something that maybe I have to get used to."[15] His parents nicknamed him "Man-Man" due to his
precocious behavior, although he confessed it "put a stigma on the idea of me reacting as a kid sometimes—I would hurt myself and they would expect me not to cry."[16]
In school, Lamar was a quiet and observant student who excelled academically and had a noticeable stutter.[17] His
first grade teacher at Robert E. McNair Elementary School encouraged him to become a writer after she heard him correctly use the word “audacity".[18] As a
seventh grade student at Vanguard Learning Center, Lamar was introduced to
poetry by his English teacher, Regis Inge.[19] Inge integrated the literary form into his curriculum as a response to the growing racial tensions amongst his students.[19] Through its connection to hip hop, Lamar studied rhymes, metaphors and
double entendres, which made him fall in love with songwriting: "You can put all your feelings down on a sheet of paper, and they'd make sense to you. I liked that."[2][19] Instead of completing assignments for other classes, Lamar would scribe lyrics in his notebooks.[19] His initial writing was entirely
profane, but it helped him manage his
psychological trauma and
depression; which he struggled with during his adolescence.[19][20] Inge played a vital role in his intellectual growth, often critiquing his
lexicon and suggesting prompts to strengthen his prose.[19]
Lamar later attended
Centennial High School, where he failed
physical education in the
ninth grade.[21] He was enrolled in
summer school during the
tenth grade, which he dreaded because it forced him to be embroiled in a
gang war.[21] Despite his efforts to avoid them, Lamar soon became heavily involved with Compton's
hedonistic gang culture, which led to numerous gang violence experiences, health scares, and encounters with the police.[2] He distanced himself from the lifestyle following an intervention staged by his father.[5] When he was 16, he was
baptized and
converted to
Christianity following the death of a friend.[22][23] Lamar entered a lasting romantic relationship with his classmate, beautician Whitney Alford.[24] They experienced numerous difficulties within their relationship due to Lamar's
sex addiction and repeated
infidelity.[25] Lamar graduated from high school in 2006 as a
straight-A student.[26][27] He flirted with the idea of studying
psychology and
astronomy in college, but suspended his academic pursuits to focus on his music career.[2][28]
2003–2008: Career beginnings
During high school, Lamar adopted the
stage name K.Dot and began
freestyling for his classmates.[1] His performances caught the attention of fellow student
Dave Free, who traveled from
Inglewood to watch him rap.[1] They quickly formed a friendship over their love of hip hop and the television sitcom Martin.[1] They recorded music together at Free's makeshift garage studio and at his older brother's
Hyde Park apartment.[1] Lamar's earliest performances were held at a "super hood"
comedy club and behind of a tattoo parlor.[1] Free was his
hype man during that time, while his older brother was his manager and disc jockey.[1] Lamar recorded five
mixtapes throughout the
2000s; his first, Youngest Head Nigga in Charge (Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year), was released during his senior year of high school.[b] The mixtapes primarily consisted of freestyles over the
production of popular hip hop songs.[29]
In a series of
retrospective reviews for Rolling Stone, Mosi Reeves complimented Lamar's "unerring" sense of rhythm and timing found in Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year, but criticized his "overly beholden" flow and "clumsy" lyricism.[29] Free, who was working as a
computer technician, introduced the mixtape to record producer Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith while attempting to repair his computer.[30] Tiffith was impressed with Lamar's burgeoning abilities and invited him to partake in an
audition process for entry into his newly established
independent record label,
Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE).[30] During his audition, Lamar freestyled for Tiffith and record executive
Terrence "Punch" Henderson for two hours; a strategy that impressed Henderson but bewildered Tiffith.[5][31] He was offered a
recording contract by TDE in 2005, joining
Jay Rock as the label's first signings.[5] Upon signing, he purchased a
minority stake in the label for an undisclosed amount.[31]
Lamar had a brief stint as a
security guard when he started working on music with Jay Rock at TDE's in-house recording studio.[32][27] The bond he formed with him,
Ab-Soul and
Schoolboy Q led to the formation of the hip hop
supergroup,
Black Hippy.[33] In 2006, Lamar signed an
artist development deal with
Def Jam Recordings and was featured on two
singles by
the Game. He also heavily contributed to Jay Rock's first two mixtapes, Watts Finest Vol. 1 and Watts Finest Vol. 2: The Nickerson Files.[16][34] Lamar was ultimately let go from Def Jam after an encounter with its president and chief executive officer,
Jay-Z; he later described it as "one of those situations where I wasn’t ready."[35][36] He released two projects in 2007: his second mixtape, Training Day, and a collaborative mixtape with Jay Rock titled No Sleep 'til NYC.[29] Reeves complimented Training Day's varied production and "well-executed" concept based on the
2001 film of the same name.[29] He described No Sleep 'til NYC as a "fun cypher session, nothing more, nothing less."[29]
2009–2011: Overly Dedicated and Section.80
Lamar's third mixtape, C4 (2009), is a
tribute project to
Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III (2008) and was supported by his co-sign.[37] Reeves felt that the mixtape was a "wrongheaded homage to a year-old, well-worn album."[29] From February to July, he toured with the Game on his
LAX Tour as a hype man for Jay Rock.[38][39] Lamar disliked how his stage name diverted attention away from his true identity, and decided to retire it.[40] He opted to use his first and middle names professionally and regards the name change as part of his career growth."[41] For his
eponymous debut extended play (2009),[42] Lamar eschewed from the creative process of his mixtapes in favor of a project heavily focused on his songwriting over "lovely yet doleful" production.[29] Reeves described the EP as the "first standout project" of his career, praising its
melancholic tone.[29] He felt that the project restored his reputation following the sting of criticism he received over C4.[29]
After striking a
music publishing deal with
Warner/Chappell Music,[43] Lamar released his final mixtape, Overly Dedicated (2010), to digital retailers for the first time in his career.[44] He and Whitney Alford separated prior to its release.[45] Reeves described Overly Dedicated as a partial "victory lap" that marked a shift in his songwriting.[29] The mixtape peaked at number 72 on Billboard's
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[46] Lamar served as Jay Rock's hype man for a second time during
Tech N9ne's Independent Grind Tour, where Overly Dedicated was introduced to
Dr. Dre.[47][48] After watching the music video for the song "Ignorance Is Bliss" on
YouTube, he reached out to Lamar with hopes of working with him and
Snoop Dogg on his unfinished album, Detox.[47][49] He also considered signing him to his record label,
Aftermath Entertainment, and was encouraged to by artists such as
J. Cole.[50][51]
Lamar entered a brief relationship with emcee
Nitty Scott,[52][53] and was featured on XXL's 2011 Freshman Class list.[54] He released his debut studio album, Section.80, on July 2, 2011,[55] which was supported by its lead single "
HiiiPower".[56] The album explored
conscious and
alternative hip hop styles and experimented with "stripped-down"
jazz production.[57][58] Ogden Payne of Forbes considers it to be "the genesis to [Lamar] successfully balancing
social commentary with mass appeal."[59]Section.80 marked Lamar's first appearance on the
Billboard 200 chart, where it peaked at number 113. It sold approximately 5,000 copies in its first week of tracking, with minimal coverage from
mainstream media outlets.[60]
2012–2013: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and personal struggles
Lamar began planning his second album before Section.80 was released.[67] From February to April 2012, he opened for Drake on his
Club Paradise Tour.[68] He began working with J. Cole on a collaborative album around that time, but nothing came to fruition; Cole later admitted that the two "put it to bed years ago".[69][70] On March 8, The Fader reported that Lamar had signed a
joint venture recording contract with Aftermath Entertainment and
Interscope Records; under the deal, TDE continued to serve as his primary label.[71] His first commercial single, "
The Recipe" featuring Dr. Dre, premiered on
rhythmic crossover radio on April 2.[72]
Experiencing a three-week delay, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was ultimately released on October 22, 2012.[79] Lamar worked with producers such as
Pharrell Williams,
Hit-Boy,
Scoop DeVille,
Jack Splash, and
T-Minus to create an atmospheric
West Coast hip hop album with heavy
gangsta rap influences.[80] It was met with widespread critical acclaim, who lauded Lamar's
nonlinear songwriting and thematic scope.
Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune applauded him for giving gangsta
tropes a "twist, or sometimes upend[ing] them completely" on a record that "brims with
comedy, complexity and the many voices in [Lamar’s] head."[81]Good Kid, M.A.A.D City debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 242,000 copies.[82] It earned the highest first-week album sales of the year by a male rapper.[83] Its other singles, "
Backseat Freestyle", "
Poetic Justice", and "
Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe", enjoyed moderate commercial success.[84][85]Good Kid, M.A.A.D City surpassed The Eminem Show (2002) to become the
longest-charting hip hop studio album on the Billboard 200.[86] In October 2022, the album became the first hip hop studio album to spend over ten consecutive years on the Billboard 200.[87]
Lamar and Whitney Alford rekindled their romantic relationship following the release of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.[88] He promoted the album throughout 2013 by appearing on television programs and embarking on two
concert tours: a national college tour with
Steve Aoki and his first international headlining tour.[89][90] Lamar struggled with depression,
survivor's guilt and
suicidal ideation during promotional events upon learning of the deaths of three close friends.[91] In an interview with
MTV, he confessed that "psychologically, it messes your brain up. You live in this life, you know what I'm saying, but you still have to face realities of this. I gotta get back off that tour bus and go to these
funerals."[92]
From October to December 2013, Lamar opened for
Kanye West on his
Yeezus Tour, despite disapproval from his label and management team.[93][94] He was baptized for a second time during the beginning of the tour, and experienced a
nervous breakdown near the end.[95][96] Lamar won three awards during the
2013 BET Awards, where he performed a mashup of "
M.A.A.D City" and "Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe" with
Erykah Badu.[97][98] At the
2013 BET Hip Hop Awards. he performed a mashup of "Collard Greens" and "
Money Trees" with Schoolboy Q and Jay Rock, and was featured in a TDE cypher.[99][100] Lamar was named Rapper of the Year by GQ during their annual Men of the Year issue.[101] Following the issue's release, Tiffith pulled him from performing at GQ's accompanying party and accused Steve Marsh's profile on him of containing "racial overtones".[102][103]
2014–2016: To Pimp a Butterfly and Untitled Unmastered
After his opening stint for the Yeezus Tour ended, Lamar started working on his third album.[94] He earned seven nominations at the
56th Annual Grammy Awards (January 2014), including
Best New Artist,
Best Rap Album, and
Album of the Year for Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.[111] He was winless at the ceremony, which several media outlets felt was a
snub.[112][113]Macklemore, who won Best New Artist and Best Rap Album, shared a text message that he sent Lamar after the ceremony ended, in which he apologized for winning over him.[114] The incident was the subject of widespread media attention, controversy and
Internet memes.[115] During the awards ceremony, Lamar performed a mashup of "M.A.A.D City" and "
Radioactive" with
rock band
Imagine Dragons, which was met with critical acclaim.[116][117]
Originally scheduled to arrive at a later date, To Pimp a Butterfly was released on March 15, 2015.[128] The album incorporated various genres synonymous with
African American music, such as
jazz,
funk, and
soul.[129] To capture its essence, Lamar recruited producers such as
Sounwave, Pharrell Williams,
Terrace Martin, and
Thundercat.[130] Alford contributed
background vocals on select tracks.[131] Other singles from the album were "
The Blacker the Berry",[132] "
King Kunta",[133] "
Alright", and "
These Walls"–all of which enjoyed moderate commercial success.[134] Selling 324,000 copies in its first week, To Pimp a Butterfly became Lamar's first number-one album on the Billboard 200 and set
Spotify’s global first-day streaming record (9.6 million).[135][136]Billboard commented that "twenty years ago, a conscious rap record wouldn't have penetrated the mainstream in the way [Lamar] did with To Pimp a Butterfly. His sense of timing is impeccable. In the midst of rampant cases of police brutality and racial tension across America, he spews raw, aggressive bard while possible cutting a rug."[137]Pitchfork opined that the album "forced critics to think deeply about music."[138]
During the ceremony, Lamar performed a critically acclaimed medley of "The Blacker the Berry", "Alright", and
an untitled song.[151] He revealed that the untitled track is from a "chamber of material" taken from the recording sessions of To Pimp a Butterfly that he was "in love with" but were not included on the album due to
sample clearances and deadlines.[152] He previously performed untitled songs on The Colbert Report (December 2014) and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (January 2016).[153][154] After receiving a request from basketball player
LeBron James to share the untitled works, Lamar released his first compilation album, Untitled Unmastered, on March 4, 2016.[155] It contained eight untitled, dated, unfinished, and entirely self-written tracks that were intended to be included on To Pimp a Butterfly, and continued the album's exploration of jazz, funk, soul, and
avant-garde styles.[156]Untitled Unmastered received critical acclaim and debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 178,000
album-equivalent units, becoming Lamar's second consecutive number-one project.[157] Throughout the year, he was featured on four commercially successful songs:
Beyoncé's "
Freedom",[158]Maroon 5's "
Don't Wanna Know",[159][160]the Weeknd's "
Sidewalks",[161] and
Travis Scott's "
Goosebumps".[162]
2017–2019: Damn, Black Panther: The Album, and hiatus
On March 1, 2017, during a joint cover story with
Beck and
Tom Waits for T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Lamar confirmed that he was working on his fourth album.[163] He released the promotional single "
The Heart Part 4" on March 23, before releasing the album's lead single "
Humble" on March 30.[164][165] The song debuted at number two on the Hot 100 and reached the top spot in its second week of charting. It is Lamar's second single, and first as a lead artist, to top the Hot 100.[166] His fourth album, Damn, was made available for
pre-order on April 7, and was released on April 14.[167][168] Three days later, he headlined the first of two weekends of the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.[169]
Damn utilized a more mainstream musical palette than To Pimp a Butterfly, exploring
R&B and
pop elements.[170] Production was primarily handled by Sounwave,
DJ Dahi,
Mike Will Made It, and
Ricci Riera.[170]Rolling Stone described its sonics as a "brilliant combination of the timeless and the modern, the old school and the next-level."[171]Damn became Lamar's most commercially successful album. It spent four nonconsecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200, marking his third consecutive number-one album, and debuted with 603,000 units sold.[172][173] All of the album's 14 songs debuted on the Hot 100, including the top-20 singles "
Loyalty" and "
Love". Lamar is the fifth act in history to chart at least 14 concurrent titles on the Hot 100.[174]Damn was the seventh best-selling album of 2017 according to the
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, while "Humble" was the sixth best-selling single of the year.[175] By June 2018, it became the first album by a rapper or solo artist to have every song featured earn a
gold certification or higher from the
Recording Industry Association of America.[176][177]
On January 4, 2018, Lamar and Tiffith announced that they would be
curating and
executive producing the
soundtrack album for the superhero film Black Panther.[191] It was released on February 9 and was supported with three commercially successful singles: "
All the Stars",[192] "
King's Dead",[193] and "
Pray for Me".[194][195] Lamar contributed lead and background vocals to every track on the album, regardless of credit, and produced on select songs.[196][197] Music critics consider Black Panther: The Album to be a milestone achievement, giving praise towards its lyrics and cultural significance.[198][199] It spent two consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200.[200] Lamar opened the
60th Annual Grammy Awards performing a medley with rock band
U2, featuring narration by
Dave Chappelle.[201] He won five awards during ceremony: Damn was named Best Rap Album, "Humble" won Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video and "Loyalty" won Best Rap/Sung Performance.[202]
Damn won the
Pulitzer Prize for Music on April 16, 2018, marking the first time a musical composition outside of the classical and jazz genres received the honor. The Pulitzer
jury praised the album as "a virtuosic song collection unified by its
vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting
vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African American life."[203][204] From May to June, Lamar co-headlined
The Championship Tour with several TDE artists.[205][206] While on tour, he became embroiled in a public dispute with Tiffith and Spotify regarding the streaming service's
Hate Content & Hateful Conduct policy.[207][208]
After his two concert tours ended, Lamar entered a four-year recording hiatus;[221] although he contributed to Beyoncé's The Lion King: The Gift, Schoolboy Q's Crash Talk, and
Sir's Chasing Summer (all 2019).[222][223] He declined to perform at that year's
Grammy and
Academy Awards despite winning Best Rap Performance at the former ceremony and receiving a nomination for
Best Original Song at the latter.[224][225] As his publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music was beginning to expire,[43] he signed a long-term worldwide deal with
Broadcast Music, Inc. in April.[226] Lamar and Alford welcomed their daughter, Uzi, on July 26, 2019.[227][228] He continued to tour his work until November, after headlining the inaugural Day N Vegas music festival.[229] He had plans to tour in 2020, but they were cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.[230]
2020–2022: TDE departure and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
On March 5, 2020, Lamar and Dave Free launched the creative entity
PGLang, which was described at the time as a multilingual, artist-friendly service company.[231][232] In October, he signed a worldwide administration agreement with
Universal Music Publishing Group.[233] Lamar announced through an August 2021
blog post that he was in the process of producing his final album under TDE; confirming rumors that emerged last year that he would be leaving to focus on PGLang.[234][235] The following week, he appeared on Baby Keem's single "
Family Ties", which won Best Rap Performance at the
64th Annual Grammy Awards.[236][237]
After releasing the promotional single "
The Heart Part 5",[244][245] Lamar's fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, was released on May 13, 2022.[246] He and Alford used the album's
cover art to reveal the birth of their son, Enoch.[247][248] The
double album drew on jazz, R&B,
trap, and soul influences;[249][250] Alford served as its primary narrator.[251] It was widely acclaimed by critics, who applauded Lamar's vulnerable songwriting and scope.[252] Every track from the album charted on the Hot 100; its three singles–"
N95", "
Silent Hill", and "
Die Hard"–debuted in the top-10.[253] Selling 295,000 units in its first week, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers became Lamar's fourth consecutive number-one album on the Billboard 200.[254] It later became the first hip hop album of 2022 to reach one billion streams on Spotify.[255]
Lamar made a surprise appearance on Future and
Metro Boomin's single "
Like That" in March 2024. His verse garnered acclaim for his "show-stopping" performance, while its lyrical content sparked a dispute within the hip hop industry.[270][271] "Like That" spent three consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Lamar's third number-one single and his first song to debut at the top spot.[272] Outside of music, he signed on to produce a
comedy feature film with Free,
Trey Parker and
Matt Stone for
Paramount Pictures, which is slated to be released on July 4, 2025.[273]
Artistry
Influences
"I was 8 years old when I first saw you. I couldn't describe how I felt at that moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 20 years later, I understand exactly what that feeling was: inspired. The people that you touched on that small intersection changed lives forever. I told myself I wanted to be a voice for man one day. Whoever knew I was speaking out loud for you to listen."
Tupac Shakur is Lamar's biggest influence, having impacted both his professional and personal lives.[275] One of his earliest childhood memories is watching him and
Dr. Dre film the second music video for their single "
California Love" with his father at the Compton
Swap Meet.[11] Lamar has described himself as an "offspring" of Shakur's artistry and
sociopolitical views.[276] Although some publications regard him as the Shakur of his generation,[277][278] he strives to maintain his
individuality.[279]
The nature of Lamar's musical style has been described as "anti-flamboyant, interior and complex."[297] He is rooted in
West Coast hip hop,[298] and has continually reinvented his sound by branching out into other genres.[299] Due to his contributions to its audience growth, through his appeal to
mainstream listeners, music critics generally categorize Lamar as a
progressive rap artist.[300] He suggests that his music is genreless, explaining in a 2012 interview, "You really can't categorize my music, it's human music."[301]PopDust opined that during the 2010s, a decade that was arguably defined by hip hop, Lamar constantly pushed the boundaries of what the genre could be.[302]
Lamar did not care for
music production during the beginning of his career.[303] However, as he placed an emphasis on songwriting and "making material that's universal", he grew more exacting and adventurous with his
compositions.[303] He is heavily involved with every aspect of his production process, including the
mixing and
mastering stages, and is known for working long hours in the recording studio.[304] "You gotta be hands on and know the different sounds and
frequencies," Lamar explained to Variety.[303] "What makes people move, what
melodies stick with you, taking the higher
octaves and the lower octaves and learning how to intertwine that in a certain frequency, how to manipulate sound to your advantage."[303] Lamar chooses to work with a close-knit team of musicians, rather than constantly seek high-profile talent.[47] He has been working with his longtime producer,
Sounwave, since his 2009 self-titled EP.[29]
Kendrick Lamar marked a pivotal change in Lamar's artistry. Unlike his earlier mixtapes, which consisted of freestyles over
CHR and
urban radio singles, the EP incorporated melancholic and "doleful" original production that emphasized his lyrics.[29] Austere jazz production was blended with
alternative rap styles on Section.80,[305] with instrumentals drawing from R&B,
boom bap,
psychedelia, and
downtempo.[306]Good Kid, M.A.A.D City abandoned the tastes of contemporary hip hop by exploring a subtle, atmospheric side of West Coast hip hop and
gangsta rap.[307][308]To Pimp a Butterfly is an amalgamation of genres synonymous with
African-American music, most prominently jazz,
funk, and soul.[309][310] It redefined
jazz rap by highlighting
improvisation and
soloing rather than primarily using
sampling.[311][312]Minimalistarrangements are incorporated in Damn and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.[313][314]Damn appealed to mainstream listeners through its
pop and R&B-influenced production,[315] while the scattered and
distorted instrumentals of Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers was designed to make listeners feel anxious and uncomfortable.[316]
Voice
Several media outlets consider Lamar to be the greatest and most important rapper of his generation.[317][318]Billboard and Vibe named him the
second-greatest rapper of all time, behind
Jay-Z.[319] Described as a "blazing" technical rapper and "relentless searcher" by The New York Times,[297] Lamar's "limber, dexterous" flow switches from
derivative to
generative metrics,[320][321] while incorporating
internal and
multisyllabicrhyme schemes.[322] His rhymes are typically manipulated within
common time, allowing him to subtly control his
metrical phonology and suggest formal
ambiguities similar to pop and
rock repertoires.[322] Some of his rhyme manipulations feature "flexible"
new school styles evoking the 1990s, while others use "rigid"
old school elements recalling the 1980s.[322] Lamar frequently uses
syncopation in his melodies to create contradictions between his lyrical content and rhythms.[323] With Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, he liberally plays with
pronunciation,
inflections, and delivery to mirror the album's emotional range.[324]Swing is used throughout To Pimp a Butterfly in a nod to the performance methods of jazz musicians.[325]
Lamar possesses a versatile
tenorvocal range,[326][327] and a raspy, half-shout
timbre; where "his throat sounds dry and his mouth sounds wet."[328]André 3000 was the first rapper that introduced him to singing sensibilities in hip hop,[329] and he writes melody-driven songs as practice for his rap albums.[329] Lamar became comfortable with his vocals over time, to the point where he feels confident enough to create singing-based albums.[330]Pitchfork noticed how his
harmonies on To Pimp a Butterfly never made him sound alone throughout his "desolate" performance; comparing his
vocal layering to "standing in the middle, unnoticed, of a large quarrelsome crowd."[331]
Praised for his willingness to use his voice as an instrument,[332] Lamar adopts different
cadences,
tones,
modulations, and timbres to suggest conflicting personalities, paint distinct emotions, and communicate stories using
characters and
personas.[333][334] His
falsetto register, which he calls the "ghetto falsetto",[329] has been likened to
Curtis Mayfield's.[335]MTV writes that by manipulating his voice, Lamar calls back to a lineage that runs through
James Brown's foundational work in the 1960s, 1970s psychedelia, Prince's "sweaty"
phantasmagoria in the 1980s, and 1990s
gangsta rap.[336] He was ranked the tenth-best solo singer of the 21st century by The Times in 2023.[337]
Branded as a "master of
storytelling" by The New Yorker,[334] Lamar has been referred to as one of the greatest
lyricists in modern hip hop by several publications and his peers.[338][339]Pharrell Williams suggests that what makes his songwriting stand out is because he "knows how to be very disciplined with a subject matter, he knows that stickiness is important, and he knows that it has to be great."[340]American Songwriter notes that for as much as Lamar is a musician, lyricist, and emcee, he is also "a
playwright, a
novelist, a
short story author. He's
literary within the art form of music."[341] Lamar's
reflective narrative songwriting pulls from a wide range of
literary and
cinematic techniques, such as
hip hop skits and
voice-overs, to allow his audience to follow internal and external
storylines.[342] His fusion of various
film styles and his sonic influence has elevated his works to be some of the most "consistently poignant" in hip hop, and promoted the advancement of the
narrative device.[342]
Lamar, who self-identifies as a musician and writer,[163] begins his songwriting process with an assortment of premeditated thoughts that he jotted down over the course of one year.[343] His personal experiences are a common source of inspiration, but he also pulls ideas from meeting new people, traveling, and experiencing different
cultures.[343] A devout
Christian, he additionally shares his
spiritual triumphs and struggles on his songs.[344][345] He is an avid
note-taker, and has developed keywords,
phrases, and sounds to help him "trigger the exact emotions" he felt when writing the initial
demo.[343]
As one of the most influential musicians of the
2010s decade, Lamar has been deemed a
paradigm shift in contemporary
hip hop and
popular culture.[371][372] His discography became a catalyst in the upsurge of
social consciousness across multiple generations; challenging the status quo by encouraging listeners to reexamine social institutions.[373] Throughout the
Black Lives Matter movement and events following the
2016 U.S. presidential election, his work has been used as
protest anthems.[374] According to American studies and media scholar William Hoynes, Lamar's
progressive elements places him amongst other African American artists and activists who "worked both inside and outside of the mainstream to advance a
counterculture that opposes the racist stereotypes being propagated in white-owned media and culture."[375] He has been credited with reviving
jazz rap and the music video as a form of social commentary.[376][377]
Lamar's music has consistently garnered critical acclaim and commercial success, a rare combination in the
music industry, as well as support from artists who have paved the way for his advancement; earning him the nickname "
King Kendrick".[378][379] His Pulitzer Prize win was considered a sign of the American
cultural elite formally recognizing hip hop as a "legitimate artistic medium".[380] Senior artists such as
Nas,[381] Eminem,[382]Dr. Dre,[383] Prince,[384] and
Madonna have praised his musicianship.[385]David Bowie's final album, Blackstar (2016), was inspired by To Pimp a Butterfly, and its producer
Tony Visconti praised Lamar as a "rulebreaker" in the music industry.[386][387] Pharrell Williams called him "one of the greatest writers of our times" and likened him to
Bob Dylan.[388] Lamar has also been cited as a strong influence on the works of various modern artists,[389] including
BTS,[390]Dua Lipa,[391]Tyler, the Creator,[392]Roddy Ricch,[393] and
Rosalía.[394]Lorde regards him as "the most popular and influential artist in modern music."[395]
Public image
Despite becoming a prominent figure in popular culture, publications have noted Lamar's unconventional approach to
celebrity culture.[396] He is notoriously reserved; reluctant to publicly discuss his personal life and generally avoids using
social media.[397][398] He is also decisive when engaging with
mainstream media outlets, although journalists have complimented his "
Zen-like" calmness and down to earth personality.[399][400] According to Lamar, he has become "so invested in who I am outside of being famous, sometimes that's all I know. I've always been a person that really didn't dive too headfirst into wanting and needing attention. I mean, we all love attention, but for me, I don't necessarily adore it."[401] His lyrics have been a topic of media scrutiny, leading to both praise and controversy.[15][402][403] He has also been involved in alleged
feuds with several rappers throughout his career, which have received consistent press coverage.[404][405][406]
Following the release of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, media outlets have described Lamar as the "modern hip hop
messiah".[407] Some critics dislike his "grating" political infusions,[408] causing him to be viewed as having a
savior complex.[409] He uses his music to critique and deconstruct his attributed perception; on Section.80, he raps, "I'm not the next pop star, I'm not the next socially aware rapper / I am a human motherfucking being over dope-ass instrumentation."[410] However, Lamar has declared himself to be the "greatest rapper alive" due to his personal connection to hip hop.[411] "I'm not doing it to have a good song, or one good rap, or a good
hook, or a good
bridge," he explained to
Zane Lowe. "I want to keep doing it every time, period. And to do it every time, you have to challenge yourself and you have to confirm to yourself—not anybody else, confirm to yourself that you're the best, period. [...] That's my drive and that's my hunger, I will always have."[412]
Business ventures
Lamar has been described as an "authentic" businessman who takes "calculated steps to establish his brand from the ground-up" and leaves nothing to chance.[413] He approaches traditional album rollouts with an unorthodox method, using creative
Easter eggs and leaving cryptic messages.[414] Before releasing a studio album, Lamar shares a
promotional single taken from "The Heart", a
timestamp song series designed to "observe the beating pulse behind his music."[415] The vulnerable themes explored on the non-album singles have strengthened his relationship with his "inquisitive"
fanbase known as Kenfolk.[415][416] His real estate portfolio includes properties in
Brooklyn,[417]Bel Air,[418] and
Manhattan Beach.[419]
Lamar has also partnered with several fashion designers and outlets. As a
brand ambassador, he was involved with designing sneakers for
Reebok and
Nike.[424][425] He has developed working relationships with
Grace Wales Bonner and
Martine Rose; through their respective eponymous brands, they have dressed Lamar for several public events.[426] For her Autumn/Winter 2023 collection, Twilight Reverie, Lamar worked with Bonner to create the show's soundtrack with
Sampha and
Duval Timothy.[427][428] Through PGLang, he composed the score and co-designed the stage for
Chanel's Spring/Summer 2024 haute couture collection.[429]
Lamar has appeared in various power listings. In 2015, he was featured on Ebony's Power 100 list that honors leaders within the African American community.[464]Time included him on its annual list of the
100 most influential people in the world in 2016.[465] He has appeared on Forbes'
Celebrity 100 ranking (2019),[466] and its
30 Under 30 list twice in the music category (2014 and 2018).[467][468] Lamar was included twice in Billboard's lists of the greatest rappers of all time (2015 and 2023).[469][470]Complex named him the best rapper alive twice (2013 and 2017),[471][472] and included him in their list of the 20 best rappers in their 20s thrice (2013, 2015, and 2016).[473] In May 2015, Lamar was declared a
generational icon by the
California State Senate for his contributions to music and philanthropy.[474] He later served as a
grand marshal for the Compton Christmas Parade,[475] and was presented with the
key to the city of his hometown for representing its evolution.[373]
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, To Pimp a Butterfly, and Damn were featured in Rolling Stone's industry-voted ranking of the
500 greatest albums of all time and the 200 greatest hip hop albums of all time.[476][477]Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was additionally featured in the magazine's list of the 100 best debut albums of all time, and was named the greatest concept album ever.[478][479]To Pimp a Butterfly was ranked by several publications as one of the greatest albums of the 2010s decade.[480]Damn is the recipient of the 2018
Pulitzer Prize for Music, the first time a musical work outside of the classical and jazz genres was honored.[481][482] Its
tour companion, along with
Big Steppers Tour (2022–2023), are two of the highest-grossing hip hop tours of all time.[483]
^Details of Lamar's earliest mixtapes are sparse. While many publications wrote that the mixtape was released when he was 16, one of the songs featured is a freestyle over
50 Cent and
the Game's single "
How We Do", which was released in November 2004.[29]
^Ruggieri, Melissa (May 13, 2022).
"Kendrick Lamar delivers a raw, soul-baring musical odyssey on long-awaited double album". USA Today. Retrieved May 14, 2022. It's also Lamar's autobiographical catch-up for fans wondering if he and fiancée Whitney Alford had a second child based on the album cover photo; references to "playin' 'Baby Shark' with my daughter" and "I'd kill for my son Enoch" would indicate yes.