Kendrick Lamar is one of the most well-known and well-respected rappers of the twenty-first century. Raised in Compton, California, he has built a name for himself as a rapper whose lyricism and flow is unparalleled. Lamar has won numerous awards, including twenty grammys and even a Pulitzer Prize for his 2017 album DAMN. And as of 2025, he has shot to a whole new level of stardom after his conflict with the Canadian rapper Drake, and his performance at this year’s Super Bowl. 

However, a few years ago if you had asked me who he was, I would have had no idea.

2020 was when I began to cement my own music taste, even as the world around me lost its foundation. I listened to indie rock bands and video game soundtracks. I wasn’t exposed to modern hip-hop. Instead my dad introduced me to hip-hop classics from the 80s and 90s; he loves artists like De La Soul, Run-D.M.C., A Tribe Called Quest, and Public Enemy. Still, I’m not really well versed in hip-hop, other than knowing that its origins lie in the Bronx. 

I’ve heard some of the modern hip-hop radio hits, but Kendrick Lamar wasn’t on my radar. Not until 2024, when his conflict with Drake led to the song ‘Not Like Us’ exploding in popularity. Even I knew about this historical rap conflict, and I hadn’t listened to a Drake or Kendrick song in years. As my exposure to his music grew, I felt like it was finally time to listen to Lamar’s full discography.

Little did I know that the journey of one of the world’s most famous artists is one that spans over twenty years. 

Born and Raised

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born on June 17th, 1987, on the west side of Compton, California. His parents, Paula Oliver and Kenneth Duckworth, were born in Chicago, but his father was tangled up in gang violence and they moved to the west side of Compton in 1984 to escape.. Paula was a hairdresser and Kenneth was a manual laborer, and he did a variety of jobs to support the family. Lamar’s family lived in section 8 housing due to their low income. He grew up alongside his younger brother and two younger sisters.  

Growing up in Compton was difficult for a young Kendrick Lamar. His childhood was marred by gang tensions between the Bloods and Crips, two rival gangs that have been fighting throughout the Southern Los Angeles area for decades. When he was just five years old, Lamar witnessed a murder outside of his apartment unit. Via NPR in 2015, he said, “it [did] something to me right then and there. 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…” As a teenager, Lamar got involved in acts of violence, and these experiences are often mentioned in his work. 

One way Lamar would cope with these struggles was through writing. Inspired by his seventh grade teacher, Mr. Inge, he began to use writing as a way to deal with his turbulent emotions from growing up in Compton. Eventually, the stories and poems he wrote transformed into song lyrics. 

Prelude of a Superstar

When Kendrick Lamar was just sixteen years old, he released his first mixtape, entitled Y.H.N.I.C. (Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year), in 2003, under the name K-Dot. His musical inspirations lie in the hip-hop and R&B music that his father would play, like Snoop Dog and Marvin Gaye, and his own tastes with artists such as Jay-Z and Lil Wayne. The themes of the song include his hometown of Compton, emphasizing its beauty rather than the stereotypes about its high crime rates. The mixtape is primitive, and is not exemplary of his skills, as his rapping shows little of the strengths that he would become known for.

Following the release of his mixtape, Lamar (still going by “K-Dot”) was signed by Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2005, as one of the label’s first signings. Two years later in February 2007, he released his second mixtape, Training Day. Lamar wears more of his west coast influence on his sleeve in this mixtape, as he is more clearly influenced by artists such as Snoop Dog, and 2Pac. 

In the same year he released a mixtape with Jay-Rock, another artist on TDE, titled No Sleep ‘Til N.Y.C. As the name suggests, this release is more influenced by east coast hip-hop, and despite it being a collaborative project, Lamar is not prominently featured. He then released another mixtape in 2009 titled C4, a homage to Lil’ Wayne. Its cover art references Wayne’s album Tha Carter III. As such, his vocal delivery emulates the rapper’s sound.

The rapper’s first and only self-titled EP was released on December 31st 2009, and is notable for being the first usage of his first name (Kendrick) and middle name (Lamar) as his stage name. Fittingly, this project marks a change in his approach to music, as he cements his own style of rapping and tells personal stories about his family and his relationships. With a new, confident Lamar emerging at the tail end of the decade, his career had nowhere to go but up. 

The Big Break

The billboard charts would get their first taste of Kendrick Lamar’s new sound with the release of his 4th mixtape, Overly Dedicated, in September of 2010. The mixtape reached number 72 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop album charts and the release served as a continuation of the sound that he had cultivated in his EP from the previous year. 

Lamar’s first bonafide album would release on July 2nd, 2011. It was titled Section.80, referencing his childhood in section 8 housing, and how he was born in the 1980s. The music of this album explores a variety of styles, like the incorporation of jazz elements on songs like ‘Rigamortis’ and ‘Hol’ Up.’ While it’s not a concept album like some of his later work, it still has themes and ideas that it wants to convey; a main one is the vices that we encounter in life and how they can change us, portrayed on the songs ‘No Make-Up’ and ‘Poe Mans Dreams.’ There’s also political commentary found on the album. The song ‘Ronald Reagan Era’ details Compton life during Reagan’s presidency, and the untamed chaos of gangs and drug violence that ensued. Section.80 reached number 113 on the Billboard 200, his first and certainly not his last appearance on the chart.

Starting with his self-titled EP, his work was overall well received, but 2012 would start to cement him as one of Hip-Hop’s finest acts. On October 22nd, 2012, Kendrick Lamar released his second studio album, good kid, m.A.A.d. (my.Angry.Adolescence.divided) City, which was released through TDE and Aftermath Entertainment (through Interscope Records). The album cover bills the project as a “short film,” and that is true in many ways. Calls from his mother are woven into the story which gives insight into the rapper’s life. It tells the story of Lamar’s childhood in Compton as a good kid trying to do his best despite the world surrounding him, and often ending up with the wrong crowd. ‘The Art of Peer Pressure’ showcases his talent of telling a story; he drinks, smokes, and even robs a house to fit in with his friends. 

A continued theme from his first album are the material desires that can distract us. The main hit from this album, ‘Swimming Pools (Drank)’, disguises a song about peer pressure and the pitfalls of alcoholism as a party song. 

Another single from the album, ‘B**** Don’t Kill My Vibe’, is remixed at the end of the original album. The remix features a verse from Jay-Z. In a way, it represents Lamar coming full circle, as Jay-Z was one of his main inspirations. A deluxe version of the album was released on the same day as the release of the original version. It featured three bonus tracks, with features from the likes of Mary J. Blige and Dr. Dre. 

Good kid, m.A.A.d. City received critical acclaim across the board, and reached number 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 charts, only being bested by Taylor Swift’s Red. It also entered the UK Albums chart at number 16, and peaked on the UK R&B Albums chart at number 2. Lamar received 6 nominations at the 2014 Grammys, one of those being Album of the Year. However, he lost the award to Swift’s 1989. Funnily enough, Lamar featured on that album for the song ‘Bad Blood’.

Bigger and Better

Following his sophomore album’s world tour in 2013, he began working on his next project. That project became To Pimp A Butterfly, which was released on March 15th, 2015. Its musical inspirations lie in jazz, soul, and R&B music, even more so than his previous projects. It leads to a vintage sound that feels new at the same time. 

 Lamar’s verses are poignant and biting as he critiques institutionalized American racism in tracks like ‘Wesley’s Theory’, ‘For Free?’, ‘Institutionalized’, and ‘The Blacker The Berry.’ References to Uncle Sam ring throughout the album as a metaphor for African Americans being tempted by the promises of the American dream, falling for the promises of a country that belittles them. 

Despite the childhood experiences mentioned in his previous work, this record would become his most personal (and his longest) output yet. This is due to the self-criticism that Lamar inflicts upon himself, in a surprising bout of honesty that shows his latent insecurities. He criticizes himself for selling out in ‘Wesley’s Theory,’ for being selfish on ‘How Much A Dollar Cost,’ and for neglecting his friends and family on ‘u.’ On the latter track, wailing saxophones pierce the ears as Lamar admonishes himself while using a style of vocalization that leaves his voice broken. 

Though self-loathing permeates many of the tracks of the album, there are also themes of hope and self-acceptance. Some of the album’s biggest hits, such as ‘Alright’ and ‘i’ focus on a positive outlook on the future; that if we believe in and have one another then it all will turn out alright. The final track of To Pimp A Butterfly has Lamar asking his fans (and himself) to accept his mistakes, while incorporating an interview with the iconic late rapper 2Pac to make a point about how we can’t look to our favorite artists for guidance anymore. 

With To Pimp A Butterfly, Lamar reached the top of the Billboard 200 chart in the U.S. for the first time. He was awarded eleven nominations at the Grammys for the album in 2016, and he won both best rap song and best rap performance for ‘Alright.’ Most notably, he also won best rap album for To Pimp A Butterfly. 

A year after the smash-success of his third album, Lamar released untitled unmastered in 2016. The eight-track collection of demos all mainly come from To Pimp A Butterfly. Though most of the tracks were performed live, there was no initial intention to release them until that year. When it was released, the compilation also reached the top of the Billboard 200 charts. 

During the second half of the 2010s, Lamar got busier and busier. In 2016, he was featured on Beyonce’s sixth album, Lemonade, which became a hit. A year later, he would release his fifth album, titled Damn. The album’s release was preceded by the release of the lead single, ‘Humble,’ which became a smash hit. As of now, the music video for the song has over 1.04 billion views on YouTube since its release on March 30th, 2017.

Lamar’s fifth album was critically acclaimed, and rightfully so. The album continues themes from his previous record, with songs about his moral struggles with his fame and pride, along with reflections on his family and relationships. Most notably, the final song on the album, Duckworth,’ is about how the rapper’s life may have gone differently. It tells a story about Lamar’s father, called Ducky in the song, and owner of the artist’s record label, Top Dog. Top Dog almost killed Lamar’s father, but instead he didn’t and that led to Lamar meeting Top Dog later in life and getting his at stardom, rather than descending into a life of violence. 

‘Damn’ was another success for the rapper, both critically and commercially; critically, arguably even more so. On April 16th, 2018, a year after the release of the album, Lamar received a Pulitzer prize for his lyricism on the album. This was a momentous occasion for the rap community, as Pulitzer prizes are usually given to symphonies. In that same year, he won five grammys for the album cycle, including best rap album and best rap performance. 

On February 9th, 2018, the Black Panther soundtrack album was released to coincide with the movie that was released a week later. The album was cultivated by Lamar, and featured artists such as Swae Lee, Travis Scott, SZA, and The Weeknd. This soundtrack was another hit for the rapper.

The five years between his fourth and fifth album were the longest gap between album cycles for the artist to date. However, that doesn’t mean that he wasn’t active. For example, Lamar featured in Super Bowl LVI’s tribute to Hip-Hop’s fiftieth anniversary in February of 2022, alongside Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent. 

Lamar’s fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, released on May 13th, 2022. It was the artist’s most vulnerable album yet, even more so than his 2015 output. The project delves into the rapper’s personal relationships rather than just his own mind. The eight track, ‘We Cry Together,’ is only partially a rap song, as it plays out an argument between Lamar and his fiancé, becoming uncomfortable at times as they berate one another. Another song, ‘Father Time,’ reflects on Lamar’s relationship with his father and how that affects him today. 

At the 65th Grammys ceremony the rapper would receive 3 awards: Rap album of the year, Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Song, both for the leading single of the album, ‘The Heart Part 5’. The tour supporting the album, titled The Big Steppers Tour became the highest grossing hip-hop tour of all time, making over 110 million dollars worldwide over its two year span. 

Victory Lap

To many in the hip-hop fandom, no rap conflict has become this big in years. Everyone knew about the spat between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, even those who had barely paid attention to the rap game, (including myself). It took the cultural zeitgeist by storm in 2024.

Interestingly, the feud between the two has been boiling since 2013, with Lamar featuring on Big Sean’s song, ‘Control,’ and name-dropping Drake among a flurry of other rappers. This came as a shock to many, especially since Drake had featured on the song ‘Poetic Justice’ from Lamar’s second album. Throughout the rest of the 2010s, Drake became a scapegoat for many artists due to his widespread appeal, leading some to question his authenticity. 

This would all boil over in October of 2023 when the rapper J. Cole featured on Drake’s album, For All The Dogs. He referred to himself, Lamar, and Drake as the ‘big three’ of hip-hop in the song ‘First Person Shooter’. Lamar took offense to this, as he dismissed the idea on the song ‘Like That’ off of Metro Boomin and Future’s album We Don’t Trust You. 

While J. Cole was initially involved in the conflict, he dropped out shortly after dropping a 7 minute diss towards Lamar. After it became a one-on-one, Drake and Lamar threw track after track at one another. It all culminated with Lamar’s track ‘Not Like Us.’ The track immediately became a hit, and thanks to the decision to make the song copyright free, it was used everywhere from YouTube videos to advertisements. Videos surfaced online of superstars like Billie Eilish and Lebron James dancing along to Lamar’s admonishment of Drake’s character. As of now, ‘Not Like Us’ has been streamed 1.3 billion times on Spotify. He won five more Grammys, all of them for ‘Not Like Us’, at the 67th Grammys ceremony on February 2nd. 

The rapper’s monumental year didn’t stop there. On November 22nd, he released GNX, his sixth studio album, at the surprise of many of his fans. While the album doesn’t feature any of his diss tracks towards Drake, it still has plenty of hits, such as ‘squabble up’ and ‘luther (featuring SZA).’ GNX topped the Billboard 200 charts when it released, and currently that remains to be the case. 

Lamar headlined Super Bowl LIX in February, alongside SZA who made a surprise appearance. The performance showed that the rapper hadn’t forgotten his roots, as he made sure to deliver social commentary using Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam to critique America’s attempted sanitization of black artists. 

Impact

As a so-called “black executive,” Kendrick Lamar is known for using his platform to make change and to support his community. Lamar as a public figure is often outspoken about his political beliefs. This can of course be seen in his performances; he often makes comments about institutional American racism, and its effects in today’s world. But it also comes through in his actions. Following the death of George Floyd under police custody in late May 2020, Lamar, along with other celebrities, joined a peace walk in Compton on June 7th. In 2013, he donated $50,000 to Centennial High School, a music school where the rapper began to hone his interests. More recently, following his ‘Pop Out’ concert on Juneteenth 2024, Lamar and others donated $200,000 to charities and community outreach programs based in L.A. 

Kendrick Lamar’s influence in the modern perception of hip-hop cannot be understated. He has become one of the most well-known names in hip-hop, and pop culture in general. His music reaches those both inside and outside of his community. His powerful story of growing up in a violence filled, so-called “mad city” and becoming a superstar among modern pop culture is an inspiration for all people like him struggling to find their voice. Through it all, he tries to remain humble and learn from his mistakes, fighting his vices and virtues along the way. The powerful lyrical themes and messages that lay in his songwriting has given an air of respect to modern hip-hop, at a time when people still say that the genre “isn’t real music.” At a time when there are so many things dividing us, music can help us to see other perspectives and bring us together.

Little did I know that the journey of one of the world’s most famous artists is one that spans over twenty years.