Contents
Kendrick Lamar
Creating ambitious rap albums including To Pimp a Butterfly and the Pulitzer-winning DAMN.
good kid, m.A.A.d city · To Pimp a Butterfly
- Born
- 17 June 1987
- Birthplace
- Compton, California, United States
More people
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar is an American rapper whose work combines personal narrative, social observation and changes of voice and perspective.
Early life
Compton upbringing
Grew up in a city central to West Coast hip-hop.
Early recordings
Released mixtapes under the name K.Dot.
Career
- 2000s
Local development
Joined Top Dawg Entertainment and developed a following.
- 2012
Major-label breakthrough
Released good kid, m.A.A.d city.
- 2015 onward
Major albums
Expanded his musical approach and received wide critical recognition.
Selected work
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Presented an interlinked story of adolescence in Compton.
To Pimp a Butterfly
Combined rap with jazz, funk and political reflection.
DAMN.
Won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music.
Beyond music
Creative company
Co-founded pgLang with Dave Free.
Community connection
Has supported initiatives connected with his home community.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Pulitzer Prize: DAMN. ↗Photo: Raph_PH. CC BY 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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