Kendrick Lamar Tour Overview
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation. Born and raised in Compton, California, Lamar began his career as a teenager performing under the stage name K.Dot. He quickly garnered local attention which led to him signing a recording contract with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2005.
After becoming a founding member of the hip hop supergroup Black Hippy, Lamar dropped his stage name and started using his first and middle names professionally. In 2011, he released his debut studio album Section.80, a conscious hip hop record. The album was met with positive reviews and included his debut single "HiiiiPower". In 2012, Lamar secured a record deal with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, under the aegis of Interscope Records, and released his second studio album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. The West Coast and gangsta rap influenced album garnered widespread critical recognition and commercial success, while including the singles "Swimming Pools (Drank)", "Backseat Freestyle", and "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe".
About Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California, to Paula Oliver, a McDonald's worker, and Kenneth "Kenny" Duckworth, a KFC worker. His parents were from the South Side of Chicago and relocated to Compton three years before his birth due to his father's affiliation with the Gangster Disciples. Lamar is the eldest of four children and was named after singer-songwriter Eddie Kendricks of the Temptations. He was raised in a working class African American family, lived in Section 8 housing, and was reliant on welfare. Although he wasn't a member of a gang, he grew up among close affiliates of the Westside Piru Bloods.
Lamar developed an interest in music when he was four years old after listening to the hip hop records his parents would play at their house parties. Some of his earliest childhood memories included watching his father and uncles rob stores during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. He credits the riots for giving him a better understanding of police brutality after learning about the beating of Rodney King. He was given the nickname "Man-Man" as a child because he carried himself as an adult. This nickname would later be used as a reference to his childhood in HUMBLE. and Family Ties. When he was five years old, Lamar witnessed his first murder while sitting outside of his apartment unit. He admitted during an interview with NPR Music that it "done 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." Three years later, he witnessed his second murder as he was walking home from Ronald E. McNair Elementary School.
Kendrick Lamar Facts
- Kendrick Lamar and TDE released the official soundtrack for the 'Black Panther' movie on 9th February 2018. The project features collaborations with The Weekend, Travis Scott, Future and more.
- It's official, Lamar's biggest fan is Lady Gaga and, at one point, it looked as though Mother Monster might have a track on Lamar's debut album 'Good Kid, MAAD City'. The admiration is mutual, with Lamar describing Lady Gaga as a "beautiful person".
- Lamar wanted to follow in the footsteps of the legendary basketball player but "I’m a small guy—I only grew to 5-6. I deferred my dreams to write in rhymes, and I pinned [that dream] somewhere else".
- The rapper revealed that his 2015 album was initially going to act as a tribute to the late rapper Tupac Shakur, as the abbreviation was "Tu-P-A-C.
