Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar is a conscious hip-hop artist from Compton, California.
Compton rapper behind good kid, m.A.A.d city and To Pimp a Butterfly, and the first rapper to win a Pulitzer Prize.
Who is Kendrick Lamar?
Kendrick Lamar is a rapper and songwriter from Compton, California. He came up through the independent label Top Dawg Entertainment.
Known for
good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012), the jazz- and funk-filled To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), with "Alright", and DAMN. (2017), which made him the first musician outside classical music and jazz to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. In 2024 "Not Like Us", from his feud with Drake, became a cultural moment, and in 2025 he headlined the Super Bowl halftime show.
Style
Constantly shifting voices, flows and characters, with dense, layered lyrics about Compton, race, faith, fame and self-doubt. His albums are built like stories, often with recurring themes and skits.
Impact
Kendrick is widely seen as the most important rapper of his generation. He proved that ambitious, conscious concept albums can also be massive hits.
Influences
- Tupac
Kendrick Lamar: quick answers
What genre is Kendrick Lamar?
Kendrick Lamar’s music falls under Conscious Hip-Hop. Kendrick Lamar is part of West Coast hip-hop, with the most important work in the 2010s and 2020s.
Where is Kendrick Lamar from?
Kendrick Lamar is from Compton, California.
When did Kendrick Lamar start?
Kendrick Lamar has been active since 2003.
Who influenced Kendrick Lamar?
Kendrick Lamar was influenced by Tupac.
Which artists are similar to Kendrick Lamar?
If you like Kendrick Lamar, listen to J. Cole, The Game, Tupac, Vince Staples and Doechii.
