Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar
Born: Kendrick Lamar Duckworth
June 17, 1987 (age 37)
Compton, California, U.S.
Other Names: K.Dot
Occupations: Rapper, songwriter, record producer
Years Active: 2003–present
Organization: PGLang
Partner: Whitney Alford (engaged in 2015)
Children: 2
Relatives: Baby Keem (cousin), Nick Young (cousin)
Awards: Full list available

Genres: West Coast hip-hop, progressive rap, jazz rap, conscious hip hop
Instruments: Vocals
Labels: Interscope, Top Dawg, Aftermath, PGLang
Formerly of: Black Hippy
Website: oklama.com

Signature:

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, born June 17, 1987, is a renowned American rapper widely regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists of his generation. In 2018, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Music, making history as the first non-classical or jazz artist to receive this prestigious honor.

Lamar hails from Compton, California, and began his music career under the stage name K.Dot while still in high school. He signed with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2005, where he co-founded the hip-hop supergroup Black Hippy. Following the release of his debut album Section.80 in 2011, Lamar signed a joint deal with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. His breakout album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (2012), earned him major recognition, with Rolling Stone naming it the greatest concept album of all time. Lamar's follow-up album, To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), infused hip-hop with jazz, funk, and soul, while his 2017 album DAMN yielded his second Hot 100 number-one single, "Humble."

Lamar has continued to build on his success with the soundtrack for Black Panther (2018) and his 2022 double album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, marking his departure from TDE. His feud with rapper Drake led to the release of GNX (2024), which produced multiple chart-topping singles, including "Like That," "Squabble Up," and "Not Like Us," which won five Grammy Awards, including Song and Record of the Year.

Lamar has accumulated 22 Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Brit Award, and several American Music Awards, among other accolades. He was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2016. His tours, including the DAMN and Big Steppers tours, rank among the highest-grossing rap tours of all time.

Outside of music, Lamar co-founded the creative company PGLang and ventured into film with his longtime creative partner, Dave Free.

Early Life
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born in Compton, California, on June 17, 1987. He is the first child of Kenneth "Kenny" Duckworth, a former gang member, and Paula Oliver, a hairdresser. His parents, both from the South Side of Chicago, moved to Compton in 1984. Lamar was named after Eddie Kendricks of the Temptations.

He grew up in Section 8 housing and experienced hardships, including homelessness and reliance on food stamps. Despite not being affiliated with a particular gang, Lamar was surrounded by gang culture, which influenced his music and experiences. He was introduced to police brutality and violence at a young age, including witnessing a murder at age five. Despite these challenges, Lamar fondly recalls his childhood memories, especially his interest in hip-hop music, which sparked from sneaking into his parents' house parties.

Lamar was a quiet, academic student with a noticeable stutter and excelled in school. He was encouraged by his first-grade teacher to pursue writing and later developed a passion for songwriting. His English teacher introduced him to poetry, and Lamar began integrating literary techniques into his music. His early writing was often profane but helped him cope with trauma and depression.

He attended Centennial High School, where he became involved with gang culture, leading to several health scares and run-ins with the police. After a life-changing event, Lamar distanced himself from the lifestyle, and at age 16, he was baptized and converted to Christianity.

Career Beginnings (2003–2008)
Lamar began his music career in high school under the stage name K.Dot. He gained attention for his freestyling and battle rapping, which led to a friendship with fellow student Dave Free. Together, they recorded music in a makeshift studio, and Lamar released his first mixtape, Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year (2003). Lamar's early work primarily consisted of freestyles over popular hip-hop tracks.

In 2005, Lamar signed with Top Dawg Entertainment after impressing the label's founder, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, with his audition. Lamar joined forces with Jay Rock and others to form the supergroup Black Hippy. Over the next few years, Lamar released several mixtapes, including Training Day (2005) and No Sleep 'til NYC (2007), which helped build his reputation in the underground hip-hop scene.

Overly Dedicated and Section.80 (2009–2011)
In 2009, Lamar released his mixtape C4, followed by Overly Dedicated in 2010. These projects marked a shift in his songwriting and helped elevate his profile. Lamar caught the attention of Dr. Dre after the release of Overly Dedicated, and Dre later reached out to collaborate with him on his album Detox. Lamar's 2011 debut studio album, Section.80, explored conscious hip-hop themes and earned him critical acclaim. The album's lead single, "HiiiPower," became an anthem for Lamar's rise in the rap scene, earning him the title of "New King of the West Coast" from Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.

Tags;

demure,
demure trend,
very demure trend,
give me my money trend,
just give me my money trend,
what is demure trend,
what is the demure trend,
demure meaning,
demure trend meaning,
bta trend,
i love your daughter trend,
gimme my money trend,
nice try diddy trend,
legging legs trend,
hey brother trend,
who started the demure trend,
what is the very demure trend,
where did the demure trend come from,