Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth has revolutionized the rap industry by becoming the first hip-hop rapper to win the Pulitzer Prize. If you have doubts about his credentials, how about asking Drizzy Drake what he thinks of him? Lamar has 17 Grammys to his name which is way past Michael Jackson’s record of 13. He is also among the favorite singers and rappers of former US President Barack Obama. Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar is more than a singer. He is a rich guy with $140 million of wealth and a huge philanthropic deeds portfolio.

Kendrick Lamar is a talented singer cum rapper and a wise businessman now. However, the “Rich Spirit” singer was also a straight-A student in his school. 
 

• Kendrick Lamar’s name is derived from Eddie Kendricks of the Detroit vocal group, The Temptations.
• Lamar has had an interest in hip-hop music since childhood. For him, sneaking in his parents’ house parties and listening to music are “good memories”.
• His interest in rapping grew after Lamar listened to his voice recording for the first time.
• From his early days in school, Kendrick was recognized for his writing prowess and poetry. 
• From his English teacher Regis Inge in 7th grade, Lamar learned rhymes, metaphors, and double entendres which eventually led him on the path of being a songwriter. Lamar finally got the “Poetic Justice” he was looking for.
• In high school, Kendrick took K. Dot as the stage name and started doing rap battles. 
• Even before graduating high school, Kendrick caught the attention of record producer and filmmaker Dave Free, with whom Lamar started his serious music journey.
• He had some interest in psychology and astronomy in college but he dropped out to follow his passion for music.
• Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, the founder of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) listened to Kendrick’s mixtape, “Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year” and asked him to audition. Lamar freestyled and won a contract in 2005 and even received a minority stake in the label. He also made contributions to Jay Rock's first two mixtapes.
• Eventually, Lamar formed Black Hippy, a hip-hop supergroup with Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q.

Kendrick did have a rough childhood with his father being a gang member and the neighborhood he was raised in.

• Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California, U.S.
• He is the first child of Kenneth Duckworth and Paula Oliver. His father worked for KFC but later became a gang hustler. Meanwhile, his mother was a hairdresser.
• Kenneth was associated with Gangster Disciples which made his son Kendrick and other family members move to Compton from the South Side of Chicago.
• Lamar is a cousin of NBA player Nick Young who belongs to the Denver Nuggets and “The Melodic Blue” album rapper Baby Keem.
• Kendrick has been engaged to his high school sweetheart Whitney Alford since 2015. He shares two children with her. The elder one is a daughter named Uzi who was born in 2019. The younger one is a son, Enoch whose birth year is yet to be revealed.