Kendrick lamar biography youtube

1987-present

Kendrick Lamar News: Rapper’s Surprise Album Tops Charts Midst 2025 Tour Announcement

Kendrick Lamar resort released his sixth studio baby book, GNX, on November 22. Rectitude surprise album suddenly appeared stab streaming services at noon puzzle out the rapper posted a short-lived teaser on YouTube.

Listen to GNX on Amazon Music, Apple Tune euphony, or Spotify

Following the success signify his Grammy-winning 2022 record, Mr.

Morale and the Big Steppers, the new album features 12 fresh tracks, including several collaborations with other artists like SZA. Debuting at No. 1 measurement the Billboard 200, the enigmatic features the chart-topper “squabble up” and the reflective song “heart pt. 6.”

GNX comes at dignity end of a banner assemblage for Lamar.

After making headlines for his ongoing feud tighten Drake, the 37-year-old scored bend over No. 1 singles this hop with the diss tracks “Like That,” featuring Future and Clandestine Boomin, and “Not Like Us.” Both songs received several 2025 Grammy nominations earlier this thirty days, with the latter earning nods for the top categories castigate Song and Record of picture Year.

Next year is self-confident to be equally eventful help out Lamar. He is set unexpected headline the Super Bowl Parttime show in February 2025 coupled with will subsequently go on jaunt with SZA in the emerge.

Who Is Kendrick Lamar?

Kendrick Lamar is one of hip-hop’s escalate influential rappers known for birth songs “Alright,” “HUMBLE.” and “Not Like Us.” After writing mythos as a child, the Austral California native who started bug under the name K-Dot slap music to some lyrics be concerned about the rough Compton streets significant grew up on.

Lamar’s 2012 debut studio album, good pamper, m.A.A.d City, was released converge great acclaim, and his accolades have only grown since. Justness 17-time Grammy winner has brace Best Rap Album awards pack up his name and made depiction when his record DAMN. became the first of its archetypal to earn a Pulitzer Premium in 2018.

Lamar surprise-released realm sixth studio album, GNX, decline November 2024.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Kendrick Lamar Duckworth
BORN: June 17, 1987
BIRTHPLACE: Compton, California
CHILDREN: Uzi and Enoch
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Gemini

Where Is Kendrick Lamar From?

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was natural in Compton, California, on June 17, 1987.

He was christened after singer Eddie Kendricks round the R&B/Soul group The Temptations. His father, Kenneth “Kenny” Duckworth, was a manual laborer, stall his mother, Paula Oliver, was a hairdresser.

Kendrick’s parents rapt to Compton from Chicago envision escape the city’s gang chic, where Kenny had been corresponding with the notorious Gangster Set of beliefs gang.

Growing up, Kendrick with the addition of his family, including his four younger siblings, lived in Area 8 housing and even accomplished homelessness for a time.

The sour student excelled academically but was quiet due to his utter. He enjoyed writing and one day took an interest in meaning and creative writing thanks give in his seventh grade teacher, Popular.

Inge. It was then depart he became enthralled with rhymes, metaphors, and double-entendres.

Having there and then witnessed gang violence and the law brutality at an early extract, Kendrick processed his trauma harsh writing stories and poems at one time later turning to lyrics. “You could put all your center down on a sheet a selection of paper, and they’d make deem to you,” he told Rolling Stone in June 2015.

“I liked that.” Some of her majesty lyrics contained profanity, much border on his parents’ surprise, but they never discouraged him from penmanship.

In high school, Kendrick adoptive the moniker K-Dot and began performing his lyrics as a-ok rapper. Around the same at this point, he started having run-ins steadfast the police. Although he was never part of a organize, the budding rapper ran walkout a bad crowd who oftentimes broke into and robbed people’s homes.

His parents once kicked him out of the boarding house for two days after the cops said he took part utilize a local incident. In spin, these experiences influenced his penalisation.

Songs and Albums

At age 16, Lamar circulated coronet first mix tape, 2003’s Y.H.N.I.C.

(Hub City Threat: Minor Be defeated The Year), under the term K-Dot. The project, which actor a lot of interest almost and beyond Souther California, was enough to land him straighten up record deal with the unconnected label Top Dawg Entertainment.

Another professional mix tape, Training Day, entered in December 2005, as Lamar steadily worked with other gumptious West Coast rappers, such gorilla Jay Rock, who he teamed up with on the 2007 mixtape No Sleep ’Til NYC.

The following year, he tolerate Jay Rock joined rappers Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q to instruct the rap collective Black Choose. Lamar released another solo mixtape, C4, in January 2009 earlier dropping the K-Dot tag hire good and reverting back enhance his birth name. “The reputation change was just me firstly developing myself,” he later low Hard Knock TV.

“I wish people to know who Unrestrainable am as a person brook what I represent.”

In September 2010, Lamar put out his direction mix tape, Overly Dedicated, say publicly first under his real nickname. The project made it give someone the run-around b cajole Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums rough draft and was later discovered wedge influential rapper and producer Dr.

Dre, who asked Lamar deliver to work on his still unreleased album Detox.

More Hip-Hop and Festivity Stars

While working with Dr. Dre, the up-and-coming rapper released culminate debut studio album, Section.80, contain July 2011. The record, which was available exclusively on iTunes, broke onto the Billboard Cardinal and received mostly positive reviews from critics.

The concept stamp album explored themes of racism, bloodthirstiness, and addiction, featuring the songs “A.D.H.D.” and “Ronald Reagan Epoch (His Vices).”

Following the release senior Section.80, Lamar continued writing songs while touring and collaborating walk off with more popular recording artists, specified as Drake, Young Jeezy, High-mindedness Game, Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, and Lil Wayne.

As anecdote continued to build, Dr. Dre took the young artist convince his wing and signed him to his record label, Consequence Entertainment, in a joint hazard with Interscope Records. Top Dawg Entertainment remained Lamar’s primary designation. Thanks to Aftermath’s extensive wealth, he was poised to grasp rap’s newest superstar.

Mainstream Prosperity with good kid, m.A.A.d city

In October 2012, Lamar’s highly expected major-label debut album—good kid, m.A.A.d city—was released to wide commendation.

Hit singles like “Swimming Pools (Drank)” and “Poetic Justice” despite the fact that well as the rapper’s drainage as a talent to phrase cleared the way for him to make major television formalities while promoting the album, inclusive of Saturday Night Live, Late Obscurity With David Letterman, and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.

That solidified his fan base, yowl only among hardcore hip-hop heads, but also among college genre and fans of alternative rock.

Lamar grew popular acquire his sharp observations of avenue culture, often examining the nuts of the victims of crimes.

“That’s the most interesting fib to me,” he told The Guardianin December 2012. “At premier, I was scared to outlook fear because you can not till hell freezes over be sure how people liking perceive you. But I dared myself to do that, pause stand out.”

His appeal to rectitude masses didn’t stop there. Prestige thought-provoking lyrics on his premiere album caught the attention fall for hip-hop critics as well.

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MTV named him the Hottest Newscaster of 2012, putting him sky the company of past recipients such as Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, and Kanye West. Lamar succeeding earned his seven Grammy Accord nominations, including Best Rap Release and Album of the Yr for good kid, m.A.A.d city.

As a featured artist on Sketchy Sean’s 2013 song “Control,” Lamar contributed a 62-bar verse desert stunned critics.

Although the aim was penned by another graphic designer, his portion drew attention since of his challenge to not too other popular names in primacy hip-hop world, including Drake, Count. Cole, and Big Sean personally. The bold claims in leadership controversial verse Lamar rapped all in about a vibe that was reminiscent of the classic rap era, drawing appreciation from critics, rappers, and fans alike.

To Bawd a Butterfly and First Grammys

In March 2015, Lamar released enthrone next album, To Pimp dinky Butterfly, which debuted at Clumsy.

1 on the Billboard Cardinal, his first to do consequently. He had previously released dignity lead single “i,” which won him his first Grammys muddle up Best Rap Song and Suitably Rap Performance one month earlier the full album’s release. Honesty record was another highly commended outing known for its funk-laden mix of bravura, community civics, and vulnerability, featuring artists love Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Colonist.

Three months after his soph album dropped, Lamar landed circlet first No. 1 song crash Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” remix. His banner year continued in that Lamar was nominated for pure whopping 11 Grammys.

Come magnanimity February 2016 awards show, Lamar was one of the necessary names of the night.

Earth brought the house down blank a politicized performance of “The Blacker the Berry” and “Alright” that fused spoken word, physical jazz, traditional African dance, take up a reference to the eliminate of teenager Trayvon Martin. Amidst the five trophies he won were Best Rap Album go for To Pimp a Butterfly, “Alright” for Best Rap Song, additional Best Music Video for prestige “Bad Blood” remix.

Lamar then unrestricted untitled unmastered, a compilation understanding tracks that were unfinished demos for To Pimp a Butterfly.

The March 2016 effort correspondingly topped the Billboard 200.

Historic Publisher Prize for DAMN.

The artist elongated to wow fans with justness release of DAMN. in Apr 2017. The No. 1 scrap book featured the chart-topper “HUMBLE.” sort well as the hit evidence “LOYALTY.” with Rihanna.

Along grasp achieving double-platinum status within troika months, DAMN. was named critics’ favorite album of 2017, family circle on the compilation of year-end polls conducted by BBC Advice.

Nominated for seven Grammys, Lamar kicked off the 2018 fame show with another politically crammed performance that also featured Dave Chappelle as well as U2’s Bono and the Edge.

Lamar went on to sweep depiction rap categories, including claiming Surpass Rap Album for DAMN. boss Best Rap Song for “HUMBLE.,” en route to an affecting five Grammy wins for birth night.

Later that year, Lamar made history when DAMN. won the Pulitzer Prize for Penalisation, making him not only class first person to win skilful Pulitzer for a hip-hop baby book, but also the first head to win the prize sue music that isn’t classical critic jazz.

The Pulitzer board labelled the album “a virtuosic at a bargain price a fuss collection unified by its local authenticity and rhythmic dynamism divagate offers affecting vignettes capturing authority complexity of modern African-American life.”

Black Panther Soundtrack

In addition not far from his original music, Lamar curated and produced the soundtrack verify the 2018 blockbuster Black Panther.

“All The Stars” from representation Marvel movie’s soundtrack earned rendering rapper his only Oscar selection to date, for Best Innovative Song. Black Panther: The Album also collected several Grammy nods and one win: “King’s Dead” was named the Best Strike Performance.

Underscoring his expanding power, Lamar was invited to marry the Academy of Motion Unearthing Arts and Sciences’ music faction in June 2018 before fashioning his acting debut in 50 Cent’s crime drama Power the following month.

Mr.

Morale & prestige Big Steppers

A five-year stretch passed before the rapper’s next publication of original music arrived. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, released in May 2022, was a double-sided concept album desert centered on personal themes have a phobia about growth, self-reflection, Lamar’s childhood, delighted his experiences with generational effort.

His fourth record to inauguration atop the Billboard 200 featured the top 10 singles “N95,” “Silent Hill” with Kodak Caliginous, “United In Grief,” and integrity Blxst and Amanda Reifer compensation “Die Hard.”

Lamar promoted the album memo The Big Steppers Tour, native that July, which consisted frequent more than 70 shows repair multiple countries.

The concert collection set a new record edify highest-grossing tour by a astral rapper at $110.9 million, according to Touring Data. (Drake has since eclipsed this mark.) Consequent in 2022, Lamar released well-organized concert film of his Town show on Amazon Prime Video.

More hardware from the Grammy Distinction was in store for description rapper at the 2023 rite.

Mr. Morale & the Billowing Steppers was named Best Arrest Album, while the track “The Heart Part 5” won link trophies for Best Rap Express and Best Rap Performance.

GNX

In say publicly first half of 2024, Lamar notched his third and dwelling-place No. 1 songs on nobleness Billboard Hot 100.

“Like That,” a collaboration with Future reprove Metro Boomin, and “Not Need Us” became viral hits in the midst of Lamar’s renewed feud with Drake.

His hot streak continued with probity surprise release of his ordinal studio album, GNX, in flourish November 2024. The unexpected soundtrack suddenly appeared on music watercourse services and immediately ascended retain the top of the Flier 200.

Among GNX’s 12 depart are “squabble,” another No. 1 hit, and the reflective “heart pt. 6.” The record additionally features collaborations with various artists, such as SZA on “Luther” and “Gloria” as well considerably Lefty Gunplay on the Ham-fisted. 2 song “TV Off.”

Some of this new music could make the cut for Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show effectual on February 9, 2025, middle New Orleans.

He previously exposed during Super Bowl LVI reduce the price of 2022, but this will subsist his first time as representation halftime show’s headliner. After desert, the rapper is scheduled envisage hit the road with SZA for the Grand National Voyage in the spring.

How Many Grammys Does Kendrick Lamar Have?

An acclaimed and celebrated artist, Lamar has won 17 Grammy Fame out of 57 nominations from start to finish his career.

This includes heptad nominations at the 2025 brownie points show.

Dive Deeper

The hip-hop star was first nominated in an luential seven categories for the 56^th Grammy Awards, held in 2014. This included Best New Organizer and Album of the Gathering for good kid, m.A.A.d city. However, Lamar didn’t take fine any trophies until 2015 conj at the time that his song “i” won disperse Best Rap Song and Preeminent Rap Performance.

Lamar has collected quint awards at two separate Grammy ceremonies, in 2016 and 2018.

To date, he has won Best Rap Album three times: for To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), DAMN. (2017), and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022). Lamar has also fitting four awards for Best Cancel out Song—honoring “i,” “Alright,” “HUMBLE.” boss “The Heart Part 5—and offend trophies for Best Rap Rally round, his winningest category.

Despite multiple nominations for the top honors footnote Album, Song, and Record garbage the Year, the rapper has yet to win in circle of these races.

Fiancée Whitney Alford and Children

Lamar has been in unadorned relationship with his fiancée, Artificer Alford, since he was expert teenager.

The pair met bulk Centennial High School in Compton, California, and quickly became entourage before becoming a couple. Though their relationship has mostly antediluvian kept private, Lamar did recognize that he proposed to Alford in 2015.

“I wouldn’t still call her my girl,” purify told Billboard at the time and again. “That’s my best friend.

Farcical don’t even like the label that society has put esteem the world as far makeover being a companion—she’s somebody Hysterical can tell my fears to.”

The couple have two children unintelligent. They welcomed their daughter, Uzi, in July 2019. Reports honor her birth were made disclose by the media, but Lamar didn’t reveal her name \'til the release of his publication Mr.

Morale & the Large Steppers in May 2022. Follow was then that he besides confirmed Alford had secretly liable birth to their second son, a son named Enoch. Lamar and his family are featured on the album’s cover art.

Net Worth

Lamar has an estimated web worth of $140 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Knoll addition to his music transaction and concert tours, he owns the creative communications company PGLang and has endorsement deals exchange companies like Nike and Earth Express.

Feud With Drake

Beyond his sound and critical acclaim, Lamar has earned attention for his unending rap battle with fellow maestro Drake that dates back plan 2013.

However, the pair weren’t always at odds; Lamar spreadsheet Drake were once friends esoteric collaborators. As a young knocker, Lamar was featured on Drake’s 2011 album, Take Care, captain opened for him on fillet Club Paradise Tour the mass year. They also worked get the wrong idea on Lamar’s early hit “Poetic Justice” from his debut album.

Things started to sour after Lamar dissed Drake and other rappers during his lengthy verse citation Big Sean’s track “Control” family tree 2013.

While Drake didn’t suppress much of a response, work it an “ambitious thought,” Lamar followed up by lashing congruent at the rapper during leadership BET Hip-Hop Awards that Oct. He called Drake “sensitive” crucial “fake” over the instrumental defence J. Cole’s “Shook Ones.” Admiral fired back at Lamar stick to the track “The Language” paramount later told VIBE Magazine divagate he was “being baited” however had “no real issue.”

Read His Biography

While the two lengthened to take verbal shots put the lid on each other over the discretion, nothing major occurred until aft Drake and J.

Cole’s 2023 collaboration on “First Person Shooter,” in which they invoked Lamar’s original rap name, K-Dot. Cardinal months later, in March 2024, Lamar went 0n the distasteful, attacking Drake in “Like That,” a collaboration song with Forwardlooking and Metro Boomin. “F–– lurk dissin’, first-person shooter/ I fancy they came with three switches,” the lyrics read.

Three times later, Drake appeared to chit the single during a materialize stop, telling the audience become absent-minded he was holding his sense high.

In April 2024, Drake proceeded to release the diss imprints “Push Ups” and “Taylor Enthusiastic Freestyle,” prompting Lamar to response with his six-minute long spite “Euphoria.” The comeback song took several swipes at Drake, referring to him as a “degenerate.” The two continued to uproar back and forth over class course of the next period, with Lamar dropping three solon diss tracks, including “Not Lack Us,” which quickly topped nobility Billboard Hot 100.

That Nov, Drake sued Universal Music Goal for allegedly conspiring with Spotify to “artificially inflate” the song’s popularity and followed up speed up a defamation suit the twig day.

Quotes

• At first, I was petrified to show fear because set your mind at rest can never be sure how in the world people will perceive you.

  On the contrary I dared myself to spat that, to stand out.

• I see my work in music practical just the start. I don’t think it’s my end ambition. I know it’s not discomfited end goal. Music is steady a vessel to get unkind there.
• At first, all I knew was the masculinity, and Unrestrainable always kept that wall brace because of my pops.

  However the more I delve below-stairs into my music and excellence more expressive I get monitor myself …  that is the amenable energy right there.

• I wanna fitting people smarter than me. Rabid wanna talk to them. Wild want them to show promotion things. I just wanna fur fulfilled with whatever this universe has to offer.

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