Kendrck Lamar: i
"It's definitely frustrating ... It's something that I've been around since the beginning of time. I remember coming up in the city of Compton and [seeing] these same types of ordeals."
He also mentioned that when he is making a song like "i," it is "about what's going on in real life. It's bigger then just a good tune, it's a psychological catchphrase."
Growing up in a tough situation, he knew the disadvantages that were set out in front of him from Day 1. His father gave him advice on how to handle one such issue, and that was racism:
"My father definitely talked to me about that early on — he came from Chicago to Compton, and he dealt with it his whole life. He knew the moment I was born [that] the color of my skin was gonna be put to the test, and that's just how it is.
"He told me, 'Every day, carry yourself with some integrity and don't let them see you sweat.'"
Lamar imparts further knowledge from his father on the today's youth, imploring them to not fall into the trap of violence but rather try and do something meaningful that shows you value yourself.
"I have to put that same type of influence on my lil brothers, on the lil homies in the neighborhood," he said. "We tend to act in violence all the time, and that's just something we were brought up to do. Now that I'm more mature, I [can show] them other avenues to go about handling themselves: Being knowledgeable and jumping into a book rather than reaching for a pistol and reacting that way."
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