This Sunday could prove a big day for Kendrick Lamar, who in the past few years has gone from an up-and-comer to the biggest name in the game with one album and a guest verse that brought the Internet and his contemporaries to their knees. The "good kid" from Compton is nominated for seven Grammys, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year for good kid, m.A.A.d city. He is also set to perform with Imagine Dragons. During the rehearsal for the upcoming performance, Kendrick Lamar spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about his next album, what he's learned from touring with Kanye West, his clothing style, growing up in Compton and his infamous "Control" verse.
As for what to expect at his Grammy performance, the words "flying white chalk clouds," "epileptic strobe lights," "Molotov cocktails," "cannons," "waterfall," and "burn slowly or spontaneously combust," might give you an idea of what they have planned. Don't expect a string section though because Kanye West and Ludacris have already done that. "Don't go against your own shit," Lamar instructs when the debate over using fake strings arises. "I don't want anybody to do anything fake."
Here are some things we learned from K. Dot. Let us know what you think in the comments section below!
On his clothing style:
"I'm most comfortable when I'm plain Jane in my Nike Cortez and my white tees. That's who I am and the era I came from. I always have to remind myself of that. I thought I wanted jewelry and cars, but as soon as I got a taste, I realized it wasn't fulfillment. A thrill is being as creative as possible and supporting the people I love."
On growing up and how his Compton roots influenced his first record:
"I was always a bit of a dreamer. After those long crazy nights in high school, I'd go back to my room and sit up staring at the ceiling, thinking that I could get out of this craziness if I ever found something that I loved."
"I wanted to speak from the perspective of my block and neighborhood, but in a different manner. Anyone can talk about bottles of champagne and getting signed, but I wanted to relate how I grew up and what I saw every day. Where I come from, it's not always about joining or not joining a gang. By nature, whatever neighborhood you're in, there's a certain affiliation. You might have a cousin over here...an uncle over there..."
On the thinking behind his "Control" verse:
"It wasn't pre-meditated, it just came to me when I was writing that bar. The crazy part is, I didn't think it would ever go to where diss records were coming at me. I thought people would be like... he threw some challenges out there... that was dope."
On Kanye West:
"Kanye taught me to never to downplay your ideas. I learned to always stay as creative as possible and never have any boundaries. Those things that people called 'rants' on-stage are real conversations that we had behind closed doors — about business and how when you get to a certain level people won't want to see you break through because they only see you as a rapper."
On the status of his next record:
"I'm still seeing what I feel like. When I really catch it, I'll be out there with it."
© 2024 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
