Kendrick Lamar Speaks On His Relationship With Dr. Dre

Kendrick Lamar has recently put in studio time with Dr. Dre, having laid down “a lot of verses” for the O.G. rapper’s oft-delayed Detox. Speaking with Complex.com, the artist formerly known as K-Dot explained his relationship with the former N.W.A. member and how they clicked from day one.

“Dre and I have a personal relationship. In the first studio session, we clicked so crazy. It was more like a uncle-nephew kind of vibe. Because everybody sees Dre as just a gangsta rapper, but he shares the same story that I have, a good kid in a mad city,” he said. “When we sit in the studio, we talk about these different streets that we both lived on and experiences he had that I can relate to being two generations younger. I think that’s why people attach it so strongly because of the chemistry that we have outside the studio.”

He elaborated on what he’s learned from Dre, and how his mentorship has influenced his creativity and drive.

“Just about life in general. About having passion, setting goals, and having a vision,” he continued. “I never understood vision to that pedigree until I sat in that studio and he wrote down everything that manifested in his life—he’s seen it before. You can’t really grasp that concept that people have because they can’t really justify it because they can’t touch it. […] It’s basically about believing in yourself and having the dedication he has. Being under him and watching the passion, the same type of feel he has since the first early days of N.W.A., it’s crazy. It makes me go harder.”

Read the full interview at Complex.com, where he also touches on the Odd Future reference on Section.80, when Detox will see the light of day and more.

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