Even before releasing good kid, m.A.A.d. city, Kendrick Lamar had the West Coast torch. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre made sure he got this praise, building up to the young Compton emcee’s debut. In a recent interview BET’s T.J. Holmes, Lamar spoke on how he feels he’s lived up to this type of acknowledgement.
When Holmes asked if he felt he’s delivered with good kid, based on these expectations of being “King of West Coast Rap,” Lamar was not shy with his answer.
“Definitely,” he said. “I put in a lot of years doing music. I don’t slight none of the acknowledgements I’m getting now because I put in that grind and that effort years before the world knew who Kendrick Lamar was.”
Lamar continued, saying that he is using this acknowledgement and recognition to put out a positive message. He also shared how he obtained a more positive perspective on life.
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“One particular moment in my life changed everything to where I started thinking different. That positivity led to me doing music,” he explained. “The moment was [discussed on] ‘I’m Dying of Thirst’]. A situation happened with one of my homeboys passing. This lady straight out asked us, ‘What do you believe in? Do you believe in the higher power or are you gonna keep believing in these guns and drugs the rest of your life?’ That was it.”
