Kendrick Lamar Discusses Blood, Crip Presence On “i” Cover Art

    Kendrick Lamar says that he had a specific objective with the cover art for his “i” single

    “Where I’m from, there’s a lot of gang culture and things like that, so instead of throwing on up gang signs, which we used to, I put a Blood and I put a Crip together and we’re throwing up hearts,” Kendrick Lamar says during an interview with AMP Radio. “Sparking the idea of some type of change through music or through me because I go back to the city now and people give me the honor and respect that, you know, this kid can change a little bit something different that’s been going on in the community.”

    Lamar also says that he is making a point to minimize outside musical influences while working on his forthcoming album.

    “When I go into creating an album or any type of song, I usually cut off everything from the radio because you can easily be influenced from songs that you like, songs that you may not like,” Lamar says. “So I said, ‘I’m gonna go in the studio and I’m going to do what I feel organically without being confined to industry standards or what people assume that I should do,’ because at the end of the day, man, I’m an artist and I would hate to be stagnant.”

    Yesterday (September 23), Kendrick Lamar discussed his relationship with Drake and J. Cole and blamed the media for trying to pit him against those he named on “Control.”

    “Same place,” said Kendrick when asked where he’s at with J. Cole and Drake during an interview on Los Angeles radio station Power 106’s Big Boy’s Neighborhood. “It’s all love. From the moment I did the verse to after the verse. I think Hip Hop is a sport, so you gonna have these little spits and spats. And it’s all good because personally I respect these dudes as people. You know what I mean? Outside of that it’s really nothing. I respect their music, for sure. I respect them as individuals and creators. And I think what the media tried to do is insane because they take these black, young brothers and really try to clash it and make—Bump heads. And that’s not right. That’s how I look at it. I think it’s not right. And I think that’s why it’s great to really show people how we support one another. Because Hip Hop was something that wasn’t supposed to be here for this long.”

    RELATED: Kendrick Lamar Speaks On Relationship With Drake, J. Cole Following “Control”

    45 thoughts on “Kendrick Lamar Discusses Blood, Crip Presence On “i” Cover Art

      1. you guys…the only time it’s acceptable to talk about the hood is when you’re being as ignorant as possible. you should know this. observation and conversation offers no insight. don’t think just do. go back on your block and get off the internet fool.

      2. haha, this fool must want k.dot to be like Y.G. or just an Xtra negro claiming shit, he never was a part of in the first place. you can live and be raised in the hood, and still not be from a hood. he represent that side. if he was Xtra and saying Blood like weezy which is no where born nor raised in L.A, or Chris Brown, claiming bloods every where he can just because he tags along with Game. thats studio gangsta.. this young dawg, here, is HIP HOP! no king, not the best just pure HIP HOP!!!!

    1. this is what real niggaz do..dude from compton ca..he maybe was active in the gangster shit..but a real man from a community like this/will power & will to influence..does what he can to unite the gangs & make a small effort to influence change

      unlike cris brown/wayne whi aint never seen no parts of the streets(lil wayne was a shorty shorty & turk bg & juvie made sure he stayed outta trouble) wayne & chris brown didnt start claiming the red shit until their late 20′

      u see a kid like kendrick that follows his own path & aint dick riding whats popular in the streets & media

      1. lol. People carry on like he’s some 17 year old prodigy. Back in the 90’s at 27 you were considered at 10 year veteran or even in some cases washed up.

      2. Kendrick is hip hop’s successor to Nas. No question, he’s the best lyricst we’ve had in a decade. If you don’t know that then you probably just follow mainstream shitty rap lol.

    2. “I put a Blood and I put a Crip together and we’re throwing up hearts”
      LMFAO! Dude is queer. Can’t stand this clown.

    3. crips and bloods, I wish they’d come to start their movement in South Africa there way we slaughter gang groups in our block, it’s scary my nigga #palentinas

    4. this nigga aint no gangster he fake like all them other rappers you fake niggas dickride. Respect a real nigga that raps about real nigga shit. Respect Gucci Mane. Everyone knows that Big Gucci is realer than all these rappers combined

      1. What about Chief Keef, would you consider him a studio gangster. He really was a Black Disciple in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood.

        Not every gangbanger is a hardcore murder and drug kingpin. Get your shit straight.

    5. LMAO @ naive lil niggas still thinking they can change the world through music

      nigga grow the fuck up, ain’t nobody gonna see that cover and be like “damn I’m wasting my life right here, let me go back to school get my education and live a successful life”

      1. Don’t know, but what I do know is the Bloods had better rappers… B-Brazy, Red Rum 781, Lil’ Hawk, Bloody Mary, Green Eyes, Big Wy, C-K, Lil Stretch etc etc..

    6. NEW MC EIHT ALBUM COVER FOR WHICH WAY IZ WEST ON EIHT’S TWITTER PAGE GEEAH SUPPORT THE ORIGINAL WESTCOAST ARTIST WITH TALENT AND SKILLS AND WITH A TRUE MESSAGE IN THERE MUSIC . IT’S A COMPTON THANG AND ONE TIME GAFFLED EM UP , BEON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE STREIHT UP MENACE BECUZ IT’S THICKER THAN WATER BABY ME AND YOU GEEEEEEAAAH 8 HYPE AND CMW 4 LIFE GEEEEAAH

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