Kendrick Lamar is the featured cover artist for Forbes’ upcoming 30 Under 30 issue. During the interview for the story, which was conducted in October at the 30 Under 30 Summit, the Compton Hip Hop goliath was asked to comment on the current state of Hip Hop.
While he continues to push his intelligently crafted and “conscious” form of Hip Hop on albums like DAMN., K. Dot recognized there’s room for all sub-genres of the art form.
“I want Hip Hop to continue to evolve,” he said. “That’s why I can’t shun a lot of the artists that may not be a Kendrick Lamar. But this is what I tell them every time I see them … be yourself and do what you do but also know who laid down the groundwork.”
He also added some sound advice for artists associated with the mumble rap movement, and encouraged the new generation of rappers to show respect for Hip Hop’s pioneers.
“Don’t go on your interviews and diss them and say you don’t like them and you don’t care for them,” he said. “That’s your opinion, that’s cool but you have to respect them. So talking down on the folks that inspired us to do this, it’d never be right. You dig what I’m saying? So at the end of the day as long as you be who you are but respect what got us here, that’s how you continue to evolve.”
Taking into consideration projects like 2009’s self-titled EP or 2011’s Section .80, it’s clear the seven-time Grammy Award-winning artist has studied the greats and taken his craft seriously, but that doesn’t mean he wants to be boxed into a particular category. He credited 50 Cent for a valuable lesson he got on the term “conscious” rapper.
“Everybody have they own opinions, but … I always go back to what 50 Cent said, and it always stuck with me,” he explains. “He said, ‘We all are conscious, whether you’re doing gangsta rap, whether you’re doing so called conscious rap, whether you doing whatever genre you may in because you have a post, you alive and you’re telling your true feelings … these are your true thoughts and you’re conscious of them, and you’re aware of them. You are conscious, as simple as that. When he said that, that inspired me to not only recognize my own influence on what I have with my people.”
Watch the full interview above.
says the guy who worked with rich the kid…
So? That somehow makes what he said invalid?
ummm..that was his point
This is the age of the water sprinkler hi-hat. It’s everywhere. It’s on Dr. Dre latest album, it’s on every radio hit, it’s even on the SNL Saturday Night Live theme song. It’s the worst showcase of musicianship. Repetitive tttt tttttttttttt tt ttt ttttttttttttt. It’s so lazy and it sound inauthentic as hell. Artist are placing these hi-hats on top of REAL drums just to attract this new age of rap. This new sound cloud generation. Let’s go back to authentic drums. This is ridiculous. Say i’m wrong!
Afrika Bambaataa and Kurtis Blow music had those same High Hats dummy
Not in the same overbearing way. Not even close, and it wasn’t their prime sound. Today’s trap artists have one style; trap. You won’t find those rapid-ass watersprinkler hi hats in any of hiphop’s classic albums.
100 agree bro! Even DJ Paul did authentic trap using an SP-1200 for those drums! and his hi-hats are fast but sound nothing like those rattle snake synthetic hi-hats that have infected the industry like today.
Of course they did because the roland 808 was the main drum machine of that era, which is were all of those drums were primarily found however they used it in a totally different way. Everybody is using those sounds now because it’s the ‘thing’ to do. To be honest unless your from the south or have a genuine fondness of the southern ‘trap’ style you have no business really using it. But when every song you hear has identical sounds/drums you have a big problem.
Kung Fu Kenny is hip hops savior
Only true artist know big ups Kendrick, these talentless clowns who think they have made it are just tax write offs fads fade fast real talent last forever !
I agree with what he is saying.. I wish other rappers could speak with the same intelligence. All I even hear is the same ignorant comments coming out of their mouths. Starting silly beefs and getting in trouble with the law for some dumb shit.
NEW YORK BOOM BOA IS DEAD GET OVER IT ! ITS BEEN DEAD FOR 20 YEARS LET IT R.I.P
It’ll never be dead as long as I and others who love it still have the right to listen to what we choose to
U sound stupid….Boom Bap is a staple in hip-hop.
Sick of condescending ass rappers. NY fucked it up trying to diss everybody all the while demanding respect. Fuck you. I know Kenny’s from LA tho.
So dumb concious rap is not in the literal sense of being physically alive and aware of what you say.concious rap is saying something of substance that affects your culture in a positive manner in an effort to push the culture forward.learn up Kenny smh
Much luv and respect to Kdot for once again dropping knowledge bombs on the lost masses… We need music that is inspired has emotions an thought is uplifting, holy an feels good
again he proves why its just him and cole, there are a few others too.. but they will alwsy be the leaders of it til ALL modern artist move this way.