Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, more popularly known as Kendrick Lamar, son of Paula Oliver and Kenny Duckworth was born on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California, a city known for its prominent presence in the west-coast rap scene as well as its rampant gang violence and crime.

Growing up in a violent and dangerous place, Kendrick grew accustomed to the gangs and the struggles of living in poverty. One way for him to cope, however, was through rap music. After finding this love for rap music, he soon began to make his own songs.

He released numerous mixtapes throughout his teenage years, but made his official debut at the age of 23 with his first studio album “Overly Dedicated” in 2010. Despite it being his debut album, he got features from well renowned artists such as ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and others due to his father’s connections in the city as well as his generational talent. 

After the release of “Overly Dedicated,” he released his second studio album a year later in 2011, titled “Section.80.” On this slower and more professionally produced album, Kendrick touches upon subjects affecting people from his and previous generation, such as the 1980’s crack epidemic and the lingering influence of racism in society. “Section.80” exhibited significant growth in his skills, his influence, and his message. 

In 2012, Kendrick released an album for the third year in a row with his instant classic “good kid, m.A.A.d city.” It is important to note that on the deluxe cover for the album, it reads: “good kid, m.A.A.d city (a short film),” promoting the idea that the album can be listened to as a short film, or movie, making the story all the more cohesive. On this album Kendrick doesn’t hold back, bringing a loud and excited energy, deep subjects, and interesting story to each track, creating an extremely enjoyable listening experience. He tells the story of growing up in a low-income and notoriously dangerous neighborhood, experiencing gang violence, and battling maturation in his relationships with friends, family, and women. 

In 2014, Kendrick traveled to South Africa where he spent time reflecting on his life and the lives of impactful black figures such as Nelson Mandela, an anti-apartheid activist and the first president of South Africa. Following his visit to South Africa, he was inspired to write a new album: “To Pimp A Butterfly.” 

“To Pimp A Butterfly,” released in 2015, is one of the highest rated and one of the most critically acclaimed rap albums of all time. The heavy jazz influence is a unique take on the rap game that was executed perfectly. This album is also known for the impact it had on people in America, and Kendrick’s ability to rap about contemporary problems such as racism, rampant capitalism, and other political issues. 

Throughout the album, he references a young rapper finding fame and having to deal with the temptations that come with fame, and how his newfound fame and influence, as well as power, comes as a burden, and he turns to black history and his roots for guidance. Even more so than “good kid m.A.A.d city,” “To Pimp A Butterfly” is widely regarded as one of if not the greatest rap albums of all time; it is objectively his best work. 

 In 2017, Kendrick Lamar returned with his fifth studio album, titled “DAMN.” For the third release in a row, Kendrick Lamar blew fans and critics out of the water with yet another masterpiece. Any doubters of Kendrick were silenced by his undeniable talent, being able to rap about racism or his fears of losing everything. No matter the content, Kendrick never ceases to impress the world with his prolific catalog. 

A year later in 2018, he released a mixtape called “Black Panther the Album Music From And Inspired By.” Some of the songs on the album are performed by him, as well as other hugely known and renowned rappers. This mixtape is absolutely loaded with depth, features, and lyricism, all while being for a Marvel movie. Many people felt Kendrick was the perfect, and possibly the only, man who could have done the soundtrack for “Black Panther.” However, this would be the last new music heard by his fans for years. 

After a long leave of absence from the music world Lamar announced he would be releasing his new project, titled “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers,” on May 13, 2022, breaking his five year absence since his last release. 

This album focuses on Kendrick Lamar continuing to speak out on societal problems such as racism and homophobia, but he also explored a new subject: his own mental health. He opens up on what he had been going through during his absence. There are multiple slow, somber songs on the album, something Kendrick Lamar fans weren’t very used to. 

I think his speaking about his own mental health shows people all over the world how you can have pretty much anything you want, but everyone is still human and can still have feelings of depression and self-doubt. Kendrick Lamar, once again, branched out and covered subjects that almost no artists today would even dare touch. 

As of now, we don’t know what the future holds for further releases from Kendrick. If you haven’t yet, I would highly recommend giving his entire discography a listen as there is truly something there for everyone.