Lamar has been variously described as one of hip-hop’s greatest storytellers due to his ability to “effectively communicate even the most subtle allegory about life in Compton with reserved dignity and vulnerability”.
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Kendrick Lamar is up for 11 nominations at Monday night’s Grammy Awards, but his first accolade came on Saturday when he was presented the Key to the City of Compton by Mayor Aja Brown.
The 28-year-old entertainer who grew up in the city was honored in a ceremony in front of the Martin Luther King Monument at City Hall. Though not necessarily a surprise, given the praise heaped on his To Pimp a Butterfly, the win is still no small feat, considering the heavyweights he was pitted against: Drake, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole And Dr. Dre. “His message challenges the status quo and motivates listeners to rethink our society’s institutions”. “Twenty twelve was taken from the world to see / Set us back another four-hundred years / This is modern day slavery”, rapped Lamar.
Pitchfork reports, “Today, Kendrick Lamar was awarded the key to the city of Compton”.
According to city officials, Lamar attended Centennial High School as a teenager, where he was a straight-A student. Last year, he was grand marshal of the Compton Christmas Parade.
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