A platinum-selling artist, the GQ Man Of The Year, the 5-time Grammy nominee, the man behind the most talked about verse in hip hop’s recent memory — what hasn’t Kendrick Lamar been able to do this year?
To add another notch to his belt, K. Dot covered JET magazine’s upcoming Black History Month issue, which will be available on newsstands this Monday, January 27th. He talked with JET about what it’s like to be on their cover, the social responsibility artists take when it comes to music, his role models and influences, and much more.
Hit the jump to see some highlights from the interview and grab a copy of JET this Monday to see the full story.
On covering “JET”:
“I always seen [JET magazine] every time I walked into the house,” said Lamar. “It was always there. So I already knew that it had to hold some type of weight. Being a young cat, I had to know, since this magazine is right here all the time, it must be a powerful magazine. So it’s a privilege just to be a part of it, and for Black History Month, it’s a beautiful thing.”
On social responsibility in music:
“Hip-hop plays a huge part in Black history. It’s bigger than music. Entertainers are actually leading a generation today as role models, whether they want to or not.”
On using his music as a “movement”:
“(Songs) They are for that person who needs to hear them. People who live their lives to this music. So I take it a little further than just coming up with a clever line.”
On his male role models:
My earliest role model is my father, then my uncles Lil Man and Bobby,” Lamar shared. “These are the cats who I felt handled their business and took care of their family.”
On Jay Z’s influence:
“People forget that Jay Z is from the projects – but that inspires me. If this guy can go from the streets to the corporate world, that lets me know I’m open for anything.”
Spotted: TYBF
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