The world has its eye on Kendrick Lamar who is prepping the release of his much awaited sophomore album. He’s on the latest cover of Billboard magazine and in the cover story, he talks about leaving Iggy alone, debuting a new song on The Colbert Report, being an introvert, police violence and more.
Below are some excerpts but you can read the full story here.
On Iggy Azalea:
“She’s doing her thing,” he says. “Let her. People have to go through trials and tribulations to get where they at. Do your thing, continue to rock it, because obviously God wants you here.”
On the untitled song he performed on the Colbert Report:
“I just like the energy” of the song, says Lamar. “I didn’t go on there to sell a single. I just did what I felt.” Such is the prerogative of Kendrick Lamar, widely hailed as hip-hop’s savior in a period when few rappers seem committed to art for art’s sake. While image-conscious leading MCs like Drake and Nicki Minaj competitively hone their craft and tally hits, Lamar seems intent on transcending what he calls the “sport” of rap: “I pride myself on writing now rather than rapping,” he says. “My passion is bringing storylines around and constructing a full body of work, rather than just a 16-bar verse.”
On being an introvert and his girlfriend:
“I’ve been called a recluse,” he concedes. “There’s definitely truth in that. I like to spend time alone.” He rarely is seen in the clubs, he doesn’t drink a lot or smoke weed, and he has been with his girlfriend, Whitney Alford, since they were both in high school. (She’s also in her late 20s.) She has been spotted with Lamar at the Grammys and in South Africa, and is so at ease sassing him that she joked about him being “cheap” in front of a New York Times reporter. “I wouldn’t even call her my girl,” he says. “That’s my best friend. I don’t even like the term that society has put in the world as far as being a companion — she’s somebody I can tell my fears to.”
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