We're in the last days, man - I truly, in my heart, believe that. It's written. I could go on with biblical situations and things my grandma told me. But it's about being at peace with myself and making good with the people around me.
It's a great, great experience to finally get the reception that you know you rightfully deserve.
My whole thing is to inspire, to better people, to better myself forever in this thing that we call rap, this thing that we call hip hop.
The best thing is to always keep honest people around, because when you have a bunch of yes men around that know that you're making a mistake but let you go on with it, that's when it ruins your mind state as an artist.
The hardest thing for - not only an artist but for anybody to do is look themselves in the mirror and acknowledge, you know, their own flaws and fears and imperfections and put them out there in the open for people to relate to it.
This is the thing about hip-hop music and where people get it most misconstrued: It's all hip-hop. You can't say that just what I do is hip-hop, because hip-hop is all energies. James Brown can get on the track and mumble all day. But guess what? You felt his soul on those records.
People are used to music that justifies street culture but something that's not touched on is why these kids act the way they act, live the way they live.
I used to consider the listener. But now I'm in a space where, if I'm not inspired, I can't really do the music. I can't feel it.
When I talk to kids, I'm really listening. When I do that, we have a little bit of a bigger connection than me being Kendrick Lamar and you being a student. It's almost like we're friends. Because a friend listens.
Before finding music, I didn't have too many aspirations. I wanted to hang out, make a little money from whatever I had to do.
My pops and my mom started playing Marvin Gaye and the Isley Brothers and all these people, but at the same time, they always had Snoop on right behind it in the same mix.
When I'm in the studio, I'm looking for creativity I haven't matched yet, a feeling I haven't felt. It's a high.
I look at where I'm at today and realize that most of my success is owed to the mentors that was in my life.
When everybody looks at our generation of kids, they always call us the misfits - you know, like we just don't give a damn.
My moms always told me, 'How long you gonna play the victim?' I can say I'm mad and I hate everything, but nothing really changes until I change myself.
I'm just writing, writing, writing. I keep these tablets on me until I'm inspired to go back in and make the music. I never take a break from my pen, because I pride myself on that.
As long as my music is real, it's no limit to how many ears I can grab.
You can have the platinum album. But, you know, when you still feel like you haven't quite found your place in the world, it kind of gives a crazy offset.
In all my days of schooling, from preschool all the way up to 12th grade, there was not one white person in my class. Literally zero.
If I'm gonna tell a real story, I'm gonna start with my name.
