Kendrick Lamar has been tapped to headline the halftime show at Super Bowl LIX, it was announced Sunday. This won’t be the first time the rapper has performed at the sporting event. Just two years ago, he joined hip-hop icons Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Mary J. Blige and represented the genre’s younger wave as one of its most influential and innovative exponents of his generation, a testament to the impact he has had on the music industry and popular culture.
The Compton native’s work is characterized by lyrical complexity, social commentary, and sonic experimentation, earning him dozens of awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018, making him the only popular and hip-hop artist to receive the award (sometimes compared to 2018 Nobel Prize winner for Literature Bob Dylan).
Lamar comes from a complex cultural background. Since attending elementary school, he was inspired by several teachers to study hip hop from a literary perspective, and he delved into writing lyrics at that age. He was exposed to gang and police violence in his native Compton and that led to his ties to the Westside Prius gang before his father staged an intervention, causing him to abandon that hedonistic lifestyle. After a friend of his died when he was 16, he converted to Christianity (he had grown up in a secular home) and began to focus more on his musical work.
Lyrical complexity and social commentary
Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics are known for their complex storytelling and profound social commentary. His ability to weave personal narratives into broader social issues has distinguished him in a genre often criticized for its focus on materialism and superficiality, particularly when compared to the mainstream scene.
His acclaimed albums good kid, mAAd city (2012) and To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) are a clear example. In good kid, mAAd cityLamar explores his experiences growing up in Compton, California, and offers a vivid depiction of communities marked by violence and poverty. The album’s narrative structure weaves together personal anecdotes with broader social critiques and shows that hip hop can be a medium for both artistic expression and social reflection, which—while not a new idea—is not often seen in the creations of popular artists.
The work was included in Rolling Stone’s 2022 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and is the longest-charting hip-hop studio album on the Billboard charts. Its complexity also prompted Georgia Regents University professor Adam Diehl to use the text as part of his introductory composition class curriculum, in which he compares the rapper to Irish novelist James Joyce.
To Pimp a Butterfly expands on the aforementioned themes even further, tackling issues such as systemic racism, identity, and resilience. The album’s lyrical complexity and ambitious concepts reflect Lamar’s desire to push the boundaries of hip hop. The song Alrightwhich is part of the album, has become an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement, further showing the impact of their work on society.
Innovation
The artist has been able to combine traditional hip hop with elements of jazz, funk and spoken wordwhich has redefined what is possible within the genre. To Pimp a Butterflyfor example, features collaborations with jazz musicians such as Kamasi Washington and Thundercat, and fuses genres to create a sound that is both innovative and rooted in a rich musical heritage.
In DAMN. —named one of the best albums of 2017— and certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Lamar delved into sonic experimentation with various production styles and explored themes of duality and self-reflection, which has been described as a work of “conscious hip hop,” a branch of the genre focused on politics and social context. The sonic diversity of the album—which won the Grammy for Best Rap Album in 2018—combined with its introspective lyrics, showcased Lamar’s ability to adapt and evolve with a more accessible sound, bringing his message to a larger group of people.
Cultural and social impact
Kendrick Lamar’s music has had a profound cultural and social impact. His influence extends to other artists and the music industry at large. Some of the acts that have cited him as an inspiration include Tyler, the Creator; Lorde; Rosalía; BTS and Dua Lipa. He has also been hailed by rap veterans such as Nas, Dr. Dre and Eminem, and by other genres such as Bruce Springsteen, Prince and Madonna. David Bowie’s latest album was inspired by To Pimp A Butterfly and multi-award-winning producer Pharrell has compared him to Bob Dylan.
Moreover, his success has paved the way for a new generation of artists similarly committed to combining artistic innovation and social commentary. In addition, the recognition of his work by respected institutions, such as his Pulitzer Prize for DAMN., signifies a broader acceptance and celebration of hip hop as a valid form of artistic expression, a topic that has been discussed since the genre’s inception.
Legacy
Kendrick Lamar’s legacy is tangible in his redefinition of hip hop as a genre capable of profound artistic and social expression. His commitment to tackling complex issues and his willingness to experiment with musical forms have set new standards for the genre, and as he evolves as an artist, Lamar’s impact is likely to endure. He will serve as an inspiration to future musicians and further engage audiences with his unique blend of art and activism.
The most recent example is the topic Not Like Us, which he launched like a diss track (diss or fight song) in the midst of his feud with Canadian rapper Drake. In the track, Lamar singles out Drake as a colonizer who shows superficial interest in his community, particularly the Compton neighborhood and its culture. During a subsequent performance and the filming of the music video, Lamar managed to unite members of the gangs that predominate in California, including the Crips and Bloods, which has been considered a key moment in West Coast history, as it served as a call to unity and an example that abandoning the fights can lead to something greater.
