Kendrick Lamar: The Voice of a generation

We often talk about someone being the "voice of a generation". Kendrick Lamar is a rapper that has recently risen to be the voice of the newest generation of adults to come from the inner city. When we typically think of the voice of this group, I am sure most minds will immediately jump to gangsta rap artists like Eazy-E. However, Kendrick is anything but your straightforward gangsta rapper. Born and bred in Compton, he is an interesting hybrid of backpack nostalgia and unadulterated style, blending typical tropes of street culture with sincere cultural analysis.

Songs like 

 

Last year he released the album Section.80. It itself is a generational piece referencing the Ronald Reagan era of kids to be born in the 80's and grow up in the environment of Compton.

It’s a balancing act of sensitivity and aggression, of consideration and ignorance, of self-seriousness and jest. 

"I’m not on the outside looking in, I’m not on the inside looking out", Lamar bellows on its outro, "I’m in the dead fucking center, looking around."

He is one of the new generation of "conscious" rappers who are expanding their audience beyond the liberal arts college student and moving into the mainstream. Compton's established super stars Dr. Dre and the Game have already tapped him to ascend to superstardom recognizing his talent and progressive agenda. But his demeanor is anything but that of a rapper. In interviews he doesn’t noticeably carry himself like a street dude, he definitely carries the weight of the streets on his shoulders. He has been characterized as a cautious optimist.  He often speaks at length about matters like caring for the children of his incarcerated friends and how his ultimate goal is to make enough money to bring community centers back to Compton. It is his naked and candid honesty that some view as a weakness, but I feel that he could serve as a role model for kids like our Dreamers who look up to people like Rick Ross. 

He is a unique blend of charisma, technical ability, raw enthusiasm and a legitimate desire to make the world better for all people.