Jun 18, 2015 Visionary rapper Kendrick Lamar is only just getting started. In his brief reign as the King of the West he's been unbelievably dominant. He's shown how freestyling is done with infamous "Control" verse, and he's earned Grammys, broken streaming records and, with his most recent release, helped resurrect jazz as a vital art form. The Compton MC did all of this before, on Wednesday, he turned 28-years-old. Lamar is on his way to leaving a huge legacy in hip-hop. Already, it's possible to see what his impact will be. In an April interview with Mass Appeal, Lamar shared how lofty his goals are. This quote sums up the impact he's begun to have and one day hopes to realize fully: Positivity: So much of Kendrick's music and actions are dedicated to supporting his community and encouraging listeners to reassess their values. He's donated large amounts to charity and gone out of his way to make himself visible for his most important fans — the youth. In May, he was awarded California's 35th Senate District's Generational Icon award for his work supporting and motivating the state's youth. Earlier this June he visited a high school class in New Jersey that had been using his album To p---- a Butterfly alongside Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye to teach students about racial prejudice and the challenges involved in finding one's self-worth in a hostile society. Lamar is constantly seeking ways to use his influence to uplift and inspire. "How can I use it? For better or for worse?" Lamar told MTV. "Money or celebrity, how can I use it? How can I p---- it? Can I p---- it negatively, or can I p---- it in a positive way? Positive for me is showing what I go through, what I've been through ... but that I still love myself at the end of the day." A new Tupac: Lamar's concern with using his influence and voice to encourage peace and positivity puts him in the same league as his idol, Tupac. Tupac was also hyper-conscious of the impact of his music and lyrics. Toward the end of his life he was also critical of the way the hip-hop community interpreted the "gangsta" attitude. A year before his death, he told MTV he found it tremendously irresponsible when rappers "talk about murder and death and you don't talk about the pain or you talk about killing and robbing and stealing and you don't talk about jail and death and betrayal and all things that go with it." He felt rappers should be doing more to try to "save" their listeners, not glorifying the violence and depravity of the g----banging lifestyle. Pac's birthday was Tuesday. The fact that two hip-hop's finest storytellers and most inspirational figures were born back-to-back, separated by only 16 years and a day, is as jaw-dropping as coincidences get. We'll see if Kendrick is up to building the same immortal legacy that Tupac did. All indications so far suggest that he will.
Jun 18, 2015 Been tellin people since 2010-2011 that one day, this dude will be one of the GOATs. 2 albums in, I'm not too far off.
Jun 19, 2015 Kendrick barely has any charisma, something Tupac had lots of. He'll never be another Tupac
Jun 19, 2015 This young man is all things Hip Hop these days is not... An accurate reflection of Pac's message to the youth... Kendrick embodies the "soul" of Pac's music and legacy... His will be the "mind" Pac intended to "spark." He'll be unique in that respect but hopefully he can bring Hip Hop back from the dead.... Like he and Dre did for his idol.
Jun 22, 2015 Doesn't change the fact kendrick albums are all praised as masterpieces while tupac albums ain't even making the "all time lists" anymore with all that charisma, pac should have stopped making music, he was better as an actor and I love him.
Jun 22, 2015 He already has one of the most impressive discographies of all time, theres a reason if his last album is the highest rated hip hop album of the last 15 years. He doesn't need to be another 2pac, he's far better than 2Pac.
