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152-658: The festival includes a variety of activities such as screenings of nominated music videos, fashion show, various workshops, DJ sets and live performances. Awards are given in a variety of categories, including Best Music Video, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. The Berlin Music Video Awards provide a platform for emerging artists and established professionals to showcase their work and gain recognition for their cinematographic creativity and skills. The BMVA highlights that anyone can participate, and that quality, originality, and diversity are all valued. Aviel Silook,

304-625: A comedy feature with Free, Trey Parker and Matt Stone for Paramount Pictures , which is slated to be released on July 4, 2025. Tupac Shakur is Lamar's biggest influence, having impacted both his professional and personal lives. One of his earliest childhood memories is watching him and Dr. Dre film the second music video for their single " California Love " with his father at the Compton Swap Meet . Lamar has described himself as an "offspring" of Shakur's artistry and sociopolitical views. Although some publications regard him as

456-708: A conscious rapper , "Yeah, I'm a conscious artist because I have a conscience ," gave him a sense of perspective. Prodigy of Mobb Deep was a key influence on Lamar's earlier mixtapes, while his rapping technique was stemmed from Lil Wayne and his longevity. Eminem and his album The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) introduced him to songwriting elements, such as ad-libs , and impacted his aggressive approach to records such as " Backseat Freestyle ". He took inspiration from N.W.A 's tenacity of representing his hometown with "courage, honesty and artistic brilliance." Various R&B and soul artists, including Marvin Gaye ,

608-431: A gang war . Despite his efforts to avoid them, Lamar soon became heavily involved with Compton's hedonistic gang culture, which led to numerous health scares and encounters with the police. He distanced himself from the lifestyle following an intervention staged by his father. When he was 16, Lamar was baptized and converted to Christianity following the death of a friend. He graduated from high school in 2005 as

760-682: A joint venture recording contract with Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records ; under the deal, TDE continued to serve as his primary label. His first commercial single, " The Recipe " featuring Dr. Dre, premiered on rhythmic crossover radio on April 2. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City , Lamar's second album and first under a major record label, was released on October 22, 2012. He worked with producers such as Pharrell Williams , Hit-Boy , Scoop DeVille , Jack Splash , and T-Minus to create an atmospheric West Coast hip hop album with heavy gangsta rap influences. Its lead single , " Swimming Pools (Drank) ", marked Lamar's first top 20 single on

912-552: A progressive rap artist. He suggests that his music is genreless, explaining in a 2012 interview, "You really can't categorize my music, it's human music." PopDust opined that during the 2010s, a decade that was arguably defined by hip hop, Lamar constantly pushed the boundaries of what the genre could be. Lamar did not care for music production during the beginning of his career. However, as he placed an emphasis on songwriting and "making material that's universal", he grew more exacting and adventurous with his compositions . He

1064-425: A straight-A student. He flirted with the idea of studying psychology and astronomy in college, but suspended his academic pursuits to focus on his music career. During high school, Lamar adopted the stage name K.Dot and began freestyling and battle rapping at school. His performances caught the attention of fellow student Dave Free , who traveled from Inglewood to watch him rap. They quickly formed

1216-547: A Butterfly is an amalgamation of genres synonymous with African-American music , most prominently jazz, funk , and soul. It redefined jazz rap by highlighting improvisation and soloing rather than primarily using sampling . Minimalist arrangements are incorporated in Damn and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Damn appealed to mainstream listeners through its pop and R&B-influenced production, while

1368-527: A Butterfly was named Best Rap Album, "Alright" won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song, "These Walls" won Best Rap/Sung Performance , and "Bad Blood" won Best Music Video . During the ceremony, Lamar performed a critically acclaimed medley of "The Blacker the Berry", "Alright", and an untitled song . He previously performed untitled songs on The Colbert Report (December 2014) and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (January 2016). After receiving

1520-541: A Butterfly , and its producer Tony Visconti praised Lamar as a "rulebreaker" in the music industry. Pharrell Williams called him "one of the greatest writers of our times" and likened him to Bob Dylan . Lamar has also been cited as a strong influence on the works of various modern artists, including BTS , Dua Lipa , Tyler, the Creator , Roddy Ricch , and Rosalía . Lorde regards him as "the most popular and influential artist in modern music." Despite becoming

1672-562: A YouTube video. He and Raider Klan also accused ASAP Mob of copying their style, and Mayers of using lyrics from SpaceGhostPurrp's song "My Enemy" on "Goldie". Mayers responded in a July interview for MTV, saying that SpaceGhostPurrp is "try[ing] to build hype" and told him to "stick to makin' beats". In July 2012, Mayers performed at the Pitchfork Music Festival . He was scheduled to make his network television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on July 20, but he

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1824-422: A big concept or it's so subtle you can't even tell until you get to 20 listens." Fans and publications have theorized that his albums are related to different forms of mass media . Section.80 is regarded as a short story collection inspired and themed around events that impacted the millennial generation , such as Ronald Reagan's presidency . The nonlinear narrative structure of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City

1976-533: A brief relationship with Nitty Scott , and was featured on XXL ' s 2011 Freshman Class list. He released his debut studio album, Section.80 , on July 2, 2011, which was supported by its lead single " HiiiPower ". The album explored conscious and alternative hip hop styles and experimented with "stripped-down" jazz production. Ogden Payne of Forbes considers it to be "the genesis to [Lamar] successfully balancing social commentary with mass appeal." Section.80 marked Lamar's first appearance on

2128-620: A cameo role in the indie comedy-drama, Dope . The film premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2015. It opened in all movie theaters on June 12. There at the event, Mayers explained his expressions and grief over the death of his own friend and partner; performed "Multiply" on-stage as a dedication to his loving memory, minutes before running backstage to calm down. In March 2015, Mayers said in an interview with MTV News that he made songs such as "Wild For The Night" and "Fuckin' Problems" for mainstream commercial success, and that he now hated those songs. On April 8, 2015,

2280-583: A catalyst in the upsurge of social conscience across multiple generations; challenging the status quo by encouraging listeners to reexamine social institutions. Throughout the Black Lives Matter movement and events following the 2016 U.S. presidential election , his work has been used as protest anthems . According to American studies and media scholar William Hoynes, Lamar's progressive elements places him amongst other African American artists and activists who "worked both inside and outside of

2432-479: A certain frequency, how to manipulate sound to your advantage." Lamar chooses to work with a close-knit team of musicians, rather than constantly seek high-profile talent. He has been working with his longtime producer, Sounwave , since his 2009 self-titled EP. Kendrick Lamar marked a pivotal change in Lamar's artistry. Unlike his earlier mixtapes, which consisted of freestyles over CHR and urban radio singles,

2584-414: A child due to the "empty" and "one-sided" nature of the sermons . After hearing a recording of his voice for the first time, Lamar became interested in rapping . He was introduced to police brutality after experiencing the first day of the 1992 Los Angeles riots . When he was five years old, he witnessed a murder for the first time while sitting outside of his apartment unit, as a teenage drug dealer

2736-465: A contract for worldwide representation with William Morris Endeavor . In February 2016, Guess released a collaboration with Mayers called GUE$ $ , which was inspired by Mayers’ admiration for the brand's vintage '90s clothing that he wore while growing up. In 2022, Mayers launched his own brand of whisky called Mercer + Prince. It was officially launched on the Revolt TV show, Drink Champs, during

2888-440: A counter-complaint against Jafari, and Jafari was initially suspected of harassment and minor assault or possibly attempted assault. The investigation against Jafari was dropped as prosecutors said he acted in self-defense, after being grabbed by the neck and pushed by the bodyguard. Mayers was arrested after being allowed to finish his gig at Stadion. As it was judged there was a risk that he may flee or tamper with evidence, he

3040-456: A deadly weapon in a shooting that took place in Hollywood on November 6, 2021. The shooting victim, who survived the incident, was reported to be former friend and collaborator Terell Ephron, better known as ASAP Relli . Bail was set at $ 550,000 and he was released shortly after. After his arrest, detectives executed a warrant to search his home, gaining entry by using a pry bar to force

3192-550: A drug addict in the crime drama series Power (2018). After his two concert tours ended, he entered a four-year recording hiatus; although he contributed to Beyoncé's The Lion King: The Gift , Schoolboy Q's Crash Talk , and Sir 's Chasing Summer (all 2019). As his publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music was beginning to expire, Lamar signed a long-term worldwide deal with Broadcast Music, Inc. He and Whitney Alford welcomed their first child, Uzi, on July 26, 2019. On March 5, 2020, Lamar and Dave Free launched

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3344-435: A friendship over their love of hip hop and the television sitcom Martin . They recorded music together at Free's makeshift garage studio and at his older brother's Hyde Park apartment. Lamar's earliest performances were held at a "super hood" comedy club and behind a tattoo parlor. Free was his hype man during that time, while his older brother was his manager and disc jockey. Lamar recorded five mixtapes throughout

3496-402: A kid sometimes—I would hurt myself and they would expect me not to cry." In school, Lamar was a quiet and observant student who excelled academically and had a noticeable stutter. His first grade teacher at Robert E. McNair Elementary School encouraged him to become a writer after she heard him correctly use the word "audacity". As a seventh grade student at Vanguard Learning Center, Lamar

3648-515: A lineage that runs through James Brown 's foundational work in the 1960s, 1970s psychedelia, Prince's "sweaty" phantasmagoria in the 1980s, and 1990s gangsta rap . He was ranked the tenth-best solo singer of the 21st century by The Times in 2023. Branded as a "master of storytelling " by The New Yorker , Lamar has been referred to as one of the greatest lyricists in modern hip hop by several publications and his peers. Pharrell Williams suggests that what makes his songwriting stand out

3800-491: A month in jail for the incident before the sentence was handed out, it was determined that he did not need to serve any additional time. The conviction does not bar him from returning to Sweden. On April 20, 2022, Mayers was arrested by LAPD officers upon arriving to the Los Angeles International Airport after a vacation with his partner, Rihanna. He was arrested for a potential assault with

3952-506: A more mainstream musical palette than To Pimp a Butterfly , exploring R&B and pop elements. Rolling Stone described its sonics as a "brilliant combination of the timeless and the modern, the old school and the next-level." Damn became Lamar's most commercially successful album. It spent four non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200, marking his third consecutive number-one album, and debuted with 603,000 units sold. All of

4104-492: A music video was released the following day. A day later he was featured on the song "One Track Mind", from rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars ' fifth studio album America . On May 25, 2018, Mayers released Testing to generally positive reviews from critics. It debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 , becoming Mayers’ third consecutive top-five album on the chart, but another low-seller. In its second week,

4256-411: A national college tour with Steve Aoki and his first international tour. He struggled with depression, survivor's guilt and suicidal ideation during promotional events upon learning of the deaths of three close friends. From October to December 2013, Lamar opened for Kanye West on his Yeezus Tour , despite disapproval from his label and management team. He was baptized for a second time during

4408-670: A new direct licensing agreement with Interscope. Lamar's conflict with Drake re-escalated in March 2024 with his surprise appearance on Future and Metro Boomin 's track " Like That ". The song spent three consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Lamar's third number-one single and his first song to debut at the top spot. From April to May, he released the Drake-aimed diss singles " Euphoria ", " 6:16 in LA ", " Meet

4560-582: A period in a shelter with his mother in New York City, he moved to Midtown Manhattan . His father died in 2012. In 2007, Mayers joined the A$ AP Mob crew, a Harlem-based collective of rappers, producers, music video directors, fashion designers, and bikers who shared similar interests in music, fashion, style, and art. It had been formed by A$ AP Yams, A$ AP Bari and A$ AP Illz. In July 2011, Mayers released his single "Purple Swag" which quickly became

4712-474: A plea of not guilty, with his next court hearing scheduled to be held on 6 March 2024. The following date, however, Mayers missed his hearing. During a court hearing which took place on 23 May 2024, Mayers had his trial set to start on 21 October 2024. Two preliminary court hearings were also set for 28 June and 2 August. On 21 October 2024, a judge ruled that jury selection would be pushed back to 12 November 2024. The next day, however, another pretrial hearing

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4864-535: A prominent figure in popular culture, publications have noted Lamar's unconventional approach to celebrity culture . He is notoriously reserved, reluctant to publicly discuss his personal life and generally avoids using social media . He is also decisive when engaging with mainstream media outlets, although journalists have complimented his " Zen -like" calmness and down to earth personality. According to Lamar, he has become "so invested in who I am outside of being famous, sometimes that's all I know. I've always been

5016-555: A public dispute with Spotify regarding the streaming service's Hate Content & Hateful Conduct policy. Lamar was featured on five songs throughout the year: " Dedication " by Nipsey Hussle , " Mona Lisa " by Lil Wayne, " Tints " by Anderson .Paak , and "Wow Freestyle" by Jay Rock; he also executive produced the latter's album Redemption . At the American Music Awards , Black Panther: The Album won Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album. Lamar made his acting debut as

5168-403: A record that "brims with comedy , complexity and the many voices in [Lamar's] head." The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 242,000 copies sold; the highest first-week album sales of the year by a male rapper. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City surpassed The Eminem Show (2002) to become the longest-charting hip hop studio album on the Billboard 200. In October 2022, it became

5320-456: A request from basketball player LeBron James to share the untitled works, Lamar released his first compilation album, Untitled Unmastered , on March 4, 2016. It contained eight untitled, dated, unfinished, and entirely self-written tracks that were intended to be included on To Pimp a Butterfly , and continued the album's exploration of jazz, funk, soul, and avant-garde styles. Untitled Unmastered received critical acclaim and debuted atop

5472-450: A second time during Tech N9ne 's Independent Grind Tour, where Overly Dedicated was introduced to Dr. Dre . After watching the music video for the song "Ignorance Is Bliss" on YouTube , he reached out to Lamar with hopes of working with him and Snoop Dogg on his unfinished album, Detox . He also considered signing him to his record label, Aftermath Entertainment , and was encouraged to by artists such as J. Cole . Lamar entered

5624-612: A segment in a two-hour long interview. In 2023, he collaborated with Gucci (Guilty perfume advertisements), Puma (sneakers in collaboration with F1) and with Bottega Veneta on a groundbreaking campaign based on paparazzi candids. From 2011 to 2012, Mayers dated Australian rapper Iggy Azalea . He began dating model Chanel Iman in early 2013, and in April 2014, they were reported to be engaged, but broke up in June 2014. On May 19, 2021, Mayers revealed during an interview with GQ that he

5776-483: A short-lived music giveaway called Flacko Jodye Season, which first premiered with " Multiply ", which featured additional vocals from Juicy J ; later released on iTunes one week after its premiere. On New Year's Day 2015 , Mayers released his second album's lead single , " Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2 (LPFJ2) ", a sequel to "Pretty Flacko". Then, on January 18, seventeen days after the single's release, Mayers’ mentor and partner, Steven "A$ AP Yams" Rodriguez, died at

5928-450: A strategy that impressed Henderson but bewildered Tiffith. He was offered a recording contract by TDE in 2005, joining Jay Rock as the label's first signings. Upon signing, he purchased a minority stake in the label for an undisclosed amount. Lamar had a brief stint as a security guard when he started working on music with Jay Rock at TDE's in-house recording studio. The bond he formed with him, Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q led to

6080-408: A street anthem in New York City. In August 2011, Mayers’ single " Peso ", was leaked online and within weeks received airplay on the high-profile Hot 97 New York radio station. After he released a music video for his song "Purple Swag", he received attention from several record labels. In October, he released the mixtape Live. Love. A$ AP to critical acclaim. Earlier that month, he signed

6232-438: A two-year, $ 3 million record deal with Bryan Leach's Polo Grounds Music , which at the time was distributed by Clive Davis ' Sony Music division of J Records . Upon his record deal, Mayers started a label, A$ AP Worldwide, with A$ AP Yams. However, Mayers’ deal with J Records would be short-lived, when on October 7, RCA Music Group announced that it was merging J alongside Arista and Jive Records into RCA Records . With

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6384-521: A wide range of literary and cinematic techniques , such as hip hop skits and voice-overs , to allow his audience to follow internal and external storylines . His fusion of various film styles and his sonic influence has elevated his works to be some of the most "consistently poignant" in hip hop, and promoted the advancement of the narrative device . Lamar, who self-identifies as a musician and writer, begins his songwriting process with an assortment of premeditated thoughts that he jotted down over

6536-531: A wide range of talented nominees and industry professionals each year. The BMVA is distinguished by a diverse lineup that includes low-budget productions, newcomers, and internationally recognized artists. As a result, it highlights the state of the art in the current music video industry and recognizes outstanding productions. Every year, the BMVA takes place over four days in May/June. The nominees and awardees of

6688-461: Is vegan . Mayers has said that while he was raised in a Christian household, he does not like going to an organized church, and instead has "[his] own relationship with God... I pray every day before I go to sleep." He addresses these views in the song "Holy Ghost" on his 2015 album At. Long. Last. ASAP . During Mayers’ 2019 incarceration in Sweden, he prayed to keep himself occupied. Mayers

6840-539: Is 5'11" (180cm) tall, which he revealed in a Nikki & Sara Live interview to contextualize why he felt out-of-place standing next to the much taller Jason Collins . In 2006, Mayers served two weeks in Rikers Island where he shared a cell with future rapper Casanova . In July 2019, Mayers was arrested initially for aggravated , then for simple assault in Stockholm , Sweden , after an altercation in

6992-514: Is a tribute project to Lil Wayne 's Tha Carter III (2008) and was supported by his co-sign. Reeves felt that the mixtape was a "wrongheaded homage to a year-old, well-worn album." From February to July, he toured with the Game on his LAX Tour as a hype man for Jay Rock. Lamar disliked how his stage name diverted attention away from his true identity, and decided to retire it. He opted to use his first and middle names professionally and regards

7144-742: Is an American-Barbadian rapper. Born and raised in Harlem , he embarked on his musical career as a member of the hip hop collective ASAP Mob , from which he adopted his moniker . In August 2011, Mayers' single " Peso " was leaked online , and within weeks, began receiving radio airplay. He signed with Polo Grounds Music , an imprint of RCA Records in October of that year, and shortly after, released his debut mixtape, Live. Love. A$ AP (2011) to widespread critical acclaim. Mayers' 2012 single, " Fuckin' Problems " (featuring Drake , 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar ), marked his first entry—at number eight—on

7296-409: Is because he "knows how to be very disciplined with a subject matter, he knows that stickiness is important, and he knows that it has to be great." American Songwriter notes that for as much as Lamar is a musician, lyricist, and emcee, he is also "a playwright , a novelist , a short story author. He's literary within the art form of music." Lamar's reflective narrative songwriting pulls from

7448-568: Is billed as a coming-of-age short film that chronicles Lamar's harsh teenage experiences in his native Compton. Its cinematic scope has been compared to the screenplays written by filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino . To Pimp a Butterfly unfolds as both a poem and blank letter that explores the responsibilities of being a role model and documents life as an African American during Barack Obama's presidency . Damn

7600-895: Is featured along with rapper Cardi B on " No Limit " by G-Eazy , released in September 2017. He also featured in " Pick It Up " by Famous Dex , released in October 2017. On January 23, 2018, Mayers released "☆☆☆☆☆ 5ive $ tar$ " on SoundCloud , produced by Metro Boomin , Frans Mernick, Jordan Blackmon and Daniel Lynas and featuring uncredited vocals by DRAM . Over the following two days he shared "Above", produced by Mernick and "Money Bags Freestyle ( Dean Blunt Meditation)", produced by Blunt and featuring uncredited vocals by Lil Yachty . The songs were captioned "TESTING COMING SOON" and "THIS IS JUST A TEST", leading to speculation that they were in promotion of an upcoming studio album entitled Testing . On February 16, Mayers collaborated with Gucci Mane and 21 Savage for " Cocky ", in promotion of

7752-425: Is heavily involved with every aspect of his production process, including the mixing and mastering stages, and is known for working long hours in the recording studio. "You gotta be hands on and know the different sounds and frequencies ," Lamar explained to Variety . "What makes people move, what melodies stick with you, taking the higher octaves and the lower octaves and learning how to intertwine that in

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7904-448: Is in a relationship with Barbadian singer Rihanna , describing her as "the love of my life". The two were first linked in 2013, after Mayers opened up for Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour . On January 31, 2022, People reported that the couple was expecting their first child. On May 19, 2022, it was confirmed that Rihanna had given birth to a boy. On May 10, 2023, Mayers revealed their child's name as RZA Athelaston Mayers, named after

8056-436: Is labeled as an introspective satire that explores the dualities of human nature and morality . Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers takes on the form of a theatrical play , with confessional lyrics based on Lamar's experiences in therapy . As one of the most influential musicians of the 2010s decade , Lamar has been deemed a paradigm shift in contemporary hip hop and popular culture . His discography became

8208-556: Is not a member of a particular gang, he grew up with close affiliates of the Westside Pirus . Despite suffering hardships, Lamar remembered having "good memories" of his childhood that sparked his interest in hip hop music , such as sneaking into his parents' house parties . He was raised secular , although he occasionally attended church services and was taught the Bible by his grandmother. He felt "spiritually unsatisfied" as

8360-517: Is the longest-charting hip hop studio album on the Billboard 200 . To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), Lamar's third album, embraced historical African-American music styles such as jazz and funk . It became his first of four consecutive number-one albums on the Billboard 200 chart, and was one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the 2010s . Lamar's work on the remix of Taylor Swift 's " Bad Blood " garnered his first number-one song on

8512-541: The Billboard 200 chart, where it peaked at number 113. It sold approximately 5,000 copies in its first week of tracking, with minimal coverage from mainstream media outlets. To promote the album, Lamar performed at small venues and college campuses across the U.S. He was dubbed the " New King of the West Coast " by Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and the Game during a performance in West Los Angeles . Throughout

8664-559: The Billboard 200 , with first-week sales of 139,000 copies in the United States. As of March 13, 2013 , it has sold 284,000 copies. On March 16, 2015, Long. Live. A$ AP was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for the shipment of 500,000 copies in the United States. On April 12, 2013, in an interview at Wild 94.9 radio station, Mayers revealed that he

8816-480: The Billboard Hot 100 , received a nomination for Best Rap Song at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards , and preceded his debut studio album, Long. Live. A$ AP (2013). Met with critical and commercial success, it debuted atop Billboard 200 and received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His second album, At. Long. Last. A$ AP (2015), also debuted atop

8968-495: The Billboard Hot 100 . His critical and commercial success continued with his R&B and pop -leaning fourth album Damn (2017), yielding his second Hot 100 number-one single " Humble ". The double album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022) concluded Lamar's tenure with TDE and Aftermath. His 2024 feud with Drake spawned the Hot 100 number-ones " Like That " and " Not Like Us ". His sixth studio album, GNX (2024),

9120-666: The 100 most influential people in the world in 2016. Two of his concert tours , the Damn Tour (2017–2018) and the Big Steppers Tour (2022–2024), are amongst the highest-grossing rap tours in history. Three of his works were included in Rolling Stone ' s 2020 revision of the 500 greatest albums of all time . Outside of music, Lamar co-founded the creative company PGLang and ventured into film with his creative partner, Dave Free . Kendrick Lamar Duckworth

9272-602: The 2000s ; his first, Youngest Head Nigga in Charge (Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year) , was released on April 15, 2003, through Konkrete Jungle Musik. The mixtapes primarily consisted of freestyles over the production of popular hip hop songs . In a series of retrospective reviews for Rolling Stone , Mosi Reeves complimented Lamar's "unerring" sense of rhythm and timing found in Hub City Threat: Minor of

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9424-582: The 64th Annual Grammy Awards . Lamar made additional contributions to Baby Keem's album The Melodic Blue by providing background vocals and appearing on the song " Range Brothers ". In November, he held a "theatrical exhibition of his musical eras" during his second headlining performance at Day N Vegas, and featured on Terrace Martin's album Drones . He co-headlined the Super Bowl LVI halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent , and Mary J. Blige on February 13, 2022, which won

9576-543: The BET Hip Hop Awards . In support of To Pimp a Butterfly , Lamar embarked on the Kunta's Groove Sessions Tour, which ran from October to November 2015 in select intimate venues across the U.S. For his work on the album and other collaborations throughout the year, Lamar earned 11 nominations at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards , the most by a rapper in a single night . He led the winners with five awards: To Pimp

9728-452: The Billboard 200 with 178,000 album-equivalent units , becoming Lamar's second consecutive number-one project. Throughout the year, he was featured on four commercially successful songs: Beyoncé 's " Freedom ", Maroon 5 's " Don't Wanna Know ", the Weeknd 's " Sidewalks ", and Travis Scott 's " Goosebumps ". On March 1, 2017, during a cover story for T , Lamar confirmed that he

9880-626: The Cornrows hairdo that A$ AP Mayers later adopted. When Mayers was 13, his brother was killed in Harlem. The death inspired Mayers to take rapping more seriously. Mayers grew up admiring Harlem-based rap group The Diplomats . He was also influenced by Mobb Deep , Three 6 Mafia , UGK , Run DMC , Wu-Tang Clan , and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony . When Mayers was 12 years old, his father went to jail and he spent his teenage years moving around homeless shelters with his mother and sister. After living for

10032-499: The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) . After releasing the promotional single " The Heart Part 5 ", Lamar's fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers , was released on May 13, 2022. He and Alford used the album's cover art to announce the birth of their son, Enoch. The double album drew on jazz, R&B, trap , and soul influences; Alford served as its primary narrator. It

10184-473: The Recording Industry Association of America . To support Damn , Lamar embarked on his first headlining arena tour, the Damn Tour , from July 2017 to July 2018. It grossed $ 62.7 million in worldwide revenue, becoming one of the highest-grossing hip hop tours in history. At the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards , Lamar opened the ceremony with a performance of "DNA" and "Humble". He later won five awards, including Best Hip Hop Video , Best Direction, and Video of

10336-565: The State of the Union Address by The Guardian , while Billboard described it as " Shakespearean ". HuffPost opined that his work is a "great" piece of journalism because it "speaks from the prerogative of black communities facing oppression and directly attacks the institutions responsible for their pain," an achievement most reporters cannot attain. Lamar tries to carry a conceptual idea inside of his music, "whether it's

10488-618: The Wu-Tang Clan founder and leader RZA . During the Super Bowl LVII halftime show , Rihanna revealed that she was pregnant with their second child. Their second son, Riot Rose, was born in August of that year. Mayers was a pescetarian . In 2012, he transitioned to a vegetarian diet with the help of his vegan manager after learning of the horrors of the poultry industry. On his 2019 single "Babushka Boi", Mayers stated he

10640-443: The "Carpool Karaoke" segment of The Late Late Show , riding with Rod Stewart and host James Corden . Mayers is featured on " Blended Family (What You Do for Love) ", a track written with Alicia Keys for her sixth studio album Here in 2016. He is also featured on two tracks from the 2017 album Lust for Life by Lana Del Rey . The tracks are called "Summer Bummer", which also features Playboi Carti , and "Groupie Love". He

10792-495: The 1990s, while others use "rigid" old school elements recalling the 1980s. Lamar frequently uses syncopation in his melodies to create contradictions between his lyrical content and rhythms. With Good Kid, M.A.A.D City , he liberally plays with pronunciation , inflections , and delivery to mirror the album's emotional range. Lamar possesses a versatile tenor vocal range and a raspy, half-shout timbre , where "his throat sounds dry and his mouth sounds wet." André 3000

10944-605: The Big Steppers was named Best Rap Album, while "The Heart Part 5" won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. In May 2023, Lamar was featured on the standalone version of Beyoncé 's single " America Has a Problem " and appeared on Baby Keem's single " The Hillbillies ". He won four awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards , and set four records in the process. Lamar was featured in the documentary concert film Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé and executive produced Baby Keem 's short film adaptation of The Melodic Blue . He quietly shedded his ties with Aftermath Entertainment and signed

11096-495: The Creator announced this album never existed. In May 2019, Juicy J announced Mayers began working on his upcoming album, formerly titled All Smiles . On August 28, Mayers released the music video for " Babushka Boi ". It was directed by Nadia Lee Cohen. In October 2021, Mayers released his 2011 mixtape Live. Love. ASAP to all streaming platforms in celebration of its 10-year anniversary. Mayers appeared on two tracks from Nigo 's album, I Know Nigo! , released March 25, 2022,

11248-474: The EP incorporated melancholic and "doleful" original production that emphasized his lyrics. Austere jazz production was blended with alternative rap styles on Section.80 , with instrumentals drawing from R&B, boom bap , psychedelia , and downtempo . Good Kid, M.A.A.D City abandoned the tastes of contemporary hip hop by exploring a subtle, atmospheric side of West Coast hip hop and gangsta rap . To Pimp

11400-533: The Grahams ", and " Not Like Us "; all of which were either positively received or acclaimed by critics. The latter installment marked the first rap song to lead the Hot 100 with a limited tracking week. A celebratory one-off concert, titled The Pop Out: Ken & Friends , was held on Juneteenth . On September 8, 2024, it was announced that Lamar would headline the Super Bowl LIX halftime show , marking

11552-465: The Isley Brothers , Michael Jackson , Teddy Pendergrass , Sade , and Anita Baker , have influenced Lamar. He performed with Prince , who impacted his vocal register , at Paisley Park to celebrate the release of the latter's 2014 albums Plectrumelectrum and Art Official Age , which GQ described as "five minutes of brilliant insanity." To Pimp a Butterfly was influenced by

11704-686: The Shakur of his generation, he strives to maintain his individuality . Shakur's The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996), The Notorious B.I.G. 's Life After Death (1997), and DMX 's It's Dark and Hell is Hot (1998) influenced Lamar's artistic direction: "I don't look at these albums like just music; it sounds like an actual film." He also listened and took influence from Mos Def and Snoop Dogg during his childhood, and said, "I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Eazy-E ." 50 Cent 's mixtape success inspired Lamar to become an independent artist , while his view on being categorized as

11856-496: The Swedish constitutional Instrument of Government which explicitly forbids the interference of politicians, or unrelated government offices, in the work of the courts of law. Mayers was convicted of assault, given a suspended prison sentence and asked to pay 12,500 kr ($ 1,270) in damages to the victim. The court could not decide who used the bottle, but said it was not a case of self-defense. As Mayers had already served over

12008-563: The Temptations . He was an only child until the age of seven and was described as a loner by his mother. Eventually, his parents had his two younger brothers and younger sister, businesswoman Kayla Sawyer ( née Duckworth). His cousins include basketball player Nick Young and rapper Baby Keem . Lamar and his family lived in Section 8 housing, were reliant on welfare and food stamps , and experienced homelessness . Although he

12160-496: The U.S. Billboard Hot 100 . Its other singles, " Backseat Freestyle ", " Poetic Justice ", and " Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe ", enjoyed moderate commercial success. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was met with widespread critical acclaim, who lauded Lamar's nonlinear songwriting and thematic scope. Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune applauded him for giving gangsta tropes a "twist, or sometimes upend[ing] them completely" on

12312-685: The U.S. through the remix of singer-songwriter Taylor Swift 's " Bad Blood ". It won Video of the Year and Best Collaboration at the MTV Video Music Awards , while the music video for "Alright" won Best Direction . Lamar later re-recorded his featured appearance on the " Bad Blood " remix in support of Swift's counteraction to her masters dispute . He opened the BET Awards with a controversial performance of "Alright" and won Best Male Hip Hop Artist. He also won three awards at

12464-598: The Year , but criticized his "clumsy" lyricism and that his flow was "overly beholden to ... Jay-Z and Lil Wayne". Free, who was working as a computer technician , introduced the mixtape to record producer Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith while attempting to repair his computer. Tiffith was impressed with Lamar's burgeoning abilities and invited him to partake in an audition process for entry into his newly established independent record label , Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). During his audition, Lamar freestyled for Tiffith and record executive Terrence "Punch" Henderson for two hours,

12616-524: The Year for "Humble"; the latter win marked the first time an artist won the prize for a video they co-directed. Throughout the year, he was featured on the remix to Future 's " Mask Off ", SZA's " Doves in the Wind ", and Rich the Kid 's " New Freezer ". He won Best Male Hip Hop Artist at the BET Awards , while Damn won Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Album at the American Music Awards . A collector's edition of

12768-492: The Yeezus Tour ended, Lamar started working on his third album. He earned seven nominations at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards (January 2014), including Best New Artist , Best Rap Album , and Album of the Year for Good Kid, M.A.A.D City . He was winless at the ceremony, which several media outlets felt was a snub . Macklemore , who won Best New Artist and Best Rap Album, shared a text message that he sent Lamar after

12920-499: The age of 26. However, some reports later stated that Yams' cause was ruled acute mixed drug intoxication while Mayers and several A$ AP Mob members and affiliates said that the late leader of the collective died due to his sleep apnea , which caused asphyxiation and pulmonary aspiration . Weeks after Yams' death, Mayers revealed that At. Long. Last. A$ AP was executive-produced by rapper Juicy J , producer Danger Mouse , Mayers and Yams themselves. In 2015, Mayers appeared in

13072-406: The album dropped to number 15, with 26,000 album-equivalent units (1,000 copies). The following week, Testing dropped to number 22 on the chart. On July 23, 2018, Mayers and Tyler, the Creator announced a collaborative project, WANGSAP , by releasing a music video of a remix of Monica's " Knock Knock " called " Potato Salad " on AWGE's "AWGE DVD (Vol. 3)". However, on January 23, 2019, Tyler,

13224-458: The album was supported by the release of three singles : " Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2 (LPFJ2) ", "Everyday" and " L$ D ". At. Long. Last. A$ AP debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 , selling 116,000 copies in the United States. In conclusion to this, it also gave Mayers his second consecutive number one album on the charts to date. In Canada, the album debuted at number one, with 11,000 copies sold. The album has spent two more weeks beyond

13376-475: The album were " The Blacker the Berry ", " King Kunta ", " Alright ", and " These Walls "–all of which enjoyed moderate commercial success. Selling 324,000 copies in its first week, To Pimp a Butterfly became Lamar's first number-one album on the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart . Billboard commented that "twenty years ago, a conscious rap record wouldn't have penetrated the mainstream in

13528-405: The album's cover art on his official Instagram page, with the caption "AT LONG LAST...." On the same day, he then released the album's alternative artwork and released the album's second single, titled " Everyday " featuring Rod Stewart , Miguel and Mark Ronson (the latter of which also produced the track alongside Emile Haynie ). Mayers also announced that the release date for A.L.L.A.

13680-582: The album's 14 songs debuted on the Hot 100, including the top-20 singles " Loyalty " and " Love ". Damn was the seventh best-selling album of 2017, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), while "Humble" was the sixth best-selling single of the year. By June 2018, it became the first album by a rapper or solo artist to have every song featured earn a gold certification or higher from

13832-451: The album, regardless of credit, and produced on select songs. Music critics consider Black Panther: The Album to be a milestone achievement, giving praise towards its lyrics and cultural significance. It spent two consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200, and earned the most single-week streams for a soundtrack album in history. Lamar opened the 60th Annual Grammy Awards with a critically acclaimed medley . He won five awards during

13984-588: The album, which featured its tracklist in reverse order, was released in December. On January 4, 2018, Lamar announced that he would be curating and executive producing Black Panther: The Album , the soundtrack from the 2018 film of the same name . It was released on February 9 and was supported with three commercially successful singles: " All the Stars ", " King's Dead ", and " Pray for Me ". Lamar contributed lead and background vocals to every track on

14136-719: The award ceremony. In the years 2020 and 2021 , the award ceremony took place digitally as a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic. The show was recorded at the KitKat Club (2020) and Alex Berlin (2021), who had been cooperating with the BMVA since its early years. In 2020/21, the hosts were Alexandrine Yetundey and David Hailey. After two years of online editions, the Berlin Music Video Awards celebrated its 10th anniversary from June 8 to June 11 (2022) in Club Gretchen. Music Videos are awarded in

14288-688: The beginning of the tour, and experienced a nervous breakdown near the end. Lamar won three awards each during the BET Awards and BET Hip Hop Awards , including Best New Artist at the former. Lamar was featured on six songs throughout the year: " YOLO " by the Lonely Island featuring Adam Levine , the remix of " How Many Drinks? " by Miguel , " Collard Greens " by Schoolboy Q, " Control " with Big Sean and Jay Electronica , " Give It 2 U " by Robin Thicke featuring 2 Chainz, and " Love Game " by Eminem . His performance on "Control"

14440-490: The ceremony ended, in which he apologized for winning over him. The incident was the subject of widespread media attention, controversy and Internet memes . During the awards ceremony, Lamar performed a mashup of "M.A.A.D City" and " Radioactive " with rock band Imagine Dragons , which was met with critical acclaim. Lamar opened for Eminem on the Rapture Tour from February to July 2014. On August 9, he premiered

14592-529: The ceremony: Damn was named Best Rap Album, "Humble" won Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video and "Loyalty" won Best Rap/Sung Performance. Damn won the Pulitzer Prize for Music on April 16, 2018, marking the first time a musical composition outside of the classical and jazz genres received the honor. From May to June 2018, Lamar co-headlined The Championship Tour with several TDE artists. While on tour, he became embroiled in

14744-693: The chart and saw continued critical praise; its single, " L$ D ", earned a nomination for Best Music Video at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards . His third album, Testing (2018), peaked within the top five of the Billboard 200, while his fourth album, Don't Be Dumb , is scheduled for release in 2024. Mayers has won a BET Award , two BET Hip Hop Awards , an MTV Video Music Award Japan and an MTVU Woodie Award . His nominations include two Grammy Awards , six World Music Awards , three MTV Video Music Awards and two MTV Europe Music Awards . Furthermore, Mayers has worked in music video direction , as well as production or co-writing for other artists, often under

14896-425: The course of one year. His personal experiences are a common source of inspiration, but he also pulls ideas from meeting new people, traveling, and experiencing different cultures . A devout Christian , he additionally shares his spiritual triumphs and struggles on his songs. He is an avid note-taker , and has developed keywords, phrases , and sounds to help him "trigger the exact emotions" he felt when writing

15048-527: The creative entity PGLang , which was described at the time as a multilingual, artist-friendly service company. In October, he signed a worldwide administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group . Lamar announced through an August 2021 blog post that he was in the process of producing his final album under TDE, confirming rumors that emerged last year that he would be leaving to focus on PGLang. The following week, he appeared on Baby Keem's single " Family Ties ", which won Best Rap Performance at

15200-420: The film Uncle Drew . He released the single " Bad Company " on March 27. It features rapper BlocBoy JB , as well as further allusions to Testing in its marketing. On April 5, he released a second single: " ASAP Forever ". The song samples record producer Moby 's 2000 single " Porcelain ", crediting him as a featured artist. It was premiered on The Tonight Show alongside new track "Distorted Records", and

15352-516: The first hip hop studio album to spend over ten consecutive years on the chart. From September to October 2012, Lamar headlined the BET Music Matters Tour with Black Hippy and Stalley . He won Lyricist of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards , and was featured on ASAP Rocky 's single " Fuckin' Problems " alongside Drake and 2 Chainz , which reached the top 10 in the U.S. Lamar embarked on two headlining concert tours in 2013:

15504-430: The first time a rapper has led the performance as a solo act. Three days later, he released an untitled song to his Instagram account. On November 22, he shared a song titled "GNX", exclusively on YouTube , followed with a surprise release of the album of the same name on streaming the same day. Outside of music, Lamar starred in the animated biographical film Piece by Piece (2024). He signed on to produce

15656-711: The following categories at the BMVA: First-place winners in all categories receive a BMVA trophy, and the winner of the Best Music Video category receives a cash prize as well. The independent jury members are experts in their fields of the (music) video industry or previous awardees. Some of the jury members over the years have been Cheng-Hsu Chung, Alexander Dydyna and Federico Abib. ASAP Rocky Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( / ˈ eɪ s æ p / AY -sap ; stylized as A$ AP Rocky ),

15808-523: The formation of the hip hop supergroup , Black Hippy . Lamar released his second mixtape, Training Day , on December 30, 2005. Reeves complimented its varied production and "well-executed" concept, which was based on the 2001 film of the same name . In 2006, Lamar signed an artist development deal with Def Jam Recordings and was featured on two singles by the Game . He also heavily contributed to Jay Rock's first two mixtapes, Watts Finest Vol. 1 and Watts Finest Vol. 2: The Nickerson Files . Lamar

15960-632: The gate open. Detectives took several boxes from his home to use as evidence. On August 15, 2022, the Los Angeles County District Attorney 's office filed charges against Mayers. On 20 November 2023, a Los Angeles judge, M.L. Villar, determined that there was sufficient evidence for Mayers to stand trial after hearing roughly a day and a half of testimony from two witnesses during a preliminary court hearing. The same day, Villar scheduled for his trial proceedings to begin on 8 January 2024. On 8 January 2024, Mayers entered

16112-434: The hip hop supergroup Black Hippy . Following the success of his alternative rap debut album Section.80 (2011), Lamar secured a joint contract with Dr. Dre 's Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records . He rose to prominence with his gangsta rap -influenced second album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (2012) and its top 40 singles " Swimming Pools (Drank) ", " Poetic Justice " and " Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe ". It

16264-429: The initial demo . Considered to be a "radio-friendly but overtly political rapper" by Pitchfork , and a populist by The Wall Street Journal , Lamar's songwriting regularly infuses political criticism and social commentary concerning African-American culture . Common themes explored include racial inequality , institutional discrimination , and black empowerment . Lamar's critiques has been compared to

16416-428: The latter complains about his headphones. In the other, created from footage of assorted events, Jafari's headphones break during a scuffle, and he is seen hitting Mayers’ bodyguard with them. A woman is also seen in the video, accusing the two men of groping . Henrik Olsson Lilja, the defense attorney for Mayers, maintained that his client acted in self-defense after being attacked by Jafari. Mayers’ bodyguard filed

16568-405: The mainstream to advance a counterculture that opposes the racist stereotypes being propagated in white-owned media and culture." He has been credited with reviving jazz rap and the music video as a form of social commentary. Lamar's music has consistently garnered critical acclaim and commercial success—a rare combination in the music industry —as well as support from artists who have paved

16720-486: The middle, unnoticed, of a large quarrelsome crowd." Praised for his willingness to use his voice as an instrument, Lamar adopts different cadences , tones , modulations , and timbres to suggest conflicting personalities, paint distinct emotions, and communicate stories using characters and personas . His falsetto register, which he calls the "ghetto falsetto", has been likened to Curtis Mayfield 's. MTV writes that by manipulating his voice, Lamar calls back to

16872-480: The most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and one of the greatest rappers of all time , he is known for his technical artistry and complex songwriting. He was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music , becoming the first musician outside of the classical and jazz genres to be honored. Lamar began releasing music under the stage name K.Dot while he was attending high school. He signed with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2005, where he co-founded

17024-408: The name change as part of his career growth." For his eponymous debut extended play (2009), Lamar eschewed the creative process of his mixtapes in favor of a project heavily focused on his songwriting over "lovely yet doleful" production. Reeves described the EP as the "first standout project" of his career, praising its melancholic tone. He felt that the project restored his reputation following

17176-656: The opening track "Lost and Found Freestyle 2019" with Tyler, the Creator , and the single, "Arya". Mayers supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their 2022 international stadium tour . After he arrived late for a performance at Old Trafford , Manchester, he performed a shortened 20-minute set after the Chili Peppers. In May 2022, Mayers released the single, "D.M.B.", and followed up in December with "Shittin' Me". Also in December, he appeared on producer Metro Boomin's album Heroes & Villains , on

17328-462: The past, the Berlin Music Video Awards have featured a diverse range of nominees and jury members. Some of the notable nominees have included music videos by artists such as ASAP Rocky , Rammstein and Little Big (band) , as well as up-and-coming artists from around the world. The jury has included industry professionals from various backgrounds, including directors, producers, musicians, and journalists. The Berlin Music Video Awards continue to attract

17480-476: The producer and manager, founded the Berlin Music Video Awards (BMVA) in 2013. The founder initiated the festival and award ceremony because the concept did not yet exist in Berlin. Initially, it was aimed to be local but in the first year of existence, it became international with participants from Europe and North America. More award categories have been added since then, and international recognition has grown. In

17632-577: The pseudonym Lord Flacko. Rakim Athelaston Mayers was born on October 3, 1988, in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan , a borough of New York City. His father is from Barbados . He has an older brother (deceased) and an older sister, Erika. Both Rakim and Erika's names are taken from the Eric B. & Rakim duo. His cousin is fellow ASAP Mob member ASAP Nast . Mayers started rapping at age nine, when he moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania . He learned how to rap from his older brother, who also wore

17784-481: The rapper released a song, titled " M'$ ", debuted during an interview with the Red Bull Music Academy , and was released on the iTunes Store two days later, however, it was announced that the song was not an official single from the album. The album, however, did include a remixed version of the track that replaced Mayers’ second verse with a guest verse from Lil Wayne . On May 9, Mayers unveiled

17936-877: The scattered and distorted instrumentals of Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers was designed to make listeners feel anxious and uncomfortable. Several media outlets consider Lamar to be the greatest and most important rapper of his generation. Billboard , Forbes and Vibe named him the second-greatest rapper of all time , behind Jay-Z . Described as a "blazing" technical rapper and "relentless searcher" by The New York Times , Lamar's "limber, dexterous" flow switches from derivative to generative metrics , while incorporating internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes . His rhymes are typically manipulated within common time , allowing him to subtly control his metrical phonology and suggest formal ambiguities similar to pop and rock repertoires. Some of his rhyme manipulations feature "flexible" new school styles evoking

18088-468: The short film M.A.A.D , which he starred in, commissioned and produced, during the Sundance Institute 's Next Fest. He released " I " as the lead single to his third album, To Pimp a Butterfly , on September 23, which won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards . His performance of "I" during his appearance as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live

18240-590: The shutdown, Mayers (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release future material under the RCA brand. On December 5, he was nominated for BBC 's Sound of 2012 poll. In February 2012, Mayers joined Kendrick Lamar as the opening act for Drake 's Club Paradise Tour . In June, SpaceGhostPurrp , founder of Miami-based collective Raider Klan and Mayers’ past collaborator, accused A$ AP Twelvyy of jumping Raider Klan's Matt Stoops and subsequently disassociated himself from A$ AP Mob and Mayers in

18392-507: The sting of criticism he received over C4 . After striking a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music , Lamar released his fourth mixtape, Overly Dedicated , on September 14, 2010. It was his first project to be purchased through digital retailers. Reeves described Overly Dedicated as a partial "victory lap" that marked a shift in his songwriting. The mixtape peaked at number 72 on Billboard ' s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Lamar served as Jay Rock's hype man for

18544-444: The street against a man named Mustafa Jafari and another person that involved Mayers and three of his entourage on June 30. Jafari was beaten, kicked, and cut with broken bottles when down on the ground. He suffered several cuts, requiring stitches, and a fractured rib. Mayers uploaded two videos of the incident to Instagram . In the first, he and his entourage repeatedly ask two young men, including Jafari, to stop following them as

18696-497: The top ten of the Billboard 200. As of July 2015 , the album has sold 215,000 copies in the United States. It has sold 60,662 copies in the United Kingdom, as of June 2015 . On June 11, 2015, Mayers was featured on The Tonight Show , where he performed the song "L$ D" with The Roots . In June, it was confirmed that he was featured on the single " Good for You " by Selena Gomez . In June 2015, he appeared on

18848-481: The track " Feel the Fiyaaaah ", which also featured late rapper Takeoff , who was gunned down a month prior to the album's release. He then confirmed a new album with production from Metro Boomin to materialize in the future. Later that month, he named his upcoming fourth album, Don't Be Dumb . In October 2011, Mayers signed a record deal with Sony Music Entertainment worth $ 3 million ($ 1.7 million of which

19000-467: The various music video categories are presented during the ceremony, and the winners of each category are announced and awarded. Furthermore, the show also consists of onstage live performances from renowned bands and musicians, like Little Big (band) , Vitalic , and members of The Prodigy . The festival is usually held in one of Berlin's popular clubs, such as Club GRETCHEN (2019/2018) or Nuke Club (2017). After-show parties are organised in connection with

19152-413: The way [Lamar] did with To Pimp a Butterfly . His sense of timing is impeccable. In the midst of rampant cases of police brutality and racial tension across America, he spews raw, aggressive bard while possible cutting a rug." Pitchfork opined that the album "forced critics to think deeply about music." Lamar announced his engagement to Alford in April 2015. He earned his first number-one single in

19304-478: The way for his advancement, earning him the nickname " King Kendrick ". His Pulitzer Prize win was considered a sign of the American cultural elite formally recognizing hip hop as a "legitimate artistic medium". Senior artists such as Nas , Bruce Springsteen , Eminem, Dr. Dre , Prince, and Madonna have praised his musicianship. David Bowie 's final album, Blackstar (2016), was inspired by To Pimp

19456-507: The works of jazz trumpeter Miles Davis and funk collective Parliament-Funkadelic . The nature of Lamar's musical style has been described as "anti-flamboyant, interior and complex." He is rooted in West Coast hip hop , and has continually reinvented his sound by branching out into other genres. Due to his contributions to its audience growth, through his appeal to mainstream listeners, music critics generally categorize Lamar as

19608-415: The year to reach one billion streams on Spotify. In support of Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers , Lamar embarked on the Big Steppers Tour , which ran from July 2022 to March 2024. The tour grossed $ 110.9 million in worldwide revenue, becoming the highest-grossing rap tour ever at the time. Lamar wrote, co-directed, and executive produced the short film adaptation of the song " We Cry Together ", which

19760-443: The year, he appeared on the Game's The R.E.D. Album , Tech N9ne's All 6's and 7's , 9th Wonder 's The Wonder Years , and Drake 's Take Care . Lamar began planning his second album before Section.80 was released. From February to April 2012, he opened for Drake on his Club Paradise Tour . He began working with J. Cole on a collaborative album around that time. On March 8, The Fader reported that Lamar had signed

19912-415: Was a surprise release . Lamar has received various accolades throughout his career, including 17 Grammy Awards ( the third-most won by a rapper ), a Primetime Emmy Award , a Brit Award , four American Music Awards , six Billboard Music Awards , 11 MTV Video Music Awards (including two Video of the Year wins) and 37 BET Hip Hop Awards (the most won by any artist). Time listed him as one of

20064-491: Was a follow-up to his debut album, Long. Live. A$ AP . Upon the wake of a delay of the ASAP Mob album, L.O.R.D. , Mayers subsequently collaborated with cohorts A$ AP Ferg , Nast and Twelvyy on the album's third single, "Hella Hoes", which was released on June 6, 2014. Nonetheless, A$ AP Mob leader A$ AP Yams announced on his Tumblr account that the album had been shelved. On October 3, 2014, his 26th birthday, Mayers launched

20216-602: Was born on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California . He is the first child of former gang hustler Kenneth "Kenny" Duckworth and hairdresser Paula Oliver. Both of his parents are African Americans from the South Side of Chicago . When they were teenagers, they relocated to Compton in 1984, due to his father's affiliation with the Gangster Disciples . Lamar was named after singer-songwriter Eddie Kendricks of

20368-520: Was described as a "wake up call" for the hip hop industry and commenced his decade-long feud with Drake. Rolling Stone noted that his verse made the track one of the most important hip hop songs of the last decade. Lamar was named Rapper of the Year by GQ during their annual Men of the Year edition. Following the issue's release, Tiffith pulled him from performing at GQ ' s accompanying party and accused Steve Marsh's profile on him of containing "racial overtones". After his opening stint for

20520-936: Was earmarked for his solo work; $ 1.3 million earmarked to fund his company). Mayers said that he sought a "bigger platform" for him and his collective with the deal. His first studio album planned to be under the deal, but it allowed him to continue releasing mixtapes through Sony/RED . Fellow rapper and A$ AP Mob member A$ AP Ferg also signed a joint venture deal with the RCA-distributed Polo Grounds Music; Ferg released his single "Work", for digital retail via various platforms. He later announced an official remix featuring Mayers, French Montana , ScHoolboy Q and Trinidad James . In 2013, he and ASAP Mob co-founder ASAP Bari released his A$ AP merchandise brand, and went to collaborate with high-profile fashion designer and close friend Raf Simons . On October 2, 2014, Mayers announced he had officially signed

20672-443: Was entirely profane , but it helped him manage his psychological trauma and depression , which he struggled with during his adolescence. Inge played a vital role in his intellectual growth, often critiquing his lexicon and suggesting prompts to strengthen his prose. Lamar later attended Centennial High School . He was enrolled in summer school during the tenth grade, which he dreaded because it forced him to be embroiled in

20824-439: Was held where the trial start date was again pushed back, this time to 21 January 2025. Studio albums His accomplishments include three BET Awards , two MTV awards , and nominations for three Grammy Awards and six World Music Awards , for a total of five wins and 37 nominations overall. Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Regarded as one of

20976-544: Was introduced to poetry by his English teacher, Regis Inge. Inge integrated the literary form into his curriculum as a response to the growing racial tensions amongst his students. Through its connection to hip hop, Lamar studied rhymes, metaphors and double entendres , which made him fall in love with songwriting: "You can put all your feelings down on a sheet of paper, and they'd make sense to you. I liked that." Instead of completing assignments for other classes, Lamar would scribe lyrics in his notebooks. His initial writing

21128-534: Was kept in custody at Kronoberg Remand Prison until the trial, with two members of his entourage also under arrest. Mayers’ ongoing tour was then put on hiatus due to the trial. He was visited by personnel from the US embassy shortly after his arrest. Several US artists called for a boycott of Sweden due to the incident. A petition to release him was started. The family asked Al Sharpton for help. US President Donald Trump tweeted his support for Mayers, and it

21280-407: Was killed in a drive-by shooting . "It done [ sic ] something to me right then and there," Lamar later admitted to NPR Music . "It let me know that this is not only something that I'm looking at, but it's something that maybe I have to get used to." His parents nicknamed him "Man-Man" due to his precocious behavior, although he confessed it "put a stigma on the idea of me reacting as

21432-416: Was later revealed by justice minister Morgan Johansson that Trump had threatened trade restrictions against Sweden if Mayers was not released. Former US ambassador to Sweden Mark Brzezinski suggested that the government should intervene and speculated that racism may have been the cause of the brawl. Foreign minister Margot Wallström said the government is not allowed to interfere citing Chapter 11 §3 of

21584-740: Was lauded by contemporary critics. Lamar was featured on three songs in 2014: " It's On Again " by Alicia Keys , " Babylon " by SZA , and " Never Catch Me " by Flying Lotus . He won Lyricist of the Year for the second consecutive time at the BET Hip Hop Awards . Originally scheduled to arrive at a later date, To Pimp a Butterfly was released on March 15, 2015. The album incorporated various genres synonymous with African American music , such as jazz , funk , and soul . To capture its essence, Lamar recruited producers such as Sounwave , Pharrell Williams, Terrace Martin , and Thundercat . Whitney Alford, Lamar's high school sweetheart , contributed background vocals on select tracks. Other singles from

21736-550: Was originally set to be released during the summer for free download. However, that album was delayed with no release date announced. Mayers previewed two snippets that would have made the Beauty & The Beast: Slowed Down Sessions (Chapter 1) compilation, titled "Riot Rave" and "Unicorn". The project has not been released as of 2023. On March 16, 2014, Mayers announced that he was working on his second studio album, entitled A.L.L.A. (an acronym for At. Long. Last. A$ AP ) which

21888-542: Was released as the album's first single on April 27. On August 27, his crew A$ AP Mob released the mixtape Lords Never Worry as a free download. During September through November, Mayers promoted the album with the 40-date national concert tour , the Long Live ASAP Tour, with opening acts ScHoolboy Q , Danny Brown , and A$ AP Mob. Long. Live. A$ AP was released on January 15, 2013, to mostly positive reviews from critics. The album debuted at number one on

22040-503: Was released worldwide in September 2022. An accompanying concert film for the tour, Kendrick Lamar Live: The Big Steppers Tour , was released in November. Lamar won Favorite Male Hip Hop Artist at the American Music Awards , and Favorite Hip Hop Album for Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers . He received six awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards , including Album of the Year . During the 65th Annual Grammy Awards , Mr. Morale &

22192-449: Was the first rapper that introduced him to singing sensibilities in hip hop, and he writes melody-driven songs as practice for his albums. Lamar became comfortable with his vocals over time, to the point where he feels confident enough to create singing-based albums. Pitchfork noticed how his harmonies on To Pimp a Butterfly never made him sound alone throughout his "desolate" performance; comparing his vocal layering to "standing in

22344-587: Was then arrested the night before, after an alleged involvement in a brawl, with 21-year-old artist iRome. The scuffle took place in downtown Manhattan and the performance was canceled. After it was rescheduled for August 21, Mayers performed "Goldie" on the show. On September 6, he also performed a guest rap on Rihanna 's " Cockiness (Love It) " at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards . Mayers recorded his debut studio album Long. Live. A$ AP , along with several producers, such as Clams Casino, Hit-Boy, Friendzone, A$ AP Ty Beats, Soufein3000 and Joey Fat Beats. "Goldie"

22496-434: Was ultimately let go from Def Jam after an encounter with its president and chief executive officer, Jay-Z ; he later described it as "one of those situations where I wasn't ready." Lamar and Jay Rock released a collaborative mixtape, title No Sleep 'til NYC , on December 24, 2007. Reeves thought the project was a "fun cypher session, nothing more, nothing less." Lamar's third mixtape C4 , released on January 30, 2009,

22648-402: Was updated to June 2, 2015; however, on May 25, 2015, around 6:00 PM EDT, the album leaked online , approximately one week before its expected release. Subsequently, Mayers tweeted to announce that the album will be released at midnight (May 26), changing the date a week early. Upon its release, At. Long. Last. A$ AP received generally positive to mixed reviews from music critics . Overall,

22800-421: Was widely acclaimed by critics, who applauded Lamar's vulnerable songwriting and scope. Every track from the album charted on the Hot 100; its three singles–" N95 ", " Silent Hill ", and " Die Hard "–debuted in the top-10. Selling 295,000 units in its first week, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers became Lamar's fourth consecutive number-one album on the Billboard 200. It later became the first hip hop album of

22952-427: Was working on an instrumental album, which he plans on releasing without notice. He even discussed his favorite music videos and talked about his desire to collaborate with veteran rapper André 3000 . On June 21, Mayers told MTV News that he had completed his debut instrumental album, which mostly consists of ambient oriented instrumental tracks, titled Beauty & The Beast: Slowed Down Sessions (Chapter 1) and

23104-404: Was working on his fourth album, Damn . He released the promotional single " The Heart Part 4 " on March 23, before releasing the album's lead single " Humble " on March 30. The song debuted at number two on the Hot 100 and reached the top spot in its second week of charting. It is Lamar's second single, and first as a lead artist, to top the chart. Damn was released on April 14. It utilized

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