JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Throwback: When Kendrick Lamar Talked About His 'Biggest Vice' Amid His Rising Stardom
In a 2017 interview, Kendrick Lamar opened up about his dedication to his craft, the challenges it brings, and the profound joy he experiences watching others rise above adversity.
Kendrick Lamar is as profound a person as he is a great artist. We first got a sense of his immensely intellectual mind in 2017, when he was just a little over-established in the hip-hop scene following his musical debut in 2009. Speaking to Rolling Stone for their cover issue at the time, Lamar, now a Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper, spoke about how his addiction to his craft has become one of his vices—not that he has many.
Speaking about his too-sedate life for a rapper to the outlet when asked about his vices seven years ago, Lamar said that his “biggest vice is being addicted to the chase” of what he’s doing. “It turns into a vice when I shut off people that actually care for me, because I’m so indulged spreading this word. Being on that stage, knowing that you’re changing people’s lives, that’s a high. Sometimes, when you’re pressing so much to get something across to a stranger, you forget people that are closer to you. That’s a vice.”
The final part of Lamar’s statement offers his fans a glimpse into how he has earned a place among the greatest rappers of all time at just 37 years old.
However, here are more excerpts from the Not Like Us rapper’s RS interview in question.
ALSO READ: Kendrick Lamar Addresses Lil Wayne’s Super Bowl Disappointment and Snoop Dogg’s Drake Repost on GNX
When Lamar was asked if he ever felt like he should have more fun, the rapper replied with another profound comment: “Everybody’s fun is different.” Elaborating, Lamar said that fun for him is not drinking, though he does drink from time to time. Fun for him is watching people from his neighborhood with bad track records make a life for themselves despite their unfavorable history. Lamar said in the interview that seeing their eyes light up with hope is what he finds joy and happiness in.
After imparting such sage wisdom, Lamar dismissed the notion that the world views him as a saint or a monk. “The people closest to me truly know who I am. They see all of my sides,” he said.
Today’s throwback story is courtesy of Lamar surprising his fans with a brand-new album, GNX. He teased the release with a one-minute video only hours before dropping the 12-track disc.
GNX, Lamar’s sixth studio album, features appearances from artists like SZA and Kamasi Washington and includes a producer credit for Jack Antonoff on all but one song. Earlier this week, DJ Snake had claimed that Taylor Swift would also appear on the album, but that turned out to be untrue.
His last album, 2022’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, was named Best Rap Album at the Grammys.
FAQ
Latest Articles
