1987–present
Kendrick Lamar News: Rapper Brings Drake Feud to the Super Bowl
Kendrick Lamar gave a captivating performance at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show in New Orleans on February 9. Fresh off his Grammy wins the week prior, the rapper made history as the first solo hip-hop artist to headline the Super Bowl as he played a medley of his popular songs at the Caesars Superdome.
Following an introduction by Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam, Lamar started his performance off with the teaser track for his 2024 album, GNX. Squatting atop the hood of the 1987 Buick model of the same name, he rapped the minute-long song before transitioning into a rendition of the record’s N0. 1 hit “squabble up.” “HUMBLE.” came next with the 37-year-old standing amidst a sea of dancers wearing red, white, and blue as they slipped in and out of formation of the American flag. Lamar was later joined by special guest SZA for “Luther” and the Oscar-nominated song “All the Stars.”
Before ending with “tv off,” Lamar performed his Grammy-winning single “Not Like Us,” which takes aim at fellow rapper Drake. The Pulitzer Prize winner had teased to it earlier in the show, playing the song’s opening instrumental and saying,“I wanna play their favorite song but you know they love to sue,” referencing Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Lamar’s label for distributing the song. (Drake is also represented by Universal Music Group, his suit’s defendant.)
During his performance of the diss track, Lamar notably left out the lyric that calls his rival a “certified pedophile,” but the crowd sang along with him to the line “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor,” which hints at a similar allegation. (Drake hasn’t been convicted of any such crimes, nor has he faced any formal accusations.) Lamar even brought out tennis star and Drake’s ex-girlfriend Serena Williams to crip walk to the beat of the song. If his Super Bowl performance is any indication, Lamar’s feud with Drake is far from over.
Who Is Kendrick Lamar?
Kendrick Lamar is one of hip-hop’s most influential rappers known for the songs “Alright,” “HUMBLE.” and “Not Like Us.” After writing stories as a child, the Southern California native who started rapping under the name K-Dot put music to some lyrics about the rough Compton streets he grew up on. Lamar’s 2012 debut studio album, good kid, m.A.A.d City, was released to great acclaim, and his accolades have only grown since. The 22-time Grammy winner has three Best Rap Album awards to his name and made history when his record DAMN. became the first of its genre to earn a Pulitzer Prize in 2018. Lamar surprise-released his sixth studio album, GNX, in November 2024.
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: Kendrick Lamar Duckworth
BORN: June 17, 1987
BIRTHPLACE: Compton, California
CHILDREN: Uzi and Enoch
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Gemini
Where Is Kendrick Lamar From?
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born in Compton, California, on June 17, 1987. He was named after singer Eddie Kendricks of the R&B/Soul group The Temptations. His father, Kenneth “Kenny” Duckworth, was a manual laborer, and his mother, Paula Oliver, was a hairdresser.
Kendrick’s parents moved to Compton from Chicago to escape the city’s gang culture, where Kenny had been associated with the notorious Gangster Disciples gang. Growing up, Kendrick and his family, including his three younger siblings, lived in Section 8 housing and even experienced homelessness for a time.
The young student excelled academically but was quiet due to his stutter. He enjoyed writing and eventually took an interest in poetry and creative writing thanks to his seventh grade teacher, Mr. Inge. It was then that he became enthralled with rhymes, metaphors, and double-entendres.
Having directly witnessed gang violence and police brutality at an early age, Kendrick processed his trauma by writing stories and poems before later turning to lyrics. “You could put all your feelings down on a sheet of paper, and they’d make sense to you,” he told Rolling Stone in June 2015. “I liked that.” Some of his lyrics contained profanity, much to his parents’ surprise, but they never discouraged him from writing.
In high school, Kendrick adopted the moniker K-Dot and began performing his lyrics as a rapper. Around the same time, he started having run-ins with the police. Although he was never part of a gang, the budding rapper ran with a bad crowd who often broke into and robbed people’s homes. His parents once kicked him out of the house for two days after police said he took part in a local incident. In turn, these experiences influenced his music.
Songs and Albums
At age 16, Lamar circulated his first mix tape, 2003’s Y.H.N.I.C. (Hub City Threat: Minor Of The Year), under the name K-Dot. The project, which drew a lot of interest around and beyond Souther California, was enough to land him a record deal with the independent label Top Dawg Entertainment.
Another acclaimed mix tape, Training Day, arrived in December 2005, as Lamar steadily worked with other up-and-coming West Coast rappers, such as Jay Rock, who he teamed up with on the 2007 mixtape No Sleep ’Til NYC. The following year, he and Jay Rock joined rappers Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q to form the rap collective Black Hippy. Lamar released another solo mixtape, C4, in January 2009 before dropping the K-Dot tag for good and reverting back to his birth name. “The name change was just me basically developing myself,” he later told Hard Knock TV. “I want people to know who I am as a person and what I represent.”
In September 2010, Lamar put out his fourth mix tape, Overly Dedicated, the first under his real name. The project made it onto Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was later discovered by influential rapper and producer Dr. Dre, who asked Lamar to work on his still unreleased album Detox.
While working with Dr. Dre, the up-and-coming rapper released his debut studio album, Section.80, in July 2011. The record, which was available exclusively on iTunes, broke onto the Billboard 200 and received mostly positive reviews from critics. The concept album explored themes of racism, violence, and addiction, featuring the songs “A.D.H.D.” and “Ronald Reagan Era (His Vices).”
Following the release of Section.80, Lamar continued writing songs while touring and collaborating with more popular recording artists, such as Drake, Young Jeezy, The Game, Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, and Lil Wayne. As buzz continued to build, Dr. Dre took the young artist under his wing and signed him to his record label, Aftermath Entertainment, in a joint venture with Interscope Records. Top Dawg Entertainment remained Lamar’s primary label. Thanks to Aftermath’s extensive resources, he was poised to become rap’s newest superstar.
Mainstream Success with good kid, m.A.A.d city
In October 2012, Lamar’s highly anticipated major-label debut album—good kid, m.A.A.d city—was released to wide acclaim. Hit singles like “Swimming Pools (Drank)” and “Poetic Justice” as well as the rapper’s emergence as a talent to watch cleared the way for him to make major television appearances while promoting the album, including Saturday Night Live, Late Night With David Letterman, and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. This solidified his fan base, not only among hardcore hip-hop heads, but also among college students and fans of alternative rock.
Lamar grew popular for his sharp observations of street culture, often examining the psychology of the victims of crimes. “That’s the most interesting story to me,” he told The Guardian in December 2012. “At first, I was scared to show fear because you can never be sure how people will perceive you. But I dared myself to do that, to stand out.”
His appeal to the masses didn’t stop there. The thought-provoking lyrics on his debut album caught the attention of hip-hop critics as well. MTV named him the Hottest MC of 2012, putting him in the company of past recipients such as Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, and Kanye West. Lamar later earned his seven Grammy Award nominations, including Best Rap Album and Album of the Year for good kid, m.A.A.d city.
As a featured artist on Big Sean’s 2013 song “Control,” Lamar contributed a 62-bar verse that stunned critics. Although the track was penned by another artist, his portion drew attention because of his challenge to several other popular names in the hip-hop world, including Drake, J. Cole, and Big Sean himself. The bold claims in the controversial verse Lamar rapped brought about a vibe that was reminiscent of the classic hip-hop era, drawing appreciation from critics, rappers, and fans alike.
To Pimp a Butterfly and First Grammys
In March 2015, Lamar released his next album, To Pimp a Butterfly, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, his first to do so. He had previously released the lead single “i,” which won him his first Grammys for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance one month before the full album’s release. The record was another highly acclaimed outing known for its funk-laden mix of bravura, community politics, and vulnerability, featuring artists like Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams.
Three months after his sophomore album dropped, Lamar landed his first No. 1 song with Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” remix. His banner year continued as Lamar was nominated for a whopping 11 Grammys.
Come the February 2016 awards show, Lamar was one of the biggest names of the night. He brought the house down with a politicized performance of “The Blacker the Berry” and “Alright” that fused spoken word, live jazz, traditional African dance, and a reference to the death of teenager Trayvon Martin. Among the five trophies he won were Best Rap Album for To Pimp a Butterfly, “Alright” for Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video for the “Bad Blood” remix.
Lamar then released untitled unmastered, a compilation of tracks that were unfinished demos for To Pimp a Butterfly. The March 2016 effort similarly topped the Billboard 200.
Historic Pulitzer Prize for DAMN.
The artist continued to wow fans with the release of DAMN. in April 2017. The No. 1 album featured the chart-topper “HUMBLE.” as well as the hit track “LOYALTY.” with Rihanna. Along with achieving double-platinum status within three months, DAMN. was named critics’ favorite album of 2017, based on the compilation of year-end polls conducted by BBC News.
Nominated for seven Grammys, Lamar kicked off the 2018 awards show with another politically charged performance that also featured Dave Chappelle as well as U2’s Bono and the Edge. Lamar went on to sweep the rap categories, including claiming Best Rap Album for DAMN. and Best Rap Song for “HUMBLE.,” en route to an impressive five Grammy wins for the night.
Later that year, Lamar made history when DAMN. won the Pulitzer Prize for Music, making him not only the first person to win a Pulitzer for a hip-hop album, but also the first artist to win the prize for music that isn’t classical or jazz. The Pulitzer board called the album “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.”
Black Panther Soundtrack
In addition to his original music, Lamar curated and produced the soundtrack for the 2018 blockbuster Black Panther. “All The Stars” from the Marvel movie’s soundtrack earned the rapper his only Oscar nomination to date, for Best Original Song. Black Panther: The Album also collected several Grammy nods and one win: “King’s Dead” was named the Best Rap Performance.
Underscoring his expanding influence, Lamar was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ music branch in June 2018 before making his acting debut in 50 Cent’s crime drama Power the following month.
Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
A five-year stretch passed before the rapper’s next album of original music arrived. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, released in May 2022, was a double-sided concept album that centered on personal themes of growth, self-reflection, Lamar’s childhood, and his experiences with generational trauma. His fourth record to debut atop the Billboard 200 featured the top 10 singles “N95,” “Silent Hill” with Kodak Black, “United In Grief,” and the Blxst and Amanda Reifer collaboration “Die Hard.”
Lamar promoted the album with The Big Steppers Tour, starting that July, which consisted of more than 70 shows across multiple countries. The concert series set a new record for highest-grossing tour by a headlining rapper at $110.9 million, according to Touring Data. (Drake has since eclipsed this mark.) Later in 2022, Lamar released a concert film of his Paris show on Amazon Prime Video.
More hardware from the Grammy Awards was in store for the rapper at the 2023 ceremony. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers was named Best Rap Album, while the track “The Heart Part 5” won two trophies for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance.
GNX
In the first half of 2024, Lamar notched his third and fourth No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. “Like That,” a collaboration with Future and Metro Boomin, and the Grammy-winning “Not Like Us” became viral hits amid Lamar’s renewed feud with Drake.
His hot streak continued with the surprise release of his sixth studio album, GNX, in late November 2024. The unexpected album suddenly appeared on music streaming services and immediately ascended to the top of the Billboard 200. Among GNX’s 12 tracks are “squabble,” another No. 1 hit, and the reflective “heart pt. 6.” The record also features collaborations with various artists, such as SZA on “Luther” and “Gloria” as well as Lefty Gunplay on the No. 2 song “TV Off.”
Some of this new music made the cut for Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show performance in New Orleans. He previously appeared during Super Bowl LVI in 2022, but this was his first time as the show’s headliner. It also marked the first time a solo hip-hop artist is the big game’s main act. This spring, the rapper is scheduled to hit the road with SZA for the Grand National Tour.
How Many Grammys Does Kendrick Lamar Have?
An acclaimed and celebrated artist, Lamar has won 22 Grammy Awards out of 57 nominations throughout his career.
The hip-hop star was first nominated in an impressive seven categories for the 56th Grammy Awards, held in 2014. This included Best New Artist and Album of the Year for good kid, m.A.A.d city. However, Lamar didn’t take home any trophies until 2015 when his song “i” won for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance.
Lamar has collected five awards at three separate Grammy ceremonies: in 2016, 2018, and 2025. To date, he has won Best Rap Album three times for To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), DAMN. (2017), and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022). Lamar has also earned five awards for Best Rap Song—honoring “i,” “Alright,” “HUMBLE.,” “The Heart Part 5,” and “Not Like Us”—and seven trophies for Best Rap Performance, his winningest category and a Grammy record. His three trophies for Best Music Video are the most of any artist.
In February 2025, his hit single “Not Like Us” became the most awarded song in Grammy history. The diss track won Song and Record of the Year as well as Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video.
Fiancée Whitney Alford and Children
Lamar has been in a relationship with his fiancée, Whitney Alford, since he was a teenager. The pair met at Centennial High School in Compton, California, and quickly became friends before becoming a couple. Although their relationship has mostly been kept private, Lamar did confirm that he proposed to Alford in 2015.
“I wouldn’t even call her my girl,” he told Billboard at the time. “That’s my best friend. I don’t even like the term that society has put in the world as far as being a companion—she’s somebody I can tell my fears to.”
The couple have two children together. They welcomed their daughter, Uzi, in July 2019. Reports of her birth were made public by the media, but Lamar didn’t reveal her name until the release of his album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers in May 2022. It was then that he also confirmed Alford had secretly given birth to their second child, a son named Enoch. Lamar and his family are featured on the album’s cover art.
Net Worth
Lamar has an estimated net worth of $140 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. In addition to his music sales and concert tours, he owns the creative communications company PGLang and has endorsement deals with companies like Nike and American Express.
Feud With Drake
Beyond his music and critical acclaim, Lamar has earned attention for his ongoing rap battle with fellow artist Drake that dates back to 2013. However, the pair weren’t always at odds; Lamar and Drake were once friends and collaborators. As a young rapper, Lamar was featured on Drake’s 2011 album, Take Care, and opened for him on his Club Paradise Tour the following year. They also worked together on Lamar’s early hit “Poetic Justice” from his debut album.
Things started to sour after Lamar dissed Drake and other rappers during his lengthy verse on Big Sean’s track “Control” in 2013. While Drake didn’t have much of a response, calling it an “ambitious thought,” Lamar followed up by lashing out at the rapper during the BET Hip-Hop Awards that October. He called Drake “sensitive” and “fake” over the instrumental for J. Cole’s “Shook Ones.” Drake fired back at Lamar on the track “The Language” and later told VIBE Magazine that he was “being baited” but had “no real issue.”
While the two continued to take verbal shots at each other over the years, nothing major occurred until after Drake and J. Cole’s 2023 collaboration on “First Person Shooter,” in which they invoked Lamar’s original rap name, K-Dot. Five months later, in March 2024, Lamar went 0n the offensive, attacking Drake in “Like That,” a collaboration song with Future and Metro Boomin. “F–– sneak dissin’, first-person shooter/ I hope they came with three switches,” the lyrics read. Three days later, Drake appeared to address the single during a tour stop, telling the audience that he was holding his head high.
In April 2024, Drake proceeded to release the diss tracks “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle,” prompting Lamar to retort with his six-minute long diss “Euphoria.” The comeback song took several swipes at Drake, referring to him as a “degenerate.” The two continued to go back and forth over the course of the next month, with Lamar dropping three more diss tracks, including “Not Like Us,” which quickly topped the Billboard Hot 100. That November, Drake filed a court petition claiming Universal Music Group conspired with Spotify to “artificially inflate” the song’s popularity and followed up with a defamation suit in January 2025 for the record label’s promotion of “Not Like Us.” The song, which has been streamed on Spotify more than 1 billion times, includes lyrics suggesting Drake is a pedophile, though there is no proof of this.
Universal Music Group, which represents both Drake and Lamar, denied Drake’s legal claims in a statement: “The notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist—let alone Drake—is illogical... We have not and do not engage in defamation—against any individual.”
Quotes
- At first, I was scared to show fear because you can never be sure how people will perceive you. But I dared myself to do that, to stand out.
- I feel my work in music is just the start. I don’t think it’s my end goal. I know it’s not my end goal. Music is just a vessel to get me there.
- At first, all I knew was the masculinity, and I always kept that wall up because of my pops. But the more I delve deeper into my music and the more expressive I get with myself … that is the feminine energy right there.
- I wanna meet people smarter than me. I wanna talk to them. I want them to show me things. I just wanna be fulfilled with whatever this world has to offer.
Aftermath DAMN. Double Vinyl
pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers CD
pgLang/Interscope GNX Vinyl
Brooke & Vine Kendrick Lamar GNX Poster
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