Kendrick Lamar took the time out to speak to his self-proclaimed “day one” site, DubCNN, while on tour in San Francisco. We briefly caught up with Kendrick to hear how has been adjusting to his new found fame and how it has impacted his everyday life.
He also tells us about giving his family a chance to change their lives around, the dangers of materialism and what the fans can expect from Black Hippy in the near future.
Read on and enjoy. As always feel free to hit up nima@dubcnn.com with questions or comments.
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Interview was done April 2012
Questions Asked By: Nima Etminan
Missed our previous interview? Check it now: May 2011
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Related Media: Audio
Kendrick Lamar – The Recipe (Feat. Dr. Dre) (Produced by Scoop Deville)
Kendrick Lamar – Cartoon & Cereal Feat. Gunplay
Kendrick Lamar – HiiiPoWeR (Produced by J. Cole)
Kendrick Lamar – Ronald Reagan Era (His Evils)
Kendrick Lamar – Hol’ Up (Produced by Sounwave of Digi+Phonics)
Tech N9ne – I Love Music (ft. Kendrick Lamar & Oobergeek)
Kendrick Lamar – Look Out For Detox
Related Media: Video
Kendrick Lamar – Cartoon & Cereal (Live In San Francisco 3/27/12)
Kendrick Lamar – Rigamortis
Kendrick Lamar – HiiiPoWeR
Kendrick Lamar – 2011 Freshman Class Freestyle
Kendrick Lamar – HiiiPoWeR
Related Media: Albums/Mixtapes
Kendrick Lamar – Overly Dedicated (Album Download)
Kendrick Lamar – Section 80 (Album Download)
Kendrick Lamar – The Kendrick Lamar EP (Album Download)
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Watch The Interview
Dubcnn: We’re right here wit Kendrick Lamar. I think you just wrapped up your first ever show in San Francisco?
Kendrick: Hell yeah! Crazy. It felt like home. I knew we weren’t too far from Oakland, and they had given me crazy energy, so I knew once I came here it would be the same.
Dubcnn: They made you go back out for the encore?
Kendrick: Yeah they made me go back man.
Dubcnn: I hadn’t seen you perform “Cartoon & Cereal” before!
Kendrick: Yeah, that was my first time ever performing it, right here in Frisco.
Dubcnn: Last time we spoke to you was pretty much exactly a year ago and one of the questions I had asked you was, whether you would sign to Aftermath if give the opportunity. You chose not to answer that question. *laughs*
Kendrick: *laughs*
Dubcnn: You’ve been doing big things in the last year, touring the world and all that. How much has your life changed since you’ve become “famous”?
Kendrick: You know what’s crazy? I don’t even consider myself famous yet, man, I still be doing the same old shit. It ain’t really hit me. I still move around like I used to, I just get stopped more while I moved around. That snaps me back into reality. But the experience has been crazy man. Just me, being able to travel the world. A lot of people living life don’t get this opportunity to go and see the world.
I’ve got people that stayed in Compton all their life, elders like around 50 or 60 and never went out. My pops, his dad, none of them ever saw the world. So I’m probably really the first out of my family to go out and travel. Of course, financially, that puts me in a position where I can take care of my folks, being that I come from a family that comes from welfare.
Dubcnn: You told me you’re family has always been your main motivation.
Kendrick: I want to put them in a position where I’m not just giving them money, but I wanna put them in a position where they can go out and get it for themselves and whatever they want to do in life, I want to be that extra help, that extra motivation, because I’m doing it and then can see it first hand. That’s what it’s about and I’m very happy about the change.
Dubcnn: I heard we’re going to hear a new single soon?
Kendrick: Oh yeah, definitely. You’re going to hear a new joint off my debut album. (Editor’s Note: The single “The Recipe” was released on Monday, April 2nd. Listen Here).
Dubcnn: Good Kid In A Mad City?
Kendrick: That’s not the official title yet, that’s still in the air.
Dubcnn: I like that title!
Kendrick: Everybody likes that title man.
Dubcnn: What’s the current status on Black Hippy?
Kendrick: You know what’s crazy about Black Hippy man? We’ve only put out like 4 songs total and people have been talking about Black Hippy constantly for the past 2 years, wondering when something is coming man. It’s one of them situations where we we just want to get the individual artists off the ground first. We’re constantly making music, and putting out material, but we want to solidify everybody first. So Ab-Soul is next. Once that is done, maybe you’ll see something from Black Hippy – maybe you won’t! *laughs*
Dubcnn: Before we get out of here, I want to get your take on this… You told me that you aren’t a very materialistic person and that’s not what you thrive towards. Now, you’re slowly developing into a money making machine for a lot of the people around you. A lot of people can end up eating off you an depending on you as you get bigger. Is that pressure something that concerns you?
Kendrick: What I tell my folks around me is not to look for me to carry them forever. I basically want to create a situation where we’re all working together and where eventually, they will be in a higher position than they’re in right now. I’m in a situation where I tell my folks that what I’m doing right now is only to put them in a position for them to be able to branch off. So it’s not really about the pressure, it’s about having that understanding with my people. So I can’t be around people that might help me get to a certain place in my career, but then are not responsible enough to manage that money. Be consistent and have a set goal for yourself, because you don’t want to just depend on me making these records all the time. Because at the end of the day, you don’t know what can happen! I can walk out of this building right now and it could all be over. Then what? That’s real. So it’s important to give your folks that understanding to where they know that it’s about much more than me just going out here and making money. Do something for yourself.
Dubcnn: I appreciate your time man. I know you’re tired after the show, I’m gonna let you go handle your thing. Any last words?
Kendrick: TDE. Top Dawg Entertainment. We’ve been pushing this line for years, almost ten years in L.A. and now the world is finally getting a piece of it. So stay tuned. HiiiPower!
