Transcript: Kendrick Lamar Interview Before Section 80
Kendrick Lamar: Growing up in Compton, it's real, I would like to say, the one word to describe it is, or not to describe it, it's real unpredictable, period. You know, because you never know what type of mischief you're going to get yourself into. You know, you might be going to the liquor store and then that's your life right there. So you got to really watch your ways and watch your steps and how to move and watch the people you hang around. You know, so it's basically about being aware of everything that's around you.
100% because I tend to put, of course, put Compton in my music a lot. What it basically did, it gave me a balance of what type of music I want to do. You know what I'm saying? I had the worst times and the bad times growing up in the city. My worst time is being out in the streets and hanging with my homies and getting into shit. The best times is me actually having a family around me. So what it did was give me balance. So when I go about my music, I'm giving you best of both worlds. I'm giving you something that everybody can relate to. It's not just one-sided where it's all negative.
Well, I felt like it was a time for the world to know me as a person rather than just a person that can rap 100 bars at a time. I felt like it was time for people to hear my music and my life combined together the same way Pac and Biggie did it, Jay-Z did it. That's why I make the drastic change in people being receptive to it, so I'm going to keep pushing with it. It's real life.
I've been with Top Dog Entertainment since I was 16. They basically developed me to where I'm at today. They locked me in a booth and made me study my craft. Not that I want to do it, but they just gave me the extra push, you know. And they're like family to me, I think. It's a team of about 20 cats and they're all brothers to me, you know. And my relationship with Snoop and Dr. Dre, other than them being legends, is basically just mentors. I mean, as far as the music business and in life in general, you know, off the record, they sent me down and tell me steps that they made wrong and things to do and what not to do, not only in this business, but just when you're living. And as a 23 year old kid trying to make some matches up.
I like the fact that everybody's their own individual now. I see people less being confined to what the next man is doing and actually trying to stab themselves as their own entity as an artist. As far as the politics, I still don't like it because still people out there are trying to maneuver certain artists to the other artist.
I think a lot of people just really can't classify my music. I think it's in the space where I like to use the word relate a lot because a lot of artists say they do that but only a few really can embody that and really sit with the people. You know what I'm saying? I think the key to everything is a solid relationship with you and your people that support you is to always make them feel like they're a part of you and make you feel like you going through the same situation they're going through. You made this exactly for them. And it got to be genuine too. It can't be made up because they'll see right through that. So when I talk about these certain things that I experience, it's 100% real. As far as the next artist that's probably reaching to do that or can't do that at all.
Section 80, what you're going to expect is me not straying away to my original sound of making music that surrounds my life and the people, you know. But just making it on a scale times ten. You get what I'm saying? I just basically want to focus it around my generation. That's the hint I can give for the concept. And yeah, that's it, man.
I really don't have a favorite color of the brand. I'm not really into the super big names because I feel like I can look good in whatever I put on. It's not on me, it's in me.
My favorite airport would have to be the airport that nobody really goes to, like some local shit, like, I don't know, Arizona or something. I don't like the big airports. You know what I'm saying? Because that's when I get all the hats, like the most hats. New York, LAX, Atlanta, all that shit. There's been times where I actually have my ID and they want to keep looking at it for five minutes just because they think it's not me. Some wild, stupid shit like that. Crazy shit on tour is people just, I don't know, sneaking through the rooftop to get in the backstage.
Y'all probably like the most humble, genuine people. Y'all really humble, man. I really appreciate y'all. I knew as soon as I touched down y'all had this type of energy because it was a vibe that I felt like, a vibe of we welcome you as one of us, you know what I'm saying? So it was dope, man. Just continue to put out good music, you know what I mean?
One thing I had to learn, what I didn't understand was the key word to all that for success for that, if you can understand timing. Timing is everything. Me and my dude was talking about this earlier. We was so thirsty and hungry to get on when I was like 18. You know what I'm saying? Like hungry. Like feeling like, damn, we should be on now. Let's say if I did get a big hit record when I was 18. And I didn't build my stuff, my music organically like I'm doing now. I got that big hit record and I wasn't able to make another one. You know what's going to happen? I wouldn't be 23 years old right now in Toronto. I'd be long gone trying to scratch my way back up to the surface because I already had my shot and I lost it. Once you get that shot, you got to go 100%. And it's about time. You get that roadblock, just know everybody gets their chance. You just got to hurry up and make sure that you got your focus 100%.
It was just getting tired and being stirred about people always, you know what I mean, putting this stigma on the way we was raised, on our generation. We're ignorant. We don't listen to nobody. We don't know nothing. We're wild. And our actions prove that. But my argument is, we're not born that way. You know what I'm saying? It's just the surroundings that be. And the people that's trying to preach the good to us, they're not setting the best example because they have to come to a medium where it doesn't sound like they're riding us all the time. You know what I'm saying? It got to come to a point where, okay, I understand what you're going through. Like a big brother, like a mentor so that you can actually relate. I understand what you're going through and this is how you go about it. Instead of just pounding in our heads that all you're going to do is go to jail and do this and do that. You know what I'm saying? So that's what really make me want to make the type of music I make. Just to get an understanding. Get an older generation understanding to where we come from. Once we hit 16, 17, nobody understand. Our hormones are changing. We feel in a certain way. Nobody really understand that shit. So when I go back to these high schools, I get nothing but love from them because I talk for them.
To all the people that support me, just know Section 80 is coming. You won't be disappointed. I used to say it's me times 10 from the Kendrick Lamar OD. Section 80 is you times 10. You think I'm saying? So be on the lookout for that, man. I really put my work and my ethics in it. Inspiring artists, keep pushing. But don't push if you don't got the passion for it because you hurt people like me and other artists, J. Cole, Wiz, Currency, that really have a passion for it. You know what I'm saying? So if you're doing it, do it for the love first, man. Because you ain't going to go nowhere chasing the dollar. It's all about timing.
Event Date: June 2011
