As a young kid, I wasn’t exposed to many genres of music. The only melodies that were able to reach my ear were from my old plug-in radio that only played kid friendly music such as Radio Disney. So one can only imagine how awful my taste in music was…although I don’t think you would want to (yes, I was a belieber). When I began middle school, I was not only exposed to awkward prepubescent boys who didn’t know what deodorant was, but I discovered a multitude of genres that were hidden from me my entire life. If you asked me to describe what rock was at the ripe age of eleven, I would have told you that rock is a group of middle-aged men who have spiked hair and wear foolish makeup (sorry KISS). What I soon learned was that Rock developed into many different styles such as classic rock, alternative rock, or even southern rock. As I have grown to love a wide variety of artists, I have also learned to appreciate and view music as an art.
Unless you live under a rock, you probably know who Kendrick Lamar is. He recently made history by being the first non-jazz or classical artist to take home a Pulitzer Prize this 2018. According to TheFader.com, Kendrick pulled in an increase of 236% in sales after the prize was announced as well as a 25% streaming increase. These are extremely impressing number, although this is no surprise to me and to many other fans. Lamar doesn’t rap just to rap, he raps towards a greater purpose. With his intricate word play and his brilliant use of vocal effects, he attracts many ranges of people, young or old. Kendrick never fails to amaze me with every project he comes out with. From his sophomore album good kid, m.A.A.d city, to his fourth album DAMN, he allows us to follow his past struggles he faced while growing up in the notorious city of Compton, California, to his current struggles that he faces as a thriving artist in the industry. Even If you aren’t a huge fan of rap, I highly encourage you to give him a listen.
lets take a listen 