Compton up-and-comer speaks about his new album's impact, Wu-Tang's influence and his project with J. Cole.
With a star-making cameo on Drake's Take Care, which debuted at No. 1 this week, Kendrick Lamar keeps hitting new highs. Currently on tour to support his latest album, Section.80, the Compton MC sat down recently with 90.5 FM KSJS in San Jose, California, to talk about his bubbling career, his influences and a rumored album with J. Cole.
"These cities I've been going to, everybody been real receptive to it," Kendrick said of his music. "All the people in high school, when I go back in these schools today, they look at me like I'm a savior of music—of our generation's music. That makes me feel like, 'Mission accomplished.'"
One of the highlights of Section.80 is "Ronald Reagan Era," which features Wu-Tang Clan Svengali RZA. Kendrick revealed that the Wu was a major influence on his own music and career. "Just that raw element of Hip Hop, you know?" he said of the Staten Island crew's impact. "To do what I want to do, and to have my own voice. That was a group of individuals that had an individual sound. Nobody sounded like each other, and everybody went for self and did what they wanted to do. And that's hip hop. Being yourself and expressing yourself."
Kendrick also confirmed the rumors about his album with Roc Nation rapper J. Cole. "We got the music," he said. "We just gotta find and situate ourselves and sit down, because he got an album out. Great album...and he's touring off it. I put Section.80 out, and I'm touring off of that. It's just about sitting down and actually composing all the music we've got together."
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(Photo: Roger Kisby/Getty Images)
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