Thirteen years ago today, good kid, m.A.A.d city dropped — a cinematic masterpiece that turned a kid from Compton into one of the most important voices of his generation. But before the world crowned him, Kendrick Lamar already knew what time it was.

Back in 2012, he tweeted:

At the time, it sounded poetic. Now, it sounds prophetic. good kid, m.A.A.d city didn’t just define an era — it became the longest-charting original hip hop studio album in history, spending 677 weeks on the Billboard 200. Nearly 13 years later, it’s still there, sitting alongside his newer triumphs as proof that true art doesn’t expire.

I met Kendrick when he was still “K.Dot,” the quiet newcomer, long before the Pulitzer Prize, the Super Bowl Halftime Show, or his lyrical demolition of Drake this year. He appeared on BET’s late-night talk show Don’t Sleep with T.J. Holmes — humble, polite, almost shy. No entourage. No ego. Just a soft-spoken artist with the kind of quiet confidence that makes you lean in. I remember thinking, This guy is going to be one of the greatest.

And he is.

2024 reminded anyone who might’ve forgotten. His verse on “Like That” set off one of the most talked-about rap beefs in modern history, culminating in “Not Like Us” — a West Coast anthem so massive it became both a diss record and a victory lap. Then came his Pop Out concert at The Forum, a cultural earthquake that reunited L.A., squashed old beefs, and reminded everyone that Kendrick doesn’t just rap for the city — he is the city. The performance itself felt generational, like watching hip hop reclaim its spirit in real time.

Add that to a résumé that already includes:

• 17 Grammy Awards
• A Pulitzer Prize for DAMN. (the first for a hip hop album)
• Three classic albums (good kid, m.A.A.d city, To Pimp a Butterfly, DAMN.)
• An Oscar nomination
• A Coachella headlining set
• And one of the most critically acclaimed discographies in modern music

It’s safe to say — he meant every word of that 2012 tweet.

Kendrick has always written like a man aware of time — of history, legacy, and how fleeting greatness can be. When he said, “They’ll dig up this disc like rare artifacts,” he was archiving his own immortality. He’s not chasing charts anymore; the charts chase him.

Thirteen years later, the prophecy stands fulfilled. good kid, m.A.A.d city remains a relic of its time, yet it still sounds like tomorrow. And Kendrick Lamar? He’s not just living forever through his music — he’s redefining what forever sounds like.