Some people say that Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 needs to be studied. Temple University decided to take it a step further and offer a course about his entire legacy and music career. The “Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of M.A.A.D City” class is set to launch in fall 2025, taught by Timothy Welbeck, an assistant professor in the Department of Africology and African American Studies. The curriculum will examine the impact of the Grammy Award-winning rapper on Black culture, identity, and resistance.

The class takes an Africalogical approach, examining Lamar’s life through an Afrocentric lens while exploring the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of his hometown, Compton, California, and the urban policies that inspired the stories in his music. The course will also break down his discography, examining how the evolution of West Coast hip-hop and narrative-driven rap influenced his sound and style.

Welbeck is well-versed on this topic. He previously taught a course called “Hip Hop and Black Culture” and is also a practicing lawyer and hip-hop artist. “Kendrick Lamar is one of the leading voices of his generation and has a keen ability to articulate various dynamics of Black life and the quest towards self-actualization, and particularly also capturing the narrative of marginalization and rising from that,” said Welbeck.

After completing the course, he hopes students will leave with a deeper understanding of Kendrick's artistry and hip-hop as a whole. The class will also feature lectures from industry professionals who have worked with Kendrick, providing students with real-world insight into his career and the inner workings of the music industry.

As the announcement was made, Kendrick is still on the road for his “Grand National Tour” with SZA, bringing the GNX album to life one stage at a time.