Kendrick Lamar

Tupac Shakur , The Notorious B.I.G. , Eminem , Jay Z , and Nas. are his 5 favorite artists.

His mother gave him the name "Kendrick" in honor of singer Eddie Kendricks.

His third album "To Pimp A Butterfly" is the highest rated rap album in Metacritic and the 4th highest ranked album of all time with a score of 96/100.

Rapper with record for most Grammy nominations in one night (11) and second only to Michael Jackson for most Grammy nominations for any artist in one night.

To Pimp a Butterfly is a play on To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

To Pimp a Butterfly is considered the best album of 2015. It appears at #1 by 51 publications and is in the top 10 of 50 other publications year end lists.

Leonardo DiCaprio said he thinks Kendrick is "great".

Was on the set of Dr. Dre and Tupacs "California Love" music video at age 9.

Friends with Lil Kim.

Earns $250,000 per song feature, but is known to be one of the most frugal celebrities in Hollywood.

Bought his younger sister Kayla a Toyota for her graduation present but oddly, people criticized him for it not being luxurious enough for someone of his financial status.

Banned social media use and other people who arent in his circle to be in the studio with him because while recording his first album people kept interrupting.

His song "Fear" tells the story of his life at ages 7, 17, and 27, and clocks in at 7 minutes long.

Groups break up because they never got across what they wanted to do,personally, and they have creative differences, and egos start to,clash.

Sonnymoon and Quadrants are a couple of bands that really inspire me in,terms of the melodics of things and certain tones and just what feels,good. It takes me back to the type of music that I grew up on in my,household. We played a lot of gangsta rap, but we also played a lot of,oldies, and I think that mix is part of what inspires my sound.

I knew I was blessed with a gift of having both parents.

At first, I was scared to show fear because you can never be sure how,people will perceive you. But I dared myself to do that, to stand out.

I always tell people that if I move anywhere it would be Toronto.

I think my vice would be outdoing myself.

I learned, when I look in the mirror and tell my story, that I should be,myself and not peep whatever everybody is doing.

I like to let things breathe.

God to me is love.

My whole thing is to inspire, to better people, to better myself forever,in this thing that we call rap, this thing that we call hip hop.

From the moment I started writing raps, I was always aware of the,pressure. I always wanted to live up to how huge Snoop got, how huge,Dre got, how huge Pac got. I was always aware.

I had to come from something, come from a place that was negative and,positive but the majority of it is a negative place.

My pops and my mom started playing Marvin Gaye and the Isley Brothers,and all these people, but at the same time, they always had Snoop on,right behind it in the same mix.

Sonnymoon and Quadrants are a couple of bands that really inspire me in terms of the melodics of things and certain tones and just what feels good. It takes me back to the type of music that I grew up on in my household. We played a lot of gangsta rap, but we also played a lot of oldies, and I think that mix is part of what inspires my sound.

Since day one, since the first time I touched the pen, I wanted to be the best at what I do.

People have to go through trials and tribulations to get where they at. Do your thing - continue to rock it - because obviously, God wants you here.

I had to come from something, come from a place that was negative and positive but the majority of it is a negative place.