SHOW TRANSCRIPT
[MUSIC] What's going on? It's Kendrick Lamar, right here with Essence. You've got questions? I got answers. [MUSIC] Man, my creative process range from a lot of different things. Sometimes we may just go in the booth and freestyling a whole bunch of gibberish. Or, it can be just a whole creative process of me just vibing out with the band and actually jotting down lyrics. [MUSIC] If I wasn't an artist, what career would I have? Probably psychology. I think that got a lot to do with music anyway. In order to create these words and be able to relate to people's problems. [MUSIC] The moment I knew was the time, I heard my vocals played back but my boy Dave Free [UNKNOWN] I was like 16 but it was like that I wanted to continue to keep hearing it because I didn't think I sounded like that but it always intrigued me and the more and more I kept doing it the more and more I Cause I am we'll keep doing it. [MUSIC] I'd be lying if I said I did. You know, when you a kid, you don't really know what you doing; you just doing it for the love, for the passion of it. The first time I really seen that it was impacting, I made a young lady actually shed a tear over a record I did on my mixtape. Think it was Section 8. That's when I knew it was something serious, it was more than just beats and rhymes that some people can relate to. [MUSIC] It's important because there's a lot of kids that grew up the way I did. You know that scene, that feels like there's no way out. You know, we don't get a lot of celebrities and what not to come to the city and actually put their hand back in a city and say, you know what, you can do it too. So I felt like it's only right that I champion them, and let them know I'll always be behind them. Let them know I know the Sacrifices and the struggles they go through, and give them some type of inspiration. [MUSIC] The message to take away from To Piimp a Butterfly, if it was one word it would be leadership. That's what the album, that's one of the pieces of the album for me that's important. About my leadership and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with it. Being from Compton, it's hard to actually escape the ills of what I'm use to. Now, I can take my fame, my fortune and do this to the neighborhood, or I can do something positive and give back to the game. So, If anything, whatever situation you're in. Always go back to leadership and who you have behind you that actually looks up to you, actually a responsibility. [MUSIC] The main event was my trip to South Africa, Johannesburg, K Town, Durby, they're seeing the people out there and seeing their struggle, but also seeing the smiles that was on their faces. It just tripped me out a whole lot that these people are in poverty, but at the same time, the world that they consumed around, they made the best out of it. So I took their game back to the states, told it to my home boys, You know they dug it. Some probably didn't understand, but I still fed off them and went to the studio and put that experience on wax. [MUSIC] Yo what's popping y'all? It's Kendrick Lamar letting you know, make sure you come see me perform at Essence Fest. I will be there rocking out with y'all. Y'all stay tuned. Boom! [MUSIC]
