Kendrick Lamar

"[Africa] just felt like a place where I belonged. It was as simple as that. You hear about the land and you hear untold truths about it, and now you’re old enough to witness it yourself. It just gave me a whole other perspective on where I’m from. What we’re doing in the city of Compton and how the world is just so much bigger than the city of Compton."

"What gives me an advantage in my upbringing is the duality of seeing one of the most beautiful moments of me being 6 years old, to the most tragic moment of being 13 or 14, and make that connection so the person [listening] can really see the conflict. It was a mindfuck, for sure. I would wake up one morning, and it would be cartoons and cereal and walking back from school. And at 4 P.M., we’d be having a house party ‘til 11 P.M. . .. and people [were] shooting each other outside the door. That was my lifestyle. And it’s not only mine; it’s so many other individuals.’ And I wanted to tell that story."

"So today I laid in my bed, stared at the ceilin' Closed my eyes, then asked myself how I was feelin' I analyzed on how a saint can play the villain Is my life coincidental or just God willin'?"

"My focus hold these thoughts and dreams Control this pen (look over your shoulder) Boldest lines in rhymes and things Devote my time and mind it seems Supposed to shine, remind I'm king Provoke the blind and bomb the fiends The pro's the con's, the diamond rings The forward time, but I'ma bring The soul divine and cross between What's your's and mine's, the gold, the green The roads that show just what it mean That grabbed Shakur and by the wing And fly before my vocal scream"

"This song's 'bout a young boy that's gone wild inside When my world collide With your world where your girl and your kids reside We killed the facades, we feel free to fly We're birds that reserve in the charismatic sky I care about my pride too much If my clothes is new, if my ride is plush If my hair is cut, if my diamonds is crushed I look in the mirror, I'm trendy enough? Wrong"

"Lord forgive me Kill him where he stand and stand over him, shake his hand Then jump back in that mini van, double back to his block and blam I ain't backing down for nothing I'ma back em down like Shaq with this black 2-2-3 in my hand Better pray that this chopper jam like a radio single, man Police radio signals sayin' that a 187 land on your corner Coroners comfort your mama "Mama he's dead," the next morning I toasted up with my homies We drink and smoke marijuana, want us to change our ways? Uh-huh You see this game we play come from uncles that raised me in Compton Ask me what I have accomplished I don't know I don't have conscience I just load up and start dumpin' on enemies; I'm head hunting No sympathy, ain't no love when you in these streets just get something Protect ya neck cuz they comin' for sets, respect, split your onion Then chop your deck your head tumblin' like gymnastics Cause ignorance is bliss"

"I'm not on the outside looking in, I'm not on the inside looking out I'm in the dead fucking centre looking around You ever seen a newborn baby kill a grown man? That's an analogy for the way the world make me react My innocence been dead So the next time I talk about money, hoes, clothes, God and history All in the same sentence Just know I meant it, and you felt it Cause you too are searching for answers I'm not the next pop star, I'm not the next socially aware rapper I am a human motherfucking being"

"If I told you that a flower bloomed in a dark room, would you trust it? I mean I write poems in these songs dedicated to you When you're in the mood for empathy, there's blood in my pen Better yet where your friends and them?"

"I woke up this morning and figured I'd call you In case I'm not here tomorrow, I'm hoping that I can borrow A peace of mind, I'm behind on what's really important My mind is really distorted, I find nothing but trouble in my life I'm fortunate you believe in a dream This orphanage we call a ghetto is quite a routine And last night was just another distraction or a reaction Of what we consider madness, I know exactly what happened You ran outside when you heard my brother cry for help Held him like a newborn baby and made him feel Like everything was alright and a fight he tried to put up But the type of bullet that stuck had went against his will As blood spilled on your hands, my plans rather vindictive Everybody's a victim in my eyes When I ride, it's a murderous rhythm and outside became pitch black A demon glued to my back whispering, "Get 'em" I got 'em, and I ain't give a fuck That same mentality that told my brother not to duck In actuality, it's a trip how we trip off of colors I wonder if I'll ever discover a passion like you and recover The life that I knew as a young'n in pajamas and dun-ta-duns When thunder comes it rains cats and dogs"

"The caterpillar is a prisoner to the streets that conceived it Its only job is to eat or consume everything Around it, in order to protect itself from this mad city While consuming its environment the Caterpillar begins to notice ways to survive One thing it noticed is how much the World shuns him, but praises the butterfly The butterfly represents the talent, The thoughtfulness, and the beauty within the caterpillar But having a harsh outlook on life the caterpillar sees the Butterfly as weak and figures out A way to pimp it to his own benefits Already surrounded by this mad city the caterpillar Goes to work on the cocoon which institutionalizes him He can no longer see past his own thoughts He's trapped When trapped inside these walls certain ideas take roots, Such as going home, and bringing back new concepts to this mad city The result? Wings begin to emerge, breaking the cycle of feeling stagnant Finally free, the butterfly sheds light on situations that The caterpillar never considered, ending the internal struggle Although the butterfly and caterpillar are Completely different, they are one and the same."

"Where was your presence, where was your support that you pretend? You ain't no brother, you ain't no disciple, you ain't no friend A friend never leave Compton for profit or leave his best friend Little brother, you promised you'd watch him before they shot him Where was your antennas, on the road, bottles and bitches You faced time the one time, that's unforgiven You even FaceTimed instead of a hospital visit You thought he would recover, well The surgery couldn't stop the bleeding for real Then he died, God himself will say "you fuckin' failed" You ain't try"

"I remembered you was conflicted Misusing your influence, sometimes I did the same Abusing my power full of resentment Resentment that turned into a deep depression Found myself screamin' in the hotel room I didn't wanna self destruct, the evils of Lucy was all around me So I went runnin' for answers"

"I'm sick and tired of being tired I can't pick a side, the Gemini Prophesize if we living, I Promise momma not to feel no lie Seen black turn 'em Burgundy Hundred of them, I know I'm greedy Stuck inside the belly of the beast Can you please pray for me? Get God on the phone Said it won't be long"

"A piece of mine's That's what the white man wanted when I rhyme Telling me that he selling me just for $10.99 If I go platinum from rapping, I do the company fine What if I compromise? He said, it don't even matter You make a million or more, you living better than average You losing your core following, gaining it all He put a price on my talent, I hit the bank and withdraw Hit the bank and withdraw, hit the bank and withdraw Put myself in the rocket ship and I shot for the stars Look at what you accomplishing, what he said to the boy I'ma make you some promises that you just can't ignore Your profession anonymous as an artist if I don't target your market If you ain't signing your signature when I throw you my wallet A lot of rappers are giving their demo all in the toilet Your world tour, your master's, mortgage, I need a piece"

"Now, in a perfect world, I probably won't be insensitive Cold as December, but never remember what winter did I wouldn't blame you for mistakes I made or the bed I laid Seems like I point the finger just to make a point, nowadays Smiles and cold stares, the temperature goes there Indigenous dispossession, feel like we belong here I know the walls, they can listen, I wish they could talk back The hurt becomes repetition, the love almost lost that Sick venom in men and women overcome with pride A perfect world is never perfect, only filled with lies Promises are broken and more resentment come alive Race barriers make inferior of you and I See, in a perfect world, I'll choose faith over riches I'll choose work over bitches, I'll make schools out of prison I'll take all the religions and put 'em all in one service Just to tell 'em we ain't shit, but He's been perfect, world"

"Hail Mary, Jesus and Joseph The great American flag Is wrapped and dragged with explosives Compulsive disorder, sons and daughters Barricaded blocks and borders Look what you taught us It's murder on my street, your street, back streets Wall Street, corporate offices, banks Employees and bosses with homicidal thoughts Donald Trump's in office, we lost Barack And promised to never doubt him again But is America honest or do we bask in sin? Pass the gin, I mix it with American blood Then bash him in, you crippin' or you married to blood? I'll ask again—oops—accident It's nasty when you set us up Then roll the dice, then bet us up You overnight the big rifles, then tell Fox to be scared of us Gang members or terrorists, et cetera, et cetera America’s a reflection of me That's what a mirror does"

"I fight the world, I fight you, I fight myself I fight God, just tell me how many burdens left I fight pain and hurricanes, today I wept I'm tryna fight back tears, flood on my doorsteps Life a livin' hell, puddles of blood in the streets Shooters on top of the building, government aid ain't relief Earthquake, the body dropped, the ground breaks The poor run with smoke lungs and Scarface"

"Sorry I didn't save the world, my friend I was too busy buildin' mine again I choose me, I'm sorry"

"What's fair when the hearts and the words don't reach? What's fair when the money don't take things back? It's rare when somebody take your dreams back? (And I'm trippin' and fallin') I care too much, wanna share too much In my head too much, I shut down too I ain't there too much, I'm a complex soul They layered me up, then broke me down And moralities dust, I lack in trust (and I'm trippin' and fallin')"

"Beat your ass and hide the bible if God watching"

"Kendrick Lamar understands and employs blues, jazz, and soul in his music, which makes it startling. His work is more than merely brilliant; it is magic."

"I’m just saying. I think Drake is an outstanding entertainer, but Kendrick—his lyrics, his last album was outstanding. Best album, I think, of last year."