In the past few decades, many influential artists have entered the landscape of music, creating ripples in the industry and influencing many generations of artists to come. The 2010s, however, were blessed with the presence of an artist who many consider being the best lyricist and storyteller in modern music: Kendrick Lamar Duckworth. When asking any hip-hop fan who their favorite artists are, there is a good chance that Kendrick will be on their list. Time and time again, he has strengthened his impact on music due to his commercial success, his evolutionary discography, and the meaning and impact of his lyrics.

Kendrick Lamar’s music has shown to have incredible commercial success, breaking numerous records, topping multiple charts, and winning many awards. The most notable instance of recognition for Kendrick is when he won the Pulitzer Prize award for his 2017 record, DAMN.; Kendrick became the only hip-hop artist in the history of the genre to win this award. The fact that he got this much recognition in just a decade shows how many people he truly impacted in a short period of time. Not many artists have the ability or power for those kinds of achievements.

The number of awards that Kendrick has culminated over the past few years makes complete sense when looking at the extraordinary evolution of his discography. Throughout the five studio albums he has released over his career, each has had a unique theme or concept that explored Kendrick’s insight into the world around him and his conflicts. For example, “good kid, maad city” and “To Pimp a Butterfly” were very introspective and conscious bodies of work, touching on issues Kendrick faced externally. However, DAMN. and Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers saw him tackle his internal issues, diving deeply into the emotions he harbored towards the world and, more importantly, himself. His work provided awareness for issues many people didn’t have a voice for, and his more personal albums encouraged self-introspection and tackling one’s issues. Such artistic and personal growth, with only five albums, is nothing shorter than impeccable.

Of course, the message of these albums could not have been successful without their impactful lyrics. Kendrick’s introspection in “Section 80.” and “good kid, maad city” told the story of him growing up in Compton. It told the story of a kid indulging in dangerous habits and activities, leading to a troubled lifestyle that would have a profound impact on the course of his life. It resonated with many Compton natives, making Kendrick Lamar’s voice the one they needed. When “To Pimp a Butterfly” dropped in 2016, the black community was in significant turmoil. The album included the song, “Alright,” which was an optimistic anthem about the pride and persistence of black people against racism of any kind. This led to the song becoming an anthem for Black Lives Matter protests that year, with many crying out the lyrics “Do you hear me, do you feel me? We gon be alright!” Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers shocked many people when it dropped, as it was the most personal body of work he had released. On songs such as “Savior” and “Mirror”, he acknowledges that, no matter how much people try to elevate his status as an activist or a voice for their situation, he is still a human who needs to take care of himself. This reminded many Kendrick Lamar fans that self-love and care are crucial, no matter who you are.

There’s no doubt that Kendrick Lamar has used his artistic potential to the fullest. His commercial success and widespread recognition influenced a variety of artists who care just as much about their artistic statement as Kendrick. The flawless evolution of his discography has caused many to acknowledge his albums as some of the best rap albums of all time. His lyrical focus and message resonate with many people, regardless of their backgrounds. No matter what Kendrick Lamar song someone is listening to, they come out of it with a new, hopeful, thought-provoking perspective on life they may have never considered.

By Krish Gondhi