June 17, 1987
Compton, California, USA
Whitney Alford (2015-present)
$75 million.
Kendrick Lamar is African American.
Kendrick Lamar’s parents moved to Compton from Chicago with hopes to escape the latter’s gang culture, bringing Lamar into the world on June 17, 1987 in California as a result.
Lamar’s father was rumored to be a former member of street gang Gangster Disciples, and his mother allegedly named him after the American singer Eddie Kendricks from The Temptations.
Lamar was awarded the Best Male Hip Hop Artist award at the BET Awards (2015), Best Rap Song at the Grammy Awards in 2015 and 2016, and Best Rap Performance at the Grammy Awards in 2015, 2016 and 2018.
For his 2022 release Mr. Moraleand the Big Steppers, Kendrick won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album,
American Music Award for Favorite hip-hop album, and
BET Hip Hop Award for Best Album of the Year 2022.
Lamar is additionally the first non-classical or jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize for DAMN. in 2018.
Lamar has amassed over $78.5 million since 2012. His current net worth is estimated to be $45 million, and Forbes listed him as the 6th richest rapper in 2017 only falling behind by Chance The Rapper, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Drake and Diddy.
While rapping under the name of K-Dot, his mixtapes brought him to the attention of rapper, record producer and entrepreneur Dr Dre.
After releasing his debut album good kid, m.A.A.d City in 2012 to great acclaim, Lamar’s career took off and was followed successfully with To Pimp a Butterfly in 2015 and DAMN. in 2017.
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is born in Compton, California on June 17.
Kendrick Lamar adopts the alias K-Dot and releases his first mixtape, Youngest Head Nigga in Charge.
Kendrick Lamar signs a deal with Top Dawg Entertainment in Carson, California.
Kendrick Lamar meets Jay-Z and signs with Def Jam Recordings for a brief period.
Kendrick Lamar releases his second mixtape, Training Day, under K-Dot.
Kendrick Lamar drops the pseudonym K-Dot and releases the Kendrick Lamar EP.
Kendrick Lamar releases his debut independent album, Section.80.
Kendrick Lamar is crowned “The New King of the West Coast” by Snoop Dogg, the Game and Dr. Dre.
Kendrick Lamar releases his major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, selling 242,000 copies in the first week, getting certified as platinum and receiving four Grammy nominations.
Kendrick Lamar raps on Big Sean’s single “Control,” and calls out several rappers by name, prompting countless responses and diss tracks from artists around the world.
After not winning at the 2014 Grammys, Lamar celebrates receiving two Grammys for ‘i’; Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance.
Kendrick Lamar’s third album To Pimp A Butterfly breaks Spotify’s global first-day streaming record.
Kendrick Lamar is nominated for 11 Grammys including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Music Video and Best Rap Album.
Kendrick Lamar wins five Grammys, including Best Rap Song and Best Rap Album.
Lamar drops DAMN., featuring the single “Humble” that becomes Lamar’s first number one single to hit the US Billboard Hot 100.
Lamar produces and curates the soundtrack for Black Panther, and includes songs in which Lamar collaborates with Jay Rock, SZA, Future and James Blake
DAMN. wins the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for music, becoming the first non-jazz and non-classical musician to do so.
Lamar makes his acting debut as a Dominican drug addict named Laces in the drama Power.
Kendrick launched a project in 2020: his “at-service company” pgLang. The company, a collaboration with former TDE exec Dave Free, has since proven to be a label–slash–production house.
After announcing the release of his much awaited new album, Kendrick appeared on Baby Keem’s single “Family Ties,” marking his first single release in three years, and won Best Rap Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
On November 12, Lamar made his comeback performance by headlining the first night of Day N Vegas.
On February 13, 2022, Lamar headlined the Super Bowl LVI halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent and Mary J. Blige.
Lamar’s fifth and much-awaited studio album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, was released on May 13.
In June, he performed at Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Spring/Summer 2023 show, in honor of their late artistic director Virgil Abloh, inside the Louvre during Paris Fashion Week.
And later he also headlined the final night of the Glastonbury Festival.
Busy year!