Claremont Showground

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, born June 17, 1987, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is associated with West Coast hip-hop and is known for lyrics that include political criticism and social commentary related to African-American culture. Lamar began releasing music under the stage name K.Dot during high school and signed with Top Dawg Entertainment in 2005. He co-founded the hip hop group Black Hippy. His debut album, Section.80, was released as an alternative rap record and led to a joint contract with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Lamar gained widespread recognition with his second album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (2012), which was noted for its commercial success and concept album structure. In 2018, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first musician outside classical and jazz genres to do so. Lamar has been described as one of the greatest rappers of all time.