Therese M. Shea - Kendrick Lamar: Storyteller of Compton

Published in 2020 by Enslow Publishing, LLC. 101 W. 23rd Street, Suite 240, New York, NY 10011 Copyright 2020 by Enslow Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Shea, Therese M., author.

Title: Kendrick Lamar: storyteller of Compton / Therese M. Shea. Description: New York: Enslow Publishing, 2020. | Series: Stars of hip-hop | Audience: Grade 2.| Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2018044063| ISBN 9781978509597 (library bound) | ISBN 9781978510289 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781978510302 (6 pack) Subjects: LCSH: Lamar, Kendrick, 1987Juvenile literature. | Rap musicians United StatesBiographyJuvenile literature.

Classification: LCC ML3930.L136 S55 2020 | DDC 782.421649092 [B] dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018044063 Printed in the United States of America To Our Readers: We have done our best to make sure all websites in this book were active and appropriate when we went to press. However, the author and the publisher have no control over and assume no liability for the material available on those websites or on any websites they may link to. Any comments or suggestions can be sent by email to . Photo Credits: Cover, p. Emma McIntyre/Getty Images. CONTENTS A KID IN COMPTON K endrick Lamar Duckworth is better known as the rapper Kendrick Lamar.

He was born June 17, 1987, in Compton, California. He tells powerful stories about Compton and his life through his music. Many think hes one of the greatest living rappers. Kendricks parents moved to Compton from Chicago, Illinois. They were trying to escape the gangs there. However, Compton has gangs, too.

His parents tried to keep him away from the fighting. They kept him busy with activities. He loved to play basketball with his friends. But Kendrick was always watching the people around him. Kendrick Lamar attends the MTV Video Music Awards on August 27, 2017. A TALENTED WRITER Kendrick was a good student.

School was pretty fun for me, he said. His parents and teachers encouraged him. He was good at writing. He even read the dictionary. He learned in English class that he had a gift for writing. A teacher got him into poetry in seventh grade.

He used what he learned to write rap Early Influences Young Kendrick listened to rappers such as Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z. He also saw Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur shoot a music video. It sparked something, he said. I always kept thinking about that moment. Kendrick Lamars mother, Paula Oliver, attends the 2016 BET Awards.

She supported her sons dreams. Many of Kendricks friends were in gangs. He almost joined a gang, too. Thats when I knew something else had to happen, he said. Kendricks music saved him. GETTING A RECORD DEAL By sixteen years old, Kendrick was using the rap name K.Dot.

He had been rapping for eight years. In 2003, he put out a of his music. It was called Y.H.N.I.C. Anthony Tiffith ( left ) and Kendrick Lamar hang out at a basketball game in Los Angeles, California, in 2015. Tiffith offered Kendrick a record deal. Thats when I knew something else had to happen. INTO THE INDUSTRY W orking with a record label helped Kendrick Lamar.

In 2005, he a mixtape called Training Day. He performed with the rapper The Game. Lamar also worked with Lil Wayne. Lamar released a mixtape called C4 in 2009. That same year, Lamar became part of the rap group Black Hippy. Lamar dropped the name K.Dot. He started rapping as Kendrick Lamar.

His friends still call him Dot. Kendrick Lamar and The Game ( right ) perform together in 2015. The album called The Kendrick Lamar EP came out in 2009. It was his first album with a record label. DESTINED FOR GREATNESS In 2010, Kendrick Lamar put out a mixtape called Overly Dedicated. Dr. Dre Dr. Dre Dr.

Dres real name is Andr Romelle Young. He was one of the first people to do gangsta rap. This is a style that talks about street life. In 1986, he started the group N.W.A. He later became a producer. Dr.

Dre said, You just knew this guy was Dr. Dre asked Lamar to work with his record label, Aftermath. They worked together on Lamars next album. EDUCATING BY ENTERTAINING With Dr. Dres help, Kendrick Lamar released the album good kid, m.A.A.d city in 2012. Lamar was the good kid. Dr.

Dre ( left ) and Lamar pose at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony in 2016. Jay-Z ( left ), Pharrell Williams ( right ), and Kendrick Lamar attend the Grammy Awards in 2014. Compton was the mad city. Lamar told more stories about Compton through his songs. He rapped about people, places, and events. He told the story of watching someone get shot.

He had really seen this happen. Lamar also spoke about the bad effects of drugs. Pharrell Williams was a producer on the album. He loved that Lamar could teach through music. Lamar was just describing his life growing up. People loved the album.

It has sold more than 1.7 million copies. THE GOOD KID GETS BETTER K endrick Lamar went on tour in 2013. He traveled around the world. He went to more than fifty cities. He performed on TV shows such as Saturday Night Live. A short movie called good kid, m.A.A.d city was made.

It was based on the album. WRITING IT ALL DOWN Lamar began to keep a diary. He said, I didnt want to forget how I was feeling when my album dropped, or when I went He filled several notebooks with his writings and drawings. He said these ideas made writing lyrics easy. His notebooks helped him with his next album. Lamar waves to the audience in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the 2012 Under the Influence of Music tour.

GOING BACK HOME Lamar worried fame would change him. He said, The best thing I did was go back to the city of Compton. He got to see the people he grew up with. He told them about his experiences around the world. They literally cried tears of joy when they listened to it. Lamars neighbors loved how he told their stories through his music.

He said, They literally cried tears of joy when they listened to it. Some people thought his neighbors were all drug dealers or killers. Lamars music showed them as real people. The people of Compton had struggles and dreams, too. Lamar wants his music to be about truth. Lamar is honored with the key to his hometown of Compton in 2016.