Kendrick Lamar is arguably the most distinguished lyricist of his generation. As the first rapper to receive a Pulitzer Prize, the Compton artist has exceeded expectations by producing work rich in meaning. Critics have quickly drawn comparisons, particularly noting his connection to 2Pac, a lineage he has acknowledged and embraced. However, another interesting comparison has emerged—one with Bob Dylan.
Pharrell was the one who drew this comparison. During Kendrick's rise to fame, the versatile songwriter and producer likened him to the legendary body of work of Bob Dylan.
"Kendrick Lamar is this era’s Bob Dylan," Pharrell remarked in 2013. "His storytelling is masterful. Listen to it. It will uplift you. Just like that, music has transformed."
Subsequently, Kendrick Lamar participated in an interview with Arsenio Hall, who naturally asked him about this observation.
"That was incredible. I’ve always said, 'If I’m going to do this, I’m going to say something. I’m not going to just rap a bunch of verses.' That was Dylan. He’s an icon who spoke out, and the world responded. I want to achieve that with my music."
More than ten years later, the acclaim continues to pour in. As a preview for his Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show this weekend, Kendrick Lamar engaged in a detailed conversation with Timothée Chalamet, during which they also performed ‘The Heart Pt. 2’ and ‘K*sh & Corinthians’ together.
Of course, Timothée Chalamet is also promoting his own project—he stars as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown.
Kendrick Lamar's Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show is scheduled for February 9th.
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Kendrick Lamar is arguably the most recognized lyricist of his time. He is the first rap artist to receive a Pulitzer Prize, and the Compton native has broken through
