FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Music

Kendrick Lamar Gives Revealing Interview: "If I Still Feel Like That, Then I'm Part of the Problem"

"I can't change the world until I change myself first."

Photo courtesy of Kendrick Lamar

There's no other way we can tell you that Kendrick Lamar was a very significant part of culture in the year 2015. He already made the album of the year. We named him one of our Artists of the Year. And now, to cap off the year that was To Pimp a Butterfly, he's sat down with NPR's David Greene for a revealing conversation about where he and his music come from. You should listen to the whole thing below, but here's a choice quote:

"The message I'm sending to myself — I can't change the world until I change myself first. For instance, when Chad was killed, I can't disregard the emotion of me relapsing and feeling the same anger that I felt when I was 16, 17 — when I wanted the next family to hurt, because you made my family hurt. Them emotions were still running in me, thinking about him being slain like that. Whether I'm a rap star or not, if I still feel like that, then I'm part of the problem rather than the solution."

And then another one about why he screams inside of the hotel room:

"What was the feeling? The feeling was missing home. The feeling was, I should be with my family right now when they're going through hardships, with the loss of my dear friends that's constantly passing while I'm out on this road. The feeling was, 'How am I influencing so many people on this stage rather than influencing the ones that I have back home?' That's the feeling: being inside the hotel room, and these thoughts I'm just pondering back and forth while I look at the ceiling all night."

Listen below, and head over to NPR to read the full story.