in his low-key-slash-philosophical way, that Swift -- who has called his track "Backseat Freestyle" her personal theme song -- wishes the two were besties. "I thought she just liked the song. That's a beautiful thing, Taylor Swift enjoying that song and knowing the words."
Kendrick Lamar Interview on New Album, Police Violence, Iggy Azalea and the Rapture | Billboard
that" -- then naps for another hour or two. If he doesn't have other obligations, he passes his afternoon listening to music (recently, Marvin Gaye and Rick James) and jotting down ideas for lyrics. Throughout the day, he snacks on Fruity Pebbles, and around 9 p.m., departs for the studio, to work until sunrise: "The vampires are already there, waiting for the ideas," he says.
Kendrick Lamar Interview on New Album, Police Violence, Iggy Azalea and the Rapture | Billboard
a.m. workout -- "sprints and jogging, penitentiary push-ups, things like that" -- then naps for another hour or two. If he doesn't have other obligations, he passes his afternoon listening to music (recently, Marvin Gaye and Rick James) and jotting down ideas for lyrics. Throughout the day, he snacks on Fruity Pebbles, and around 9 p.m., departs for the studio, to work until sunrise: "The vampires are already there,
Kendrick Lamar Interview on New Album, Police Violence, Iggy Azalea and the Rapture | Billboard
Even Kendrick’s music video for “i” drew inspiration from Ernie Barnes‘ Sugar Shack, which was used as the album cover for Marvin Gaye’s 1976 album I Want You:
I think the first time I played “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” for Andre 3000 was before it came out. I never share my album while I’m creating. I think that the situation with Andre was one of those things where he was in the studio with Dre and Dre was like, “Play some stuff .”
Kendrick Lamar – Writer At War: Kendrick Lamar’s XXL Cover Story
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things or think too much. So when you’re put into a space where you feel like you can’t necessarily trust your close ones, that can do some whole other crazy thing to you psychologically. Seriously. All you got is you and God at the end of the day.
Writer At War: Kendrick Lamar's XXL Cover Story - XXL
much of a depression it can make for you. How much of a depression it could put you in knowing that so many kids hang on to your words. I can’t make a song like “i” without being in that dark place. “i” comes from going overseas, going to New York, being in L.A. and hearing kids saying, “Kendrick, I was gonna kill myself last week. Section.80, good kid, m.A.A.d city saved my life.” Or “I was gonna kill myself tonight until I came to your show.”
Writer At War: Kendrick Lamar's XXL Cover Story - XXL
From 13 years old to the time I was 21, I was in a mode of mastering how to be a rapper. Like a rapper’s rapper, using my tongue as a sword, a fuckin’ barbarian. That’s all it was about, slaying words. So when I turned 21, 22, somewhere around there, I got into a mode where it became more of a writer aspect for me rather than just being a rapper ’cause this
Writer At War: Kendrick Lamar's XXL Cover Story - XXL
I think the first time I played “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” for Andre 3000 was before it came out. I never share my album while I’m creating. I think that the situation with Andre was one of those things where he was in the studio with Dre and Dre was like, “Play some stuff .” I can’t say no to Dr. Dre. But me creating music, I never really play music for anybody, even people inside the camp because it can almost sway your creative process 100 percent. So along with that,
Writer At War: Kendrick Lamar's XXL Cover Story - XXL
scars from when they tried to take their lives but failed. Or I look into their eyes and their pupils are dilated and they on all these types of meds and drugs, it’s a whole different story to me. That’s when I learned that while I’m making music for myself, drawing from my own experiences and conflictions and battles within myself, this teenager listens to every word I say. And that’s spooky.
Writer At War: Kendrick Lamar's XXL Cover Story - XXL
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