“It was something that just accumulated”: Dorian Lynskey, “Kendrick Lamar: ‘I am Trayvon Martin. I’m All of These Kids,’ ” The Guardian, June 21, 2015, https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/21/kendrick-lamar-interview-to-pimp-a-butterfly-trayvon-martin.
“I felt like I belonged in Africa”: Andreas Hale, “ ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’: Kendrick Lamar shares history,” Grammy.com, May 15, 2017, https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/pimp-butterfly-kendrick-lamar-shares-history.
traced back to kwaito: Sabelo Mkhabela, “Hip-Hop & Kwaito’s Long Love-Hate Relationship,” OkayAfrica, April 20, 2017, https://www.okayafrica.com/south-african-hip-hop-kwaito-long-love-hate-relationship/.
Forbes has been criticized: Refiloe Seiboko and Simon Allison, “AKA, Burna Boy and the African Unity Concert That Wasn’t,” Mail & Guardian, November 22, 2019, https://mg.co.za/article/2019-11-22-00-aka-burna-boy-and-the-africanunity-concert-that-wasnt/.
Chapter 2: “California Love”
Before World War II: This and other statistics on Compton are taken from Ayala Feder-Haugabook, “Compton, California (1867–),” Black Past, August 20, 2017, https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/compton-california-1867/.
in 1971, a gang called the Crips: Celeste Fremon, “Behind the Crips Mythos,” Los Angeles Times, November 20, 2007, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-20-et-book20-story.html.
In 1972, the Bloods: “Pirus,” United Gangs, accessed April 3, 2020, https://unitedgangs.com/bloods-2/pirus/.
“It’s the world before N.W.A”: “N.W.A on Their Legacy: ‘It’s the World before N.W.A and the World after N.W.A,’ ” Billboard, online video, November 23, 2017, https://www.billboard.com/video/nwa-on-their-legacy-its-the-world-before-nwa-and-the-world-after-nwa-6663745.
In August 1965: Information on the 1965 Watts riots taken from “Watts Riots,” Civil Rights Digital Library, March 3, 2020, http://crdl.usg.edu/events/watts_riots/?Welcome, and “Watts Riots,” History.com, August 21, 2018, https://www.history.com/topics/1960s/watts-riots.
In 1991, almost two weeks: The story of Latasha Harlins and Soon Ja Du can be found in several places, most notably Angel Jennings, “25 Years Later, Vigil Marks Latasha Harlins’ Death, Which Fed Anger during Rodney King Riots,” Los Angeles Times, March 16, 2016, https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-0317-latasha-harlins-vigil-20160317-story.html.
“A guy was out there”: “Kendrick Lamar: ‘I Can’t Change the World Until I Change Myself First,’ ” Morning Edition, National Public Radio, December 29, 2015, https://www.npr.org/2015/12/29/461129966/kendrick-lamar-i-cant-change-the-world-until-i-change-myself-first.
“My father said”: Jessica Hopper “Kendrick Lamar: Not Your Average Everyday Rap Savior,” Spin, October 9, 2012, https://www.spin.com/2012/10/kendrick-lamar-not-your-average-everyday-rap-savior/2/.
On YouTube, there’s a video: “Kendrick Lamar In High School Rapping,” YouTube video, posted by “Entertainment Scoop,” July 23, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un-W1qsKC1Q.
Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter: Elias Leight, “10 Things We Learned from Jay-Z’s Interview with David Letterman,” Rolling Stone, April 6, 2018, https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/10-things-we-learned-from-jay-zs-interview-with-david-letterman-629627/.
“He was telling me”: “Life & Rhymes: Kendrick Lamar,” YouTube video, posted by “Google Play,” October 23, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tse4hze7Au4.
“Uncle Mike helped me”: “New Juice: 8 Influential People to Watch,” Vibe, August 26, 2013, https://www.vibe.com/photos/new-juice-8-influential-people-watch.
“He was always like”: Datwon Thomas, “Kendrick Lamar and Anthony ‘Top Dawg’ Tiffith on How They Built Hip-Hop’s Greatest Indie Label,” Billboard, September 14, 2017, https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/magazine-feature/7964649/kendrick-lamar-anthony-tiffith-interview-billboard-cover-story-2017.
The streets still tugged: Kris Ex, “More Levels, the Brains behind Top Dawg Entertainment,” XXL, October 24, 2012, https://www.xxlmag.com/news/2012/10/tde-sidebar-kendrick-coverage/.
The rapper grew up: “Bounty Hunter Bloods,” United Gangs, accessed April 3, 2020, https://unitedgangs.com/bounty-hunters/.
Snoop Dogg was still around: Touré, “Snoop Dogg: America’s Most Lovable Pimp,” Rolling Stone, December 14, 2006, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/snoop-dogg-americas-most-lovable-pimp-67188/.
“I was chasing him”: “Jay Rock On Meeting Kendrick, His Motorcycle Accident, & ‘Redemption,’ ” YouTube video, posted by “HOT 97,” June 20, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSrn52pynsQ.
In 2005 alone: Megan Garvey, “Compton Killings Highest in Years,” Los Angeles Times, January 2, 2006, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jan-02-me-compton2-story.html.
“He was like”: Jeff Weiss, “Sounwave: How the Kendrick Lamar and ‘Black Panther’ Producer Quietly Made America’s Soundtrack,” Rolling Stone, May 29, 2018, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/sounwave-how-the-kendrick-lamar-and-black-panther-producer-quietly-made-americas-soundtrack-629632/.
“They weren’t coming”: Insanul Ahmed, “Who Is Ab-Soul?,” Complex, July 10, 2012, https://www.complex.com/music/2012/07/who-is-ab-soul/joining-tde.
“I walked in”: Insanul Ahmed, “Who Is SchoolboyQ?,” Complex, February 3, 2012, https://www.complex.com/music/2012/02/who-is-schoolboy-q/.
If you ain’t one: Jordan Darville, “Top Dawg Entertainment’s Hilarious Studio Rules Should Be the New Constitution,” Fader, June 7, 2017, https://www.thefader.com/2017/06/07/top-dawg-studio-rules-shut-up-and-look-ugly-for-the-homies.
Chapter 3: The Birth of Kendrick Lamar
Jay Rock was the first: Shawn Setaro, “Strange Days: How Kendrick Lamar Became a Star with Help from Tech N9ne,” Complex, March 22, 2019, https://www.complex.com/music/2019/03/kendrick-lamar-became-star-help-from-tech-n9ne-strange-music.
“K-Dot—this was”: Nerisha Penrose, “Kendrick Lamar & Kobe Bryant Talk Career Growth & Defining ‘Greatness’ at Complexcon 2017,” Billboard, November 7, 2017, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8029975/kendrick-lamar-kobe-bryant-interview-complex-con-video.
“They ain’t on my level”: Quoted in skoroma, “Ice Cube Explains Why He Refuses to Work with New Rappers,” HipHopDX, March 26, 2010, https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.10902/title.ice-cube-explains-why-he-refuses-to-work-with-new-rappers.
“He’s the same person”: “Flying Lotus on His New Album ‘Flamagra,’ Solange Changing His Studio Habits & the Beauty of Dr. Dre’s Elusive ‘Detox’ Album,” Billboard, May 20, 2019, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8512211/flying-lotus-interview-flamagra-solange-mac-miller-dr-dre-kendrick-lamar.
“We got a call like”: Charles Holmes, “Kendrick Lamar Reveals That He Got His First Call from Dr. Dre in a Chili’s,” MTV, December 12, 2017, http://www.mtv.com/news/3052718/kendrick-lamar-dr-dre-chilis-phone-call/.
“It came to a point”: “Kendrick Lamar + The Maccabees,” Future Sounds with Annie Mac, BBC Radio 1, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05xqnf4.
He’s been called a coach: Jayson Greene, “The Compton Sessions: How Dr. Dre Created His Comeback,” Pitchfork, August 12, 2015, https://pitchfork.com/features/overtones/9703-the-compton-sessions-how-dr-dre-created-his-comeback/.
“I was in Detroit”: “Dr. Dre FULL INTERVIEW (Part 1) | BigBoyTV,” YouTube video, poseted by “BigBoiTV,” March 26, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoQy2BUdxhg.
“It was a rock”: “Kendrick Lamar – GGN News S. 2 Ep. 2,” YouTube video, posted by “SnoopDoggTV,” August 16, 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpW5dDJzBas.
it peaked at number 72: “Kendrick Lamar,” uDiscoverMusic, accessed April 3, 2020, https://www.udiscovermusic.com/artists/kendrick-lamar/.
“They taught me”: Erika Ramirez, “Kendrick Lamar Talks ‘Section.80,’ New Album and Upcoming Videos,” Billboard, September 2, 2011, https://www.billboard.com/article
s/columns/the-juice/467608/kendrick-lamar-talks-section80-new-album-and-upcoming-videos.
Then in August: “Kendrick Lamar Gets Passed Down Torch HiiiPower Live Music Box Los Angeles, CA 8/19/11,” YouTube video, posted by “hawaiiangroove,” August 21, 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYjyVjI2-z0.
“a weird kid”: Tom Breihan, “Kendrick Lamar: Section.80,” Pitchfork, July 21, 2011, https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15653-section80/.
Over at XXL: Adam Fleischer “Kendrick Lamar, Section.80,” XXL, July 5, 2011, https://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/reviews/2011/07/kendrick-lamar-section-80/.
Chapter 4: A Star Is Born
“This was before: Lizzy Goodman, “Kendrick Lamar, Hip-Hop’s Newest Old-School Star,” New York Times, June 29, 2014, https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/29/magazine/kendrick-lamar-hip-hops-newest-old-school-star.html.
“I know it’s fifteen thousand people out there”: “Studio Life: Kendrick Lamar talks Club Paradise Tour & ‘Cartoons & Cereal,’ ” YouTube video, posted by “3 Little Digs,” February 27, 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLLznVTQI5Q
“It was about”: Steven Horowitz, “Kendrick Lamar Explains Why He Signed to Aftermath & Interscope,” HipHopDX, August 13, 2012, https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.20777/title.kendrick-lamar-explains-why-he-signed-to-aftermath-interscope.
“I wanted to do something that felt good”: Insanul Ahmed, “The Making of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city,’ ” Complex, October 23, 2012, https://www.complex.com/music/2012/10/the-making-of-kendrick-lamars-good-kid-maad-city/before-the-album.
It peaked at number 17: “Chart History: Kendrick Lamar,” Billboard, accessed April 6, 2020, https://www.billboard.com/music/kendrick-lamar/chart-history/HSI/song/753377.
“We’ve done a lot, but we haven’t sold any records”: Benjamin Meadows-Ingram, “Kendrick Lamar: The Story Behind ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city,’ ” Billboard, October 22, 2012, https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/474529/kendrick-lamar-the-story-behind-good-kid-maad-city.
“setting spiritual yearnings”: Jody Rosen, “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” Rolling Stone, October 22, 2012, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/good-kid-m-a-a-d-city-185646/.
“autobiographical intensity”: Jayson Greene, “Kendrick Lamar: good kid, m.A.A.d city,” Pitchfork, October 23, 2012, https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17253-good-kid-maad-city/.
Upon its release: For the Billboard chart history of good kid, m.A.A.d city, see “Chart History: Kendrick Lamar,” Billboard, accessed April 6, 2020, https://www.billboard.com/music/kendrick-lamar/chart-history/TCL/song/762071, and Bryan Rolli, “With ‘Good Kid, M.A.A.D City,’ Kendrick Lamar Tops Eminem for Billboard 200’s Longest-Charting Hip-Hop Studio Album,” Forbes, September 18, 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrolli/2019/09/18/kendrick-lamars-good-kid-maad-city-surpasses-eminems-the-eminem-show-to-become-longest-charting-hip-hop-studio-album-on-billboard-200.
Em was one of his biggest: Victoria Hernandez, “Eminem Declares Kendrick Lamar’s ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’ A ‘Masterpiece,’ ” HipHop DX, October 22, 2016, https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.40965/title.eminem-declares-kendrick-lamars-good-kid-m-a-a-d-city-a-masterpiece.
“No disrespect to nobody”: Quoted in Steven Horowitz, “Nas Begins Recording Twelfth Studio Album, Names Favorite Albums of 2012,” HipHopDX, January 9, 2013, https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.22477/title.nas-begins-recording-twelfth-studio-album-names-favorite-albums-of-2012.
Kendrick revealed that: “Exclusive: Kendrick Lamar Reveals He Wanted Nas on ‘Sing About Me,’ ” Vibe, March 22, 2013, https://www.vibe.com/2013/03/exclusive-kendrick-lamar-reveals-he-wanted-nas-sing-about-me.
“I’d be lying to you”: Kendrick Lamar, “Writer at War: Kendrick Lamar’s XXL Cover Story,” XXL, January 6, 2015, https://www.xxlmag.com/news/2015/01/writer-war-kendrick-lamar-own-words/.
“With Kendrick’s album”: Jaleesa Jones, “Georgia Students Study Kendrick Lamar for Class,” USA Today, September 1, 2014, https://www.usatoday.com/story/college/2014/09/01/georgia-students-study-kendrick-lamar-for-class/37395771/.
Chapter 5: The Fight for Black Life
boy named Trayvon Martin: Dan Barry et al., “Race, Tragedy and Outrage Collide after a Shot in Florida,” New York Times, April 4, 2012, https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/02/us/trayvon-martin-shooting-prompts-a-review-of-ideals.html, and Daniel Trotta, “Trayvon Martin: Before the World Heard the Cries,” Reuters, April 3, 2012, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-florida-shooting-trayvon/trayvon-martin-before-the-world-heard-the-cries-idUSBRE8320UK20120403.
“Trayvon was our hero”: “Prosecute the Killer of Our Son, 17-Year-Old Trayvon Martin,” Change.org, accessed April 6, 2020, https://www.change.org/p/prosecute-the-killer-of-our-son-17-year-old-trayvon-martin.
“When Trayvon Martin was first shot”: “President Obama’s Remarks on Trayvon Martin (Full Transcript),” Washington Post, July 19, 2013, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-obamas-remarks-on-trayvon-martin-full-transcript/2013/07/19/5e33ebea-f09a-11e2-a1f9-ea873b7e0424_story.html.
In 1999, New York City police: Michael Cooper, “Officers in Bronx Fire 41 Shots, and an Unarmed Man Is Killed,” New York Times, February 5, 1999, https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/05/nyregion/officers-in-bronx-fire-41-shots-and-an-unarmed-man-is-killed.html.
Then, in 2009, Bay Area Rapid Transit: Jill Tucker, Kelly Zito, and Heather Knight, “Deadly BART Brawl—Officer Shoots Rider, 22,” SFGate, January 2, 2009, https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Deadly-BART-brawl-officer-shoots-rider-22-3178373.php.
In mid-July of 2014, Eric Garner: Joseph Goldstein and Nate Schweber, “Man’s Death after Chokehold Raises Old Issue for Police,” New York Times, July 18, 2014, https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/19/nyregion/staten-island-man-dies-after-he-is-put-in-chokehold-during-arrest.html.
eerily similar to a 1994 incident: “A Death on Staten Island,” New York Times, May 15, 1994, https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/15/nyregion/one-neighborhood-two-lives-special-report-death-staten-island-2-paths-cross.html.
On the morning of August 9: “What Happened in Ferguson?,” New York Times, August 13, 2014, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/08/13/us/ferguson-missouri-town-under-siege-after-police-shooting.html.
Ferguson police arrested Henry Davis: Joseph Shapiro, “In Ferguson, Mo., Before Michael Brown There Was Henry Davis,” All Things Considered, National Public Radio, September 12, 2014, https://www.npr.org/2014/09/12/348010247/in-ferguson-mo-before-michael-brown-there-was-henry-davis.
“The delay helped fuel”: Julie Bosman and Joseph Goldstein, “Timeline for a Body: 4 Hours in the Middle of a Ferguson Street,” New York Times, August 23, 2014, https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/us/michael-brown-a-bodys-timeline-4-hours-on-a-ferguson-street.html.
Tamir Rice was gunned down: Ryllie Danylko, “Cleveland Police Officer Fatally Shoots 12-Year-Old Tamir Rice: The Big Story,” Cleveland.com, November 24, 2014, https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2014/11/cleveland_police_officer_fatal.html, and “Officer Who Killed Tamir Rice Found Unfit in Previous Police Job,” NBC News, November 27, 2014, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/officer-who-killed-tamir-rice-found-unfit-previous-police-job-n261111.
“Tonight, I got kicked”: “Killer Mike’s pre-show Ferguson Grand Jury speech,” YouTube video, posted by “Stephen Bolen,” November 24, 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQs7CWKHM9w.
“I would hate to stay stagnant”: Maud Deitch, “Exclusive: Kendrick Lamar Sings Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off,’ ” Fader, November 4, 2014, https://www.thefader.com/2014/11/04/kendrick-lamar-interview-halloween-taylor-swift.
retaliation for filming Garner’s murder: Chloé Cooper Jones, “Fearing for His Life,” The Verge, March 13, 2019, https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/13/18253848/eric-garner-footage-ramsey-orta-police-brutality-killing-safety.
“There’s a deeper level”: Marcus J. Moore, “Kamasi Washington Says the Moment Is Right for His Three-Hour ‘Epic,’ ” Washington Post, August
20, 2015, https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2015/08/20/kamasi-washington-says-the-moments-right-for-his-three-hour-epic/.
Chapter 6: King Kendrick
“You would have thought”: Patrick Bowman, “Sounwave Details the Making of Kendrick Lamar’s Landmark ‘To Pimp a Butterfly,’ ” Spin, April 24, 2015, https://www.spin.com/2015/04/sounwave-interview-kendrick-lamar-to-pimp-a-butterfly/.
“The rapper wanted “to help put a Band-Aid on the things that’s been going on in our communities””: Peter Walsh, “Kendrick Lamar’s Producers Talk the Making of ‘To Pimp a Butterfly,’ ” XXL, April 30, 2015, https://www.xxlmag.com/news/2015/04/kendrick-lamars-producers-talk-making-pimp-butterfly/.
“The word ‘pimp’ ”: “Kendrick Lamar Breaks Down Tracks From ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ (Pt. 1) | MTV News,” YouTube video, posted by “MTV,” March 31, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUEI_ep9iDs.
“I wish somebody would look”: Joe Lynch, “Kendrick Lamar Talks Ferguson: ‘What Happened Should’ve Never Happened,’ ” Billboard, January 8, 2015, https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6436333/kendrick-lamar-on-ferguson-police-michael-brown.
“9th hit me like”: Adam Fleischer, “How Do You End Up Featured on Kendrick Lamar’s Album? Rapsody Tells Her Story,” MTV News, March 16, 2015, http://www.mtv.com/news/2106673/rapsody-kendrick-lamar-complexion-a-zulu-love-to-pimp-a-butterfly/.
“There are the people”: Jeff Weiss “Kamasi Washington on the Music That Made Him a Jazz Colossus,” Pitchfork, October 3, 2017, https://pitchfork.com/features/5-10-15-20/kamasi-washington-on-the-music-that-made-him-a-jazz-colossus/.
“No matter what type”: “Kendrick Lamar on How He Wrote ‘King Kunta,’ ” YouTube video, posted by “NME,” June 5, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm_Xb9c6__Q.
The Butterfly Effect Page 24