Kendrick Lamar has written an open letter to late rapper and N.W.A. member, Eazy-E. Kendrick was only seven years old in 1995 when Eazy-E, another Compton native, passed away.
Writing in Paper Magazine, Lamar said: "I remember when I was five or six years old, waking up one morning and seeing this guy bust through the TV screen.. I remember looking at that video and just feeling like, 'Man, this dude feels like an action superhero'. Little did I know, Eazy-E came from my same neighborhood in Compton. But as a kid, I really couldn't grasp the idea that the world knew about what we're going through in my neighborhood. I didn't get that idea until my debut album, 'good kid, mAAd city', came out and that's when I truly understood how NWA felt, coming from this small neighborhood but going all the way around the world and seeing these people singing these words lyric-for-lyric and understanding the trials and tribulations that are going on in the community. I understand how they feel now. It's an inspiring thing. Once I got the idea that people are actually listening, it made me want to continue making music more."
Lamar continues of the influence Eazy-E has had on his career as a whole: "I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Eazy and I wouldn't be able to say the things that I say, talk about my community the way I talk about it, for good or for bad. He's 100% influenced me in terms of really being not only honest with myself, but honest about where I come from and being proud of where I come from."
Lamar also wrote to Tupac Shakur on the 19th anniversary of his death. "I was 8 yrs old when I first saw you," he wrote. "I couldn't describe how I felt at that moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 20 yrs later I understand exactly what that feeling was. INSPIRED." Lamar continued: "The people that you touched on that small intersection changed lives forever. I told myself I wanted to be a voice for man one day. Whoever knew I was speaking out loud for u to listen."
By Devon Pyne for RAPstation.com
Kendrick Lamar pays homage to Eazy-E in open letter
Kendrick Lamar has written an open letter to late rapper and N.W.A. member, Eazy-E. Kendrick was only seven years old in 1995 when Eazy-E, another Compton native, passed away.
Writing in Paper Magazine, Lamar said: "I remember when I was five or six years old, waking up one morning and seeing this guy bust through the TV screen.. I remember looking at that video and just feeling like, 'Man, this dude feels like an action superhero'. Little did I know, Eazy-E came from my same neighborhood in Compton. But as a kid, I really couldn't grasp the idea that the world knew about what we're going through in my neighborhood. I didn't get that idea until my debut album, 'good kid, mAAd city', came out and that's when I truly understood how NWA felt, coming from this small neighborhood but going all the way around the world and seeing these people singing these words lyric-for-lyric and understanding the trials and tribulations that are going on in the community. I understand how they feel now. It's an inspiring thing. Once I got the idea that people are actually listening, it made me want to continue making music more."
Lamar continues of the influence Eazy-E has had on his career as a whole: "I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Eazy and I wouldn't be able to say the things that I say, talk about my community the way I talk about it, for good or for bad. He's 100% influenced me in terms of really being not only honest with myself, but honest about where I come from and being proud of where I come from."
Lamar also wrote to Tupac Shakur on the 19th anniversary of his death. "I was 8 yrs old when I first saw you," he wrote. "I couldn't describe how I felt at that moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 20 yrs later I understand exactly what that feeling was. INSPIRED." Lamar continued: "The people that you touched on that small intersection changed lives forever. I told myself I wanted to be a voice for man one day. Whoever knew I was speaking out loud for u to listen."
By Devon Pyne for RAPstation.com
