Kendrick Lamar

Lamar in 2013, photo by Joe Seer/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Kendrick Lamar Duckworth

Place of Birth: Compton, Los Angeles, California, United States

Date of Birth: June 17, 1987

Ethnicity: African-American

Kendrick Lamar is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and businessperson. One of the most prominent and critically-acclaimed hip hop performers of his generation, his songs include “HiiiiPower,” “Swimming Pools (Drank),” “Backseat Freestyle,” “Poetic Justice,” “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” “Humble,” “Like That,” and “Not Like Us,” and the remix “Bad Blood.” He is known for his complex songwriting and artistry, and has created music in the alternative rap, gangsta rap, R&B, and pop genres. He is a co-founder and member of West Coast hip hop group Black Hippy, alongside fellow California-based rappers Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul; and co-founded creative company PGLang. He is also known as K.Dot, Oklama, Kung-Fu Kenny, and Man-Man.

Kendrick was born in Compton, California, to parents from Chicago, Illinois, Paula Oliver and Kenny Duckworth, who both worked in food service. He was named after singer Eddie Kendricks, of The Temptations. In 1995, he witnessed his idols Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre filming the music video for their song “California Love,” which was a significant moment in his life. As a teenager, he attended Centennial High School in Compton, and was a straight-A student.

Kendrick is a cousin of professional basketball player Nick Young, and rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Baby Keem.

He has two children with his fiancée, beautician Whitney Alford.

Kendrick has evidently stated that he has ancestry from the Mende and Temne people of Sierra Leone. It is not clear if this is accurate.