Kendrick Lamar Becomes First Rapper to Win the Pultizer Prize

Damn! This week keeps getting better and better for Black artists. Compton-native Kendrick Lamar won a Pulitzer Prize this week for his album “Damn,” becoming the first rapper to be awarded the honor.

The album that came out last year was classic Kendrick and touched on elements of police brutality, politics, and elements of Black Lives Matter while also relating to self-awareness, street life, mental health, and relationships. The album also featured producers that utilized unconventional elements like iPhones, tempo-switching, and backmasking to create sounds and beats that help to paint the picture of the song like only a Kendrick Lamar record could.

In 2015, Kendrick Lamar came under fire for his controversial album “To Pimp a Butterfly” that blatantly called out police brutality down to his lyrics and the music video for his critically-acclaimed single “Alright.”

Damn did much of the same as far as being another controversial project from the West Coast MC. Despite the controversy, the album’s uniqueness and style got Lamar some major bragging rights by winning a Pulitzer!

The only other musical genres that have been deserving of the award have been classical and jazz. Lamar’s honor is a major accomplishment in music history.

Pulitzer’s are commonly awarded to journalists, authors, and musical composers awarded by Columbia University in NYC. Congrats are in order for Kendrick Lamar! What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.