Kendrick Lamar Quotes

A piece of mine's
That's what the white man wanted when I rhyme
Telling me that he selling me just for $10.99
If I go platinum from rapping, I do the company fine
What if I compromise? He said, it don't even matter
You make a million or more, you living better than average
You losing your core following, gaining it all
He put a price on my talent, I hit the bank and withdraw
Hit the bank and withdraw, hit the bank and withdraw
Put myself in the rocket ship and I shot for the stars
Look at what you accomplishing, what he said to the boy
I'ma make you some promises that you just can't ignore
Your profession anonymous as an artist if I don't target your market
If you ain't signing your signature when I throw you my wallet
A lot of rappers are giving their demo all in the toilet
Your world tour, your master's, mortgage, I need a piece

If I told you that a flower bloomed in a dark room, would you trust it?
I mean I write poems in these songs dedicated to you
When you're in the mood for empathy, there's blood in my pen
Better yet where your friends and them?

I'm not on the outside looking in, I'm not on the inside looking out
I'm in the dead fucking centre looking around
You ever seen a newborn baby kill a grown man?
That's an analogy for the way the world make me react
My innocence been dead
So the next time I talk about money, hoes, clothes, God and history
All in the same sentence
Just know I meant it, and you felt it
Cause you too are searching for answers
I'm not the next pop star, I'm not the next socially aware rapper
I am a human motherfucking being

Where was your presence, where was your support that you pretend?
You ain't no brother, you ain't no disciple, you ain't no friend
A friend never leave Compton for profit or leave his best friend
Little brother, you promised you'd watch him before they shot him
Where was your antennas, on the road, bottles and bitches
You faced time the one time, that's unforgiven
You even FaceTimed instead of a hospital visit
You thought he would recover, well
The surgery couldn't stop the bleeding for real
Then he died, God himself will say "you fuckin' failed"
You ain't try

Sorry I didn't save the world, my friend
I was too busy buildin' mine again
I choose me, I'm sorry

What gives me an advantage in my upbringing is the duality of seeing one of the most beautiful moments of me being 6 years old, to the most tragic moment of being 13 or 14, and make that connection so the person [listening] can really see the conflict. It was a mindfuck, for sure. I would wake up one morning, and it would be cartoons and cereal and walking back from school. And at 4 P.M., we’d be having a house party ‘til 11 P.M. . .. and people [were] shooting each other outside the door. That was my lifestyle. And it’s not only mine; it’s so many other individuals.’ And I wanted to tell that story.

I'm sick and tired of being tired
I can't pick a side, the Gemini
Prophesize if we living, I
Promise momma not to feel no lie
Seen black turn 'em Burgundy
Hundred of them, I know I'm greedy
Stuck inside the belly of the beast
Can you please pray for me?
Get God on the phone
Said it won't be long

What's fair when the hearts and the words don't reach?
What's fair when the money don't take things back?
It's rare when somebody take your dreams back? (And I'm trippin' and fallin')
I care too much, wanna share too much
In my head too much, I shut down too
I ain't there too much, I'm a complex soul
They layered me up, then broke me down
And moralities dust, I lack in trust (and I'm trippin' and fallin')

Now, in a perfect world, I probably won't be insensitive
Cold as December, but never remember what winter did
I wouldn't blame you for mistakes I made or the bed I laid
Seems like I point the finger just to make a point, nowadays
Smiles and cold stares, the temperature goes there
Indigenous dispossession, feel like we belong here
I know the walls, they can listen, I wish they could talk back
The hurt becomes repetition, the love almost lost that
Sick venom in men and women overcome with pride
A perfect world is never perfect, only filled with lies
Promises are broken and more resentment come alive
Race barriers make inferior of you and I
See, in a perfect world, I'll choose faith over riches
I'll choose work over bitches, I'll make schools out of prison
I'll take all the religions and put 'em all in one service
Just to tell 'em we ain't shit, but He's been perfect, world

My focus hold these thoughts and dreams
Control this pen (look over your shoulder)
Boldest lines in rhymes and things
Devote my time and mind it seems
Supposed to shine, remind I'm king
Provoke the blind and bomb the fiends
The pro's the con's, the diamond rings
The forward time, but I'ma bring
The soul divine and cross between
What's your's and mine's, the gold, the green
The roads that show just what it mean
That grabbed Shakur and by the wing
And fly before my vocal scream

I fight the world, I fight you, I fight myself
I fight God, just tell me how many burdens left
I fight pain and hurricanes, today I wept
I'm tryna fight back tears, flood on my doorsteps
Life a livin' hell, puddles of blood in the streets
Shooters on top of the building, government aid ain't relief
Earthquake, the body dropped, the ground breaks
The poor run with smoke lungs and Scarface

[Africa] just felt like a place where I belonged. It was as simple as that. You hear about the land and you hear untold truths about it, and now you’re old enough to witness it yourself. It just gave me a whole other perspective on where I’m from. What we’re doing in the city of Compton and how the world is just so much bigger than the city of Compton.

Hail Mary, Jesus and Joseph
The great American flag
Is wrapped and dragged with explosives
Compulsive disorder, sons and daughters
Barricaded blocks and borders
Look what you taught us
It's murder on my street, your street, back streets
Wall Street, corporate offices, banks
Employees and bosses with homicidal thoughts
Donald Trump's in office, we lost Barack
And promised to never doubt him again
But is America honest or do we bask in sin?
Pass the gin, I mix it with American blood
Then bash him in, you crippin' or you married to blood?
I'll ask again—oops—accident
It's nasty when you set us up
Then roll the dice, then bet us up
You overnight the big rifles, then tell Fox to be scared of us
Gang members or terrorists, et cetera, et cetera
America’s a reflection of me
That's what a mirror does

I remembered you was conflicted
Misusing your influence, sometimes I did the same
Abusing my power full of resentment
Resentment that turned into a deep depression
Found myself screamin' in the hotel room
I didn't wanna self destruct, the evils of Lucy was all around me
So I went runnin' for answers

Beat your ass and hide the bible if God watching