Since arriving on the mainstream scene, Kendrick Lamar has served as an ambassador of sorts for his hometown of Compton. Through his music, he has brought attention to the hardships faced by the city’s residents and now he will be honored for his efforts with the key to the city.
Compton Mayor Aja Brown took to Twitter on Thursday (Jan. 14) make the announcement.
".@kendricklamar you inspire millions + rep #Compton w/ honor!" she wrote. "Excited to give you the #keytothecity Feb13th! #VisionForCompton #ComptonUp."
The “How Much A Dollar Cost” rapper responded with gratitude.
@AjaLBrown I appreciate that. HUBLUV.
— Kendrick Lamar (@kendricklamar) January 14, 2016
Last June, Lamar spoke with Essence magazine about the importance of representing his hometown and empowering the youth that hail from his neighborhood.
"There's a lot of kids that grew up the way I did that feel like there's no way out,” he said. “We don't get a lot of celebrities or whatnot to come to the city and actually put they hand back in the city and say, 'You can do it, too.' I feel like it's only right that I champion them, let them know I'll always be behind them. Let them know I know the sacrifices and the struggles they go through and give 'em some type of inspiration."
Back in March, Lamar returned to Compton and held an album signing for his sophomore LP, To Pimp a Butterfly, in the city.
This year, Lamar leads the Grammy nominations with 11 nods. He is up for awards including album of the year for TPAB and song of the year for "Alright." He also received nominations for pop duo/group performance for "Bad Blood" with Taylor Swift and dance recording "Never Catch Me" with Flying Lotus.
