George Clinton Praises Kendrick Lamar for Addressing Taboo Topics in Music

George Clinton is giving high praise to Kendrick Lamar, calling the rapper one of the most important voices in modern music for the way he speaks openly about difficult and often avoided topics.

The 84-year-old funk legend, best known for leading Parliament and Funkadelic, spoke about Lamar during an interview with The New York Times Magazine for its "30 Greatest Living American Songwriters" list. Clinton compared the Grammy-winning rapper to major cultural figures, saying his impact will last for years.

"I'll put it like this: He, along with Motown, Sly Stone, the Beatles — that kind of institution is going to last," Clinton said.

According to People, he added that while many artists write clever lyrics today, Lamar stands out because "he writes with soul."

Clinton, known for shaping funk music history himself, said he was impressed by Lamar's maturity and honesty in his work.

"He's like a psychiatrist on record — he talks about [expletive] that most people are afraid to talk about," he said. "Nobody will talk about these topics, and he talks about them so matter-of-factly."

George Clinton Praises Kendrick Lamar

He explained that this ability to address uncomfortable subjects is what makes Lamar different. Instead of avoiding tough conversations, Clinton said the rapper brings them into his music in a way that feels natural and real.

Clinton also pointed out how rare it is for an artist to stay important across generations. He said younger fans usually move on quickly, but Lamar has managed to keep their attention, Yahoo reported.

"When you can go past that and have the next generation after that still talking about you, you're doing something," he said. He also highlighted Lamar's 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly, calling it deeply meaningful. "It was like one song to me.

It was like Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On,'" Clinton said, comparing it to one of the most iconic albums in music history.

Clinton and Lamar have worked together before, including on the track "Wesley's Theory" from To Pimp a Butterfly.

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George Clinton, Kendrick Lamar