Compton-based rapper Kendrick Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize in music Monday for his 2017 album “DAMN.”
According to the Pulitzer website, Lamar’s album is described as “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.”
Lamar, born Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, is known for his quick delivery and melodic flow reminiscent of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, but it’s his socially conscious raps that have garnered him critical acclaim.
What’s amazing about this accomplishment is that Lamar is both the first rapper as well as the first nonclassical and nonjazz act to win the award. It’s a testament to how gifted Lamar is as a lyricist and artist, but also his intellect.
Lamar, who is both a friend of former President Barack Obama and critic of President Trump (calling his election a “complete mindfuck”), managed to make little mention of the current state of politics. Out of fourteen tracks, Lamar mentions Trump once on the song “XXX.” with U2 singer Bono in which he raps:
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.
Sure, Lamar isn’t a fan of Trump — like most entertainers — but that isn’t necessarily a qualifier to win the award. All previous Pulitzer Prize winners were jazz or classical music acts, genres that are virtually apolitical.
Why break tradition to recognize someone like Lamar? Politics could have played a role. After all, the award is typically reserved for journalists, who, if anything, are often left-leaning and hold strong biases against Trump and conservatives, in general.
But, in his case, Lamar is too talented and versatile as an artist to be defined simply by his political stances. Unlike another hip-hop great, Eminem, Lamar is still putting out inspiring, thought-provoking music. Eminem has garnered a reputation almost exclusively for his barbs and freestyles directed at Trump. It’s as if he has completely devoted himself to resisting his presidency. You can’t say the same about Lamar, who may be critical of Trump (as well as right-leaning Fox News) but doesn’t constantly inject inane political rhetoric into his music.
You can’t completely rule out that Lamar’s politics played a role in him winning the Pulitzer Prize in music, but, at the same time, you can’t overlook the fact that Lamar is an immensely gifted artist. You don’t have to like his music, but you should at least respect it.
