EXCLUSIVE: A New Dawn For Hip Hop As Kendrick Lamar Is Named 'Generational Icon' by California Senate! (VIDEO)
13 May 2015
Today morning Kendrick Lamar fans and hip hop lovers at large have something to look up in the skies and crack a smile for; the Campton rapper just got a hefty honorary handshake from the State Senate of California.
California State Senator Isadore Hall III honored Kendrick Lamar on Monday, giving him the 35th Senate District's Generational Icon Award on the Golden State's Senate floor. Hall's district includes Compton, where Lamar grew up.
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"In less than 10 years as a professional artist, Mr. Lamar has gone from a local Compton young boy to become a multiplatinum, Billboard chart–topping, two-time Grammy Award–winning musician, an incredible achievement for anyone 27 years old," Hall, who said he too was a Compton native, told the room. "But Mr. Lamar has not let his recent fame get the best of him. If you visit Compton, and I would encourage all of my colleagues to do so, Mr. Lamar is a familiar face in the neighborhood."
He went on to commend the rapper for donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to support local sports, after-school and music programs. He also praised Lamar for working with a non-profit organization to lead by example. "He is demonstrating the best of what it means to work hard, do well and give back to his community," Hall said. "His story is indeed a uniquely California one and a story that should encourage others to accomplish their goals and give back to their community."
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Lamar then posed with his plaque and made a statement. "It's definitely an honor to be right here in front of you guys," he said. "Being from the City of Compton and knowing the parks that I played at and the neighborhoods, I always thought how great the opportunity would be to give back to my community off of what I do in music.... I thank you from the bottom of my heart for honoring me today."
Lamar recently celebrated Compton in his ‘King Kunta’ video a track off one of the most worshipped album of our generation, ‘How To Pimp A Butterfly’ which he dropped earlier this year.
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