The moment Kendrick Lamar witnessed his first murder at five years old
Kendrick Lamar is one of the biggest artists on the planet with a reported net worth of $140 million. He’s responsible for some of the best rap albums since the 2010s, including good kid, m.A.A.d city, To Pimp a Butterfly, and Mr Morale and the Big Steppers. However, life hasn’t always been easy for him, having gone through some traumatic experiences on his way to becoming a global icon.
K. Dot grew up in Compton, California, in the ’80s and ’90s during a time when gang wars were rife. When he was just five years old, he was forced to watch the unthinkable: someone being murdered. The killing took place outside of his house, and it’s something the rapper has never been able to get out of his mind.
The death was the product of a drug deal turned robbery. “It was outside my apartment unit,” he told NPR. “A guy was out there serving his narcotics, and somebody rolled up with a shotgun and blew his chest out. Admittedly, it done something to me right then and there. It let me know that this is not only something that I’m looking at, but it’s something that maybe I have to get used to — you dig what I’m saying?”
The fact that Kendrick recalled the first time he saw someone get killed suggests it wasn’t the only time he witnessed loss of life. The 38-year-old tried to escape that lifestyle, but by having friends and simply being in and around the community, he was never too far away from trouble.
“You grow up inside these neighbourhoods and these communities, and you have friends, friends that you love, friends that you grew up with since elementary.” he said. “And you have their trust, and you have their loyalty. So it brings influence. So no matter how much of a leader I thought I was, I was always under the influence, period. Most of the times, when they were involved in these acts of destruction, I was right there.”
K. Dot is inside the top 10 best-selling rappers of all time, but no amount of success brings comfort to his life. “You can have the platinum album, but when you still feel like you haven’t quite found your place in the world — it kind of gives a crazy offset,” he explained. “When you go inside these places, no matter how much money you have, no matter how much success, when you still feel like you’re not comfortable, where’s the feeling in that?”
Death has been a key theme in Kendrick’s lyrics, particularly going back to his Compton roots. On ‘The Heart Part 5‘ in 2022, he rapped about murder being a regular occurrence where he comes from. He raps, “I come from a generation of pain, where murder is minor/ Rebellious and Margielas’ll chip you for designer/ Belt buckles and clout, overzealous if prone to violence/ Make the wrong turn, be it will or the wheel alignment.”
Witnessing that murder at such a young age had a significant impact on his life. Thankfully, Kendrick has been able to process the devastating experience and channelled it into inspiring positivity.