Compton rapper and DAMN. superstar Kendrick Lamar has been one of the most prevalent hip-hop artists for over a decade, and to this day, he still does things that surprise his fans. The ‘Money Trees’ emcee has an affinity for various things. However, his rider requests are nothing short of insane.
Lamar has been performing live since the release of his first album Section.80, in 2011 and has been on several tours as an opening act and a headline performer. Lamar can request specific items for his green rooms and dressing rooms on a rider. However, the rapper’s demands are far from the norm.
In a 2013 interview with Erykah Badu for Interview magazine, the ‘Humble’ lyricist spoke on his career growth and how he carries himself as an artist behind closed doors. He explained how he deals with touring and his decisions while not on stage to ensure he delivers the best performances possible.
When candidly asked by Badu how he chooses “chicks from backstage,” Lamar modestly replied, “I try not to. I’m too scared. Anybody who knows me knows that I’m probably the most scared person when it comes to that because I’m so caught up in the act of sex, of something going crazy, going out of my control. I’m too paranoid.”
The esteemed Dallas vocalist then revealed that she had heard Lamar has quite an odd way of touring and particularly quirky rider requests. During the conversation, the ‘Swimming Pools’ act admitted he knows he’s peculiar, stating, When people ask for my rider, they think I’m crazy. Fruity Pebbles, baked chicken, a bottle of Hennessy, and some Polo socks.”
Badu revealed that she is far less demanding but should leverage her power stating, “I need to ask for so much more!” The pair laughed. However, Lamar disclosed that the socks request was his grandmother’s doing, as he divulged, “When I go backstage, I like to put some fresh socks on. My grandma always told me, ‘You ain’t got to take a shower for four days, but put some fresh socks on, and you’ll feel better about yourself.'”
You can watch Erykah Badu and Kendrick Lamar performing ‘Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe’ at the BET awards in the video below.
