Kendrick Lamar Covers ‘Billboard Magazine,’ Defends Iggy Azalea & Talks Ferguson Events
With 2015 still in its first week, Kendrick Lamar continues to be the biggest rapper that everyone has on their radar — thanks to the pending release of his third, as yet untitled studio LP. The anticipation has now led to a cover on this week’s issue of Billboard magazine, where the influential artist speaks his mind on various topics from the Grammys to the events occurring in Ferguson, MO.
Despite his 2015 Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance for “i,” Lamar isn’t phased by awards shows. He tells Billboard, “That’s not my overall goal. I appreciate them recognizing me. It’s best to just go and enjoy the festivities.” He also defends fellow rapper Iggy Azalea, who has been receiving a lot of flack: “She’s doing her thing. Let her. People have to go through trials and tribulations to get where they at. Do your thing, continue to rock it, because obviously God wants you here.”
As for his thoughts on Ferguson? “I wish somebody would look in our neighborhood knowing that it’s already a situation, mentally, where it’s fucked up. What happened to [Michael Brown] should’ve never happened. Never,” he stated. “But when we don’t have respect for ourselves, how do we expect them to respect us? It starts from within. Don’t start with just a rally, don’t start from looting — it starts from within.”
View Kendrick Lamar’s full-sized Billboard magazine cover below!
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