The Scene Blast

KENDRICK LAMAR ON EVOLVING HIS SOUND FOR HIS NEXT RECORD, PUTTING HIMSELF BEFORE THE LISTENER, MAKING MUSIC ABOUT SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES, & HIS TIGHT-KNIT SUPPORT NETWORK

“Someone brought it to my attention––music is all I think about. It becomes me, it becomes my life. I breathe it. I can’t think about nothing else.”

New York, N.Y.––“I knew from the jump that it was gonna be a challenge for my listeners’ ear,” Kendrick Lamar tells Rick Rubin about his second album, To Pimp a Butterfly. “But if I’m challenging myself in the studio, I want to challenge you as well.” This month, Kendrick Lamar covers GQ Style for the first-ever Holiday Issue. The cover story features an exclusive addition of annotations made using Genius, including commentary from Eminem, Herbie Hancock, Sam Taylor, Sounwave, DeRay McKesson and more. Kendrick was hosted by venerable producer Rick Rubin at Rubin’s own Shangri La studios in Malibu. The two had never previously met but following their interview they walked directly into the studio to start recording new music.

Based on the difference between his first album and his second album, it’s clear that Kendrick is experimenting with his sound. But Kendrick can’t guarantee that his music will keep evolving in any one direction. “My best thoughts… The best answer I can give you, um… That was me then,” he says of his sound on To Pimp a Butterfly. “Not to say that it wouldn’t be continuous. It’ll always have some type of DNA in my music. But me, as a person, I grow. I’m like a chameleon. You know? That is a gift and a curse for me. But more so a gift, because it never puts me in a box. And my ability to express and still make the connection wherever I go, that is my high point. That’s something I pride myself off.” Kendrick also tells Rubin that he can see himself making an album in the future where he’s not rapping. “I think I got the confidence for it,” he says. “If I can master the idea and make the time to approach it the right way, I think I can push it out.”

To read the full story featuring annotations made using Genius, with photos shot by Paola Kudacki, go to: http://www.gq.com/story/kendrick-lamar-rick-rubin-gq-style-cover-interview

To see a feature-length film of Kendrick Lamar in conversation with Rick Rubin, go to: http://video.gq.com/watch/watch-kendrick-lamar-meet-rick-rubin-and-have-an-epic-conversation

When making music, explains Kendrick, “I used to consider the listener. But now I’m in a space where if I’m not inspired, I can’t really do the music. I can’t feel it. I put in enough hours to be able to pen a hundred-bar verse on the spot at any given moment. But for me to actually feel an idea, it has to come from me. And a lot of times I have to block out different needs and wants just for my own selfish reasons. But at the end of the day, it comes out where, whether you like it or not, you know it comes from a real place. It’s gonna feel unapologetic, uncompromising, and it’s gonnna feel me.”

Though his song “Alright” has become somewhat of a protest song for the current generation, Kendrick says it wasn’t always envisioned in that way: “I was sitting on that record for about six months. That beat’s Pharrell. And between my guys Sam Taylor and Pharrell, they would always be like, Did you do it? When you gonna do it? I knew it was a great record––I just was trying to find the spice to approach it… So with Pharrell and Sam asking me––Am I gonna rock on it? When I’m gonna rock on it?––it put the pressure on me to challenge myself. To actually think and focus on something that could be a staple in hip-hop. Eventually, I found the right words. You know, it was a lot going on, and still, to this day, it’s a lot going on. And I wanted to approach it as more uplifting––but aggressive. Not playing the victim, but still having that We strong, you know?

It’s this aggressive yet uplifting approach that’s allowed Kendrick to make music about current social and political events that are often hard to make listenable. “I could talk about anything,” Kendrick says. “That is the challenge for me. Being able to talk about anything and make it connect to a listener. Where a listener can either feel like you or feel like they understand you. Talking to a little kid and making sure that feel like something. Or saying the most brutal harsh thing on a record, where, you know, society may not want to hear it. That’s what music is about for me.” As for the clarity in his music, Kendrick gets that inspiration elsewhere: “The clarity, I got my clarity just studying Eminem when I was a kid… His time is impeccable. When he wants to fall off the beat, it’s impeccable. These are things that, through experience and time, I had to learn.

In the midst of his crazy schedule, Kendrick relies heavily on his tight-knit support network to keep him centered: “Man, I’d be head over heels right now if I didn’t have a certain type of grounding. Family, a team that has my best interests––not only in music but as a person,” he says. “Everyone that’s around me has been with me since I was 15 years old. I know we’ll all grow as people, and I’ll outgrow some people and different natures, but I hope that these same people will continue to grow with me. ‘Cause I can’t stop. You know? I can’t stop.”

The Holiday issue of GQ Style will be available on newsstands in New York and L.A. on Tuesday October 25, and will be available nationally November 1.

As always, in order to use the photo attached for press use you must also post the cover. Photo credit is Paola Kudacki exclusively for GQ Style.

Post: Dean Perretta

A war of words from outraged fans and onlookers broke out on twitter and peaked to high levels today with people feeling outraged and highly offended by a comment made by Oscars host Giuliana Rancic, regarding 18 year old actress Zendaya Coleman; while Rancic hosted popular E! Entertainment channel's popular show 'Fashion Police'

During the show, where presenters are shown to express their opinions on Celebrities as they are seen to walk the red carpet, 18 year old Zendaya appeared on the screen for review; wearing a white gown with her hair styled in dread locs and host Giuliana Rancic openly commented without hesitation that: "(I) feel like she smells like patchouli oil and yeh maybe WEED?!"

Zendaya, who's father himself has dreadlocks, hit back at Giuliana with a post about her feelings very soon after the comment was made. She wrote a full and very mature statement outlining how she felt about the remark which she described as "not only a large stereotype but outrageously offensive" - she also mentioned "I don't usually feel the need to respond to negative things but certain remarks cannot go unchecked" and she DEFINITELY checked Giuliana - here is what she said in full:

Giuliana Rancic then took to Twitter to address Zendaya directly with an 'apology' with this tweet:

"Dear @Zendaya, I'm sorry I offended you and others. I was referring to a bohemian chic look. Had NOTHING to do with race and NEVER would!!!"

Now.... everyone knows that if you are going to apologise you CANNOT do it with an excuse! Sorry would have been a better thing to say - just sorry! Not making the Bohemian chic excuse! I mean thats another problem you are creating i.e. FYI for anyone out there rocking the Bohemian Chic look - it's actually YOU who looks like you stink of weed!....Haha... Not the best apology ever is it really....

Personally we think Zendaya looks STUNNING and are proud to see how she responded with grace, dignity, excellence and confidence! Go girl!

Here's some of the worlds reactions to the situation (most of which we really do not actually agree with either as even though Giuliana was in the wrong with the comment you CANNOT fight fire with fire and get a good result.

At a time where issues to do with race and equality are at their peak in the spotlight and everyone is feeling more and more emotional about inequality and bad treatment of ethnic minorities, we all see that Giuliana shoud have known better and we are SURE the backlash must be getting to Giuliana as people have been VERY cruel about her 'anorexic' figure and what they believe she herself would smell like - one offender saying she "looks like she smells like cocaine and cigarette butts" - she really is getting a lot of abuse on social networks. We do not condone this at all either - you cannot fight fire with fire! We just do hope that people will now see that you cannot go onto a platform in front of millions (or ANY platform) and not think about your words and actions.

We do hope that people will learn from this that you MUST THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK! we need to start to REALLY see what is going on and stop with all the 'I forgot to think about peoples feelings' nonsense.

Article written by Crystal King