Top 197 Quotes & Sayings by Kendrick Lamar

My mom's one of 13 siblings, and they all got six kids, and till I was 13 everybody was in Compton.

Temptation is just the feeling that you're the most independent person on planet Earth. That you know everything. That's something that we all go through as a kid. Now, this lifestyle that I'm in, the same thing exists! But it's 10 times worse, because everything is at my disposal. When you're in the limelight, you can get anything you want.

It's easy to forget who you are.

God to me is love.

Sonnymoon and Quadrants are a couple of bands that really inspire me in terms of the melodics of things and certain tones and just what feels good. It takes me back to the type of music that I grew up on in my household. We played a lot of gangsta rap, but we also played a lot of oldies, and I think that mix is part of what inspires my sound.

The hardest thing for - not only an artist but for anybody to do is look themselves in the mirror and acknowledge, you know, their own flaws and fears and imperfections and put them out there in the open for people to relate to it.

I always thought money was something just to make me happy. But I've learned that I feel better being able to help my folks, 'cause we never had nothing. So just to see them excited about my career is more of a blessing than me actually having it for myself.

I learned, when I look in the mirror and tell my story, that I should be myself and not peep whatever everybody is doing.

This is the thing about hip-hop music and where people get it most misconstrued: It's all hip-hop. You can't say that just what I do is hip-hop, because hip-hop is all energies. James Brown can get on the track and mumble all day. But guess what? You felt his soul on those records.

My pops and my mom started playing Marvin Gaye and the Isley Brothers and all these people, but at the same time, they always had Snoop on right behind it in the same mix.

I look at where I'm at today and realize that most of my success is owed to the mentors that was in my life.

It's a great, great experience to finally get the reception that you know you rightfully deserve.

I always was that person who was hard on myself and challenged myself no matter what I was doing, whether it was passing third grade or playing basketball.

My folks ain't graduated from high school or nothing like that, so we always had to struggle in the family - and I come from a big family.

I think my worst problem is actually living in the moment and understanding everything that's going on. I feel like I'm in my own bubble.

I'm constantly thinking.

The worst part of success is, to me, adapting to it. It's scary.

I always tell people that if I move anywhere it would be Toronto.

You don't hear no artists from Compton showing vulnerability.

My word will never be as strong as God's word. All I am is just a vessel, doing His work.

I don't vote. I don't do no voting.

I got a greater purpose. God put something in my heart to get across, and that's what I'm going to focus on, using my voice as an instrument and doing what needs to be done.

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.

My moms always told me, 'How long you gonna play the victim?' I can say I'm mad and I hate everything, but nothing really changes until I change myself.

I can't help the way you was born if you was gay.

My whole thing is to inspire, to better people, to better myself forever in this thing that we call rap, this thing that we call hip hop.

We're in the last days, man - I truly, in my heart, believe that. It's written. I could go on with biblical situations and things my grandma told me. But it's about being at peace with myself and making good with the people around me.

I like to let things breathe.

Since day one, since the first time I touched the pen, I wanted to be the best at what I do.

You can have the platinum album. But, you know, when you still feel like you haven't quite found your place in the world, it kind of gives a crazy offset.

At first, I was scared to show fear because you can never be sure how people will perceive you. But I dared myself to do that, to stand out. Now I'll talk about being beaten up or robbed or making a stupid decision because of a girl or whatever.

I knew I was blessed with a gift of having both parents.

People gonna be they own individuals and have they own worlds and I can't knock it.

I don't want to be something that just comes and goes.

The majority of my interactions with police were not good. There were a few good ones who were actually protecting the community. But then you have ones from the Valley. They never met me in their life, but since I'm a kid in basketball shorts and a white T-shirt, they wanna slam me on the hood of the car. Sixteen years old.

When I ask OGs why there's so much division in the streets, nobody never really knows. But you know one thing that everybody always mention? A woman.

When everybody looks at our generation of kids, they always call us the misfits - you know, like we just don't give a damn.

Before finding music, I didn't have too many aspirations. I wanted to hang out, make a little money from whatever I had to do.

When I talk to kids, I'm really listening. When I do that, we have a little bit of a bigger connection than me being Kendrick Lamar and you being a student. It's almost like we're friends. Because a friend listens.

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 think my vice would be outdoing myself.

Sometimes you have the trends that's not that cool. You may have certain artists portraying these trends and don't really have that lifestyle, and then it gives off the wrong thing. And it becomes kinda corny after awhile. It's really about keeping hip-hop original and pushing away the corniness in it.

From the moment I started writing raps, I was always aware of the pressure. I always wanted to live up to how huge Snoop got, how huge Dre got, how huge Pac got. I was always aware.

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.

I've been called a recluse. There's definitely truth in that. I like to spend time alone.

I'm Machiavelli's offspring, I'm the king of New York, king of the coast, one hand, I juggle them both.

If my edge is dull, my sword is dull, and I don't want to fight another guy whose sword is dull. If you've got two steel swords going back and forth hitting each other, what's gonna happen? Both of them are going to get sharper. Everybody that's in the industry has lost their edge.

We're all put on this earth to walk in His image, the Master.

The best thing is to always keep honest people around, because when you have a bunch of yes men around that know that you're making a mistake but let you go on with it, that's when it ruins your mind state as an artist.

As a kid from Compton, you can get all the success in the world and still question your worth.

People are used to music that justifies street culture but something that's not touched on is why these kids act the way they act, live the way they live.

The way people look at me these days - that's the same way I looked at President Obama before I met him. We tend to forget that people who've attained a certain position are human.

I'm sticking to the script, I'm putting that organic feeling back in the game.

I had to come from something, come from a place that was negative and positive but the majority of it is a negative place.

Being acknowledged for your work is always a great accomplishment, whether it's people in my city, kids in the street, all the way up to the Grammys.

If I'm gonna tell a real story, I'm gonna start with my name.

I'm only as good as my last word, my last hook, my last bridge.

I'm selfish.

As long as my music is real, it's no limit to how many ears I can grab.

Eventually you get to this point where you understand what you want to do and get across and sound like.