Kendrick Lamar won Pulitzer Prize for rap for his fourth album ‘Damn’

OHMYGOSSIP — Kendrick Lamar has become the first rapper to ever win a Pulitzer Prize for music. The 30-year-old musician won the prestigious prize – awarded for achievements in literature, journalism and music – for his fourth album ‘Damn’.

Previous musicians to win the prize include Bob Dylan, Hank Williams and Duke Ellington, but never a hip-hop artist. The ‘HUMBLE’ rapper’s win makes him the first non-classical or jazz artist to scoop the prize.

Lamar – who combines rap with spoken word, poetry, jazz and funk – confronts a range of issues in his lyrics, including police brutality and racial stereotyping.
The rapper told Interview magazine last year: “I don’t want anybody to classify my music. I want them to say, ‘This is somebody who’s recognising his true feelings, his true emotions, ideas, thoughts, opinions, and views on the world, all on one record.’ I want people to recognise that and to take it and apply it to their own lives.
“The more and more I get out and talk to different people, I realise they appreciate that – me being unapologetic in whatever views and approach I have.”

Reese Witherspoon was among the stars who tweeted their congratulations on the win. She wrote: “Congrats to @kendricklamar for winning a #pulitzerprize for your provocative , groundbreaking work. Keep speaking truth. [sic].

Congrats to @kendricklamar for winning a #pulitzerprize for your provocative , groundbreaking work. ?Keep speaking truth. https://t.co/AAbV8Af2Gr

— Reese Witherspoon (@RWitherspoon) April 16, 2018

Whilst Ellen DeGeneres tweeted: “@kendricklamar is the first person to win a #Pulitzer for rap. Yep. That feels about right. Incredible. [sic]”

.@KendrickLamar is the first person to win a #Pulitzer for rap. Yep. That feels about right. Incredible.

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) April 17, 2018

Find us also on Twitter @OHMYGOSSIP and @OHMYGOSSIP_USA

 

---

---