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It’s just really just uh. I wanna look at it like It’s just *** continuum of who I am really. I, I, I’ve always stayed to myself. I’ve always been in my own bubble, whether it’s with the fam or whether it’s training. How I process it all is just I continue to do what I was doing 10 years ago and that’s like. Be better in myself, better in the craft and not look at his bright lights, you know. And it may sound cliche, but it always worked for me, even when I was younger, you know, playing sports or being in the front forefront of presentations and stuff like that, it was like. I gotta look at myself in the mirror rather than looking at as *** crowd or, you know, fame and attention. So now, early days of your career, you know, section 80 days, even early mix tapes, and you’re perfecting your craft as an MC. Did you ever think we’d be at the Super Bowl with this? I’t thinking about no Super Bowl. You never talk about the Super Bowl I think about no Super Bowl for sure. We was thinking about the, the, the best verse and, uh, how we gonna split this $5 at at Church’s Chicken or something like that. it wasn’t no Super Bowl. Go to the studio and getting *** meal. But uh I think, well, what I know is. The passion I have now is still the passion I had then. And I think that carried on to the Super Bowl. So it was all about being present. As long as I was present in the studio and present in whatever that line was or whatever that mistake was, uh, rapping or doing the hooks or choruses or whatnot, I was present in that moment I felt that passion. I think. Being president and not actually foreseeing everything kept me in the grounded state of mind in order to be uh, you know, big stages like this. I think we felt that presence and that focus in your work for the past 15 years like Ebro said, going all the way back to projects like overly dedicated and so seeing you perform with Doctor Dre at the halftime show 3 years ago we already felt like that was the most hip hop beautiful. For halftime show ever and now for you to come back and be the first solo hip hop artist to headline how does it feel being the artist to hit that milestone and you know just your thoughts on what that means about hip hop’s progression and impact over the years. But that ***, it made me think about like the grind of it, you know what I mean? *** lot of people don’t see like the story before the glory, man, and that *** is like. Shuffling out your mix tapes and you know, going to neighborhoods and parties and performing there, hole in the wall spots. It lets me, it reminds me of The essence and the the the core response of rap and hip hop and how far it can go. So for me, that should mean everything because it puts the culture on the forefront where it needs to be and not minimized to just uh *** catchy song or verse. This is *** true art form. So the represented on this type of stage is like. Everything that I’ve worked for and everything that I believe in as far as the culture. Like I live and die by it. This, this *** done changed my whole family life, so I don’t take it for granted at all as far as the art form, you know. It feels like this, that was *** lot what this year was about too, right? Like you, you, I guess, you know, you took it and put it on your back and you felt like *** line needed to be drawn, right? Um, was that, you know, was that your intent when you rolled out this year was like, yo, I’m drawing *** line. Like, this is what it is. My intent was to always keep, I think from day one was to always keep the nature of it as ***, as *** sport, you know, I don’t care how *** look at it as far as like uh Uh, uh, uh, as *** collaborative effort, you know, that’s cool too, but I, I love when, when artists grit their teeth. Like I still watch battle raps. I still watch Smack URL from Myrtle Mook to uh Lux to Tay Roc, you know, my bro Daylight. This, this has always been the core definition of who I am and, and it’s been that way since day one. So I don’t think it was ***, *** thing for this year. It was always just *** continuum and uh. Well, we will say about this year, it was more. Uh, from *** space where I think *** lot of people was putting rap to the back and you didn’t see that. You didn’t see that grit, you didn’t see that bite anymore. So I always took that into consideration and going into any type of my music. That’s interesting. So I hope this makes sense, right? You know we’ve been following your journey for about 15 years and you have been so consistent in the messaging and the focus like you said, um, and you’ve always moved with integrity so in *** lot of ways I feel like we thought we knew exactly who you were as an artist in *** positive way and then last year it felt like you unlocked *** whole new dimension for us but that person like you said was always in there but I’m wondering. Do you still surprise yourself sometimes? Did you surprise yourself last year or was it just, just us, the fans with our jaws on the floor, just stunned? That’s *** good question. Uh, surprised myself. Uh, no, I don’t think I surprised myself cause This, this for me and for my partners that’s been around me since 2005, 2006, like my brothers, they, they know my personality, they know, know my capabilities. Even when it, you know, wasn’t presented to the public at first, right? So. This is just like *** um. *** revolving door of what I’ve been doing in Carson Studios at the homie garage or uh my brother’s at TDE or just anybody around the city of Compton in in in LA. Uh, it’s just magnified to *** level where I’ve progressed it and, and, you know, did enough hours to know, OK, I know where to place it now. I know how to make it connect with people. It feels like, uh, each album too, getting to this point was like. It was an album for the culture. And it was an album for the critics, you know what I mean? And then it would for the critics, and, and, and then GNX comes along and it’s like, nah nah nah, this is an album for anybody, everybody and anybody who want it. At any time, and you brought that energy and if and and the energy you brought on GNX was an energy that I don’t think was really happening in hip hop. Like it’s *** public enemy level energy. It’s uh Ice Cube America’s Most Wanted energy. Like it’s *** classic, you know, timeless energy. Um, talk about your headspace between Mr. Morale and this GNX. Yeah, that’s that’s that’s great. Go back even further, man. Speak on that energy like it’s. My, my, my, my cousins was like DJ Quick, you know, and, and Dre, you know, these, these folks that my people was playing. So I always had that DNA and you know, you heard that DNA *** little bit on Good Kid Mad City, but I wanted to tell my story first, right? And um Fast forward to GNX I felt it was just *** perfect time because not only the energy was lost, but it was the energy that was bubbling inside of me as well. I wanted to go back to the forefront of just the bite and just the, the, the grit of rap, just all raps and and hard *** beats and that’s like the basics for me. I thought about them what I used to like when I was *** kid. Hard raps, good beats, that’s smacking, right? And um. It was *** great transition from Mr. Morale because that was my most intimate. I want to go inside of my own psyche and my own uh uh personal withdrawals and, and, and see how it connects with the public and who can relate. So during this time around, I, I think it was necessary to coming out of that cocoon and feeling like, OK, I arrived now. I can, I can spread my wings and show. Every state of who I am as far as Kendrick Lamar. And you really did spread your wings. I mean, you just came off *** huge Grammy wins. You walked away with 5 awards and you are not like us won for um song and record of the year, um, which in itself is remarkable, but I think for people who love and respect hip hop and the roots of this culture, the competitive spirit of it, it has been *** little bit mind bending that you created this massive cultural award winning anthem. Out of *** battle rap song and. How is that something after you got off that Grammy stage, you got home in some quiet time? What was going through your head? I was just thinking about the culture really. I, I, it’s, it’s always there for me first. I’m not even bullshitting with you. It’s like. When people talk about rap, man, the conversations I hear, they think it’s it’s just rap and it’s not an actual art form. So when you put records like that at the forefront, it reminds people that this is more than just Something that came 50 years ago. I forget that it’s even been here 50 years, right? And like kinda like belittle it. So I love to see that it gets that type of recognition for just straight raps, from awards to uh the billboards, all that because this is, this is truly. Just as big as an art form and and *** genre as any other genre. So that’s what I think about and I feel accomplished being able to do that. You know, whether somebody else come behind me and do it again and quadruple it, I love to see it. If that was my purpose to do that, then that’s exactly what it was for that particular moment. I think people often miss the significance of that record and Song of the Year award because that Song of the Year award is *** songwriter’s award. Like, it’s not just the biggest song. It’s like someone wrote *** song. And you as *** songwriter, when you see your name up there and it’s written by. Kendrick, and that’s it. That’s powerful and I think to what you’re saying, I, I think there’s *** lot of people who have become fans of hip hop and they, they, you know, you like the songs you hear and know, but you’re not actually tapped into the work that it takes for you to generate. The output, the art, exactly, man. As ***, as *** writer, you know, and, and that’s what I can appreciate the most and knowing how much time I dedicated over the years and just trial and error, writing the most terrible *** to the some of the greatest ***. You know, we all do it from writer’s block to figuring out how to find inspiration from The most uh non-popular aspects around me. So it’s like. Knowing that trial and knowing what I put in as far as my thinking process and and what it takes to get there, I do not. Uh, look at it as *** *** *** small like endeavor because it’s *** hit record. No, it’s actually some writing that ***. You know, whether it connects with you on on *** spiritual level, whether they connect with you on *** comedic level, where they connect with you just on *** personal dynamic, it’s still from *** writer’s point of view. Yeah, you are. An incredible writer there are songs on GNX like Reincarnated. I didn’t know what to do with that song for the first few times I heard of it, just trying to figure out where you possibly came up with the inspiration for *** record like that like when you’re working on on those songs, are you going through multiple versions until. The right thing comes to you. It’s just, it’s hard to fathom, I guess what I’m saying. Yeah, well, records, records like that, uh, first all shot of Tupac. That’s that’s the number one in that was always one of my favorite records from him and Outlaws. Um, with records like that, it’s always going into my mind of like what if, right? And crafting out my what if ideas to the masses. So when I think about concepts and I think about what I actually believe and what I feel. I just go through *** breakdown of this I I’m reading *** book, you know, and how I want people to hear this from *** book sequence. So my initial process is OK, how can I open them up to the story and how can I drive them to the ending point to make them feel truly exactly what I’m trying to convey, whether they take their own perspective from it or they take mine. I just want you to feel it first, you know, the, the writing is there now is up to me to perform it to where you can feel it. Yo, give it up to this guy, Kendrick Lamar. Y’all too quiet, man. This guy, you know, this guy doesn’t really, he doesn’t sit down and do this too often, so there’s *** very special conversation and we appreciate you, bro. I really do. And, and shout to Scissor too, because you guys are making history right now. And, and you’ve seen her from her humble beginnings like she’s seen you from your humble beginnings, um. You’ve watched to find success and now y’all sharing the stage at the Super Bowl. Go the this humongous tour that’s rolling out next year. Um, talk about this moment in both of y’all’s career. Have you guys had *** chance to even see each other in this moment and, and be like, yo, like, we haven’t even had *** chance to crash out about it because everything been moving fast like far as production and rehearsals and stuff. So we speak, but it’s not. We haven’t really got *** chance to settle into the moment. Uh, for me personally, watching her, uh, you know, her career and where she’s come from, it’s amazing to see. I get to finally see how certain individuals see me come up in the process because I’ve seen her day one coming in the studio and writing songs, throwing away songs, writing another songs, throwing away songs and songs is hard. And I understood that process though, wanting to be great, you know, even when we, you know, people were saying this is classic records, she was like, no, you know, I’m gonna write another one. And I understood that and I seen it, so to see it now magnified it’s like. She always had it, man. She always had it and I’m, I’m just honored to be next to *** talent. Yeah, you’ve both worked really hard to be here in this moment and on Hard Part ix is really amazing to hear you detail that journey for old and new fans, you know, going coming up through the ranks at TDE and now launching your own. And see PG Lang, so performing at the Super Bowl halftime show is very much, you know, us as fans getting to celebrate you and this beautiful musical legacy, but also now you’re stepping out as an entrepreneur. What has it been like to build your own business and to also showcase some of that creativity from your agency on this platform? Oh man, I love the process. Uh, shout out to PG Lane. Make some noise with PG Lane. Yeah, that’s, that’s, that’s. That’s my, that’s my team, and it’s, it’s 30 incredible individuals, uh, 5 extraordinary executives that work day in and day out to make sure we are doing something that will long live the culture, you know, from *** music standpoint, from *** creative standpoint, fashion, film. Books day in day out of just being around like-minded individuals that have different perspectives outside of just music. So, through that process, it was *** challenge for me, but even more *** process of me enjoying, OK, different ideas and and and different backgrounds and how to look at things, um. I love it. I love it, uh, being on calls and, you know, formulating business ideas and and ventures outside of my usual norm, it challenges me and I can’t wait to see what happens next. I know it’s gonna happen next. I, I think for the audience too, you know, and anybody watching around the world, the PG Lang thing is, is, you know, I think people see you as an artist and someone who makes music, but I don’t know if you wanna share it today, but the level of detail that you yourself, along with Dave and, and shout to the whole PG Lang team, but y’all as friends that came up together, you in the edits. Like what we’re gonna see on Sunday is *** PG Lang production. That’s all PG Lane. That is us sitting day in, day out from the edits, the production, uh, the, the stage design, the, the, the music, the sound tech. It’s everything across the board and it takes *** lot of work. It takes *** lot of creative individuals. I can’t sit here and say it’s all me because these are people that are just as passionate and want to see us win but also wanna put out something that lives *** long, long time and uh. But With Dave’s *** creative mind, it’s just, he’s insane, man. That, that dude is like. Basquiat in so many different fashions. You know, you can clearly pick his brain about anything and he’ll give you an answer right down the middle to help you decide for yourself. So that’s something I can always appreciate. Yeah, I’d say with all of your powers combined, y’all are really diabolical. Like when you roll out the videos, all the visuals for GNX just the way you all move strategically together, it is. Inspiring beyond the music, you know, just thinking about how to approach life and art in *** holistic way and so when it came down to planning for the Super Bowl now, you know, if he’s on the album coming up to New Orleans with this LA energy, how did you guys approach. Show and trying to figure out how to pay tribute to the classics in your catalog with this new music and like *** 13 minute setlist. Yeah, it’s, it’s wild. Mr. Mora is like *** 1 hour and 30 minute tour so it’s like you gotta smack the *** down all the way 13 minutes. It’s, it’s, it’s kind of wild and it’s interesting because it lets you know kind of where you at, and and your perspective on how you think about catalog and the music. Uh, for me, I, I love being present. I love being present, man. I it’s my favorite. It’s very hard for me to, to live in the past. It’s very hard. I respect the past wholeheartedly, but Being in the now and being just locked in to how I feel and the energy I have now. That’s, that’s the LA energy for me. That’s something that I want to carry over to New Orleans and, and, and for the world to see. This is me, this is Kendrick Lamar, 37 years old and I still feel like I’m, I’m, I’m elevating. I’m still on the journey though, you know, and uh I want, I want that energy to, you know, ooze out into the televisions and to the people that’s in that building. Well, and, and on that, you know, the connection uh between black culture in New Orleans and how, how important and, and shaping our ancestors were in this town, music, jazz, all that. You always put our culture and black culture at the forefront of your brand, your music. Same thing in LA. *** lot of our family members moved out to California from the South for new opportunities, so there’s *** big connection between LA and the South. So when you say you walked in to New Orleans with that LA etiquette and all of that, I don’t know if people really grasp that, but that’s you gotta be feeling that energy like when you, when you are out ready on Sunday to do your thing. That’s *** bar. It’s crazy, bro, every. Out all my friend LA. Us growing up All our grandparents either from Louisiana, Texas, Chicago, like, period. So our dialect and how we talk, it it it it gas from like the south and like the Bay Area, so. Like going to the store, we say Fenner. I’m gonna go to the store. Like that’s some self ***, you know what I’m saying? That’s that’s not no LA, right? So, uh, that energy right there and you, you know, making that correlation, it, it means *** lot to me for people to understand that and um. The culture and just being black, I can’t, I can’t help that, man. It’s just not something that I think about or even try to like go, I’m, I’m black *** it’s just gonna, it’s gonna, it’s not on you, yeah, it’s gonna come out every time. I’m not gonna I can’t sugarcoat it, you know, I can’t downplay it. I’m at *** point in my life I can’t, I can’t necessarily fake the funk for nothing, and I’ve, I’ve always had the essence of that, but you know you have kids and ***, that’s shit’s like. I have to be who I am authentically and if, you know, the world can’t accept that, then then so be it. But who rocking with it? I’m gonna put it all the way out there, you know, whether it’s in private or whether it’s on the main stage. Yeah, I don’t think *** lot of people and *** lot of artists stand in themselves as authentically as you have, and I think one of the questions we’ve all been wrestling with over the past few months watching you and the way you’ve moved is really what is the role of an artist and I think lots of people have very different definitions, but young Kendrick again back to overly dedicated and section 80 mixtape Kendrick. And GNX Kendrick, Super Bowl, Grammys, Kendrick, has your idea of what the role of an artist is you as an artist, has that ever changed? I don’t think I knew exactly what my role was early early on I had maybe clues of it, but now today I can truly say is, is to, to express myself and express things that people can necessarily say on the daily and for them to actually relate to and um. Come from the most vulnerable place where people can actually feel it. I think that is, for me, that’s the role for me as an artist. I don’t give *** *** what place they come from. I could be the most angry person on the record. You could feel that *** that day if you woke up and you felt that. You, you wanna smile, you gonna feel it because I’m gonna make sure I’m present that particular time in the studio in the booth that I feel happy and I feel uh energized and I feel, you know, if I feel frustrated, you’re gonna feel it and To carry that as an inspiration for people that’s listening that may not have *** voice that, you know, I’ve I’ve grew up with cats. Still to this day can’t have *** conversation. The most meanest, you know, uh, uh, aggressive individuals, but they can’t even look you in the eye. And express themselves the way they want to, so they resort to other things. And when I think about that, and I know that I have the tools necessary to communicate myself properly and effectively, I gotta do it for them. I gotta make records like reincarnated. I gotta make records like Man in the Garden. I, I, I have to because they feel that way but they cannot project it. And when they hear somebody actually giving them them affirmations. It allows them to speak more freely and be open because again, I come from the same place they come from. Well, Kendrick, um, we might not see you outside again soon after Super Bowl. I know of course you have the GNX tour. Listen, I know you also don’t love doing interviews, but we are grateful. We’re so grateful for all the music and the moments that you’ve given us over 15 years and in the last year, um, your presence and your focus, it is noted, so thank you. You, we really appreciate it. Thanks for taking our hip hop for sure for fighting for hip hop. It is really appreciated. And now we do have some some kids are gonna ask questions, but I got, I got one more thing for you, Kendrick, before we go to uh our friend here, Hayes Adler. What is, what should, what should people expect to see and understand about Sunday’s performance? Um, Storytelling. I think I’ve always been uh. Very, uh, open about storytelling through through all my catalog and my history of music. And I’ve always had *** passion about bringing that on whatever stage I’m on, you know, whether it’s *** war tour or whether it’s 500 people at Key Club. I’ve always had *** form of that, so I, I like to always carry on that sense of, you know, make people listen but also see and and think *** little. I think this is gonna be one of those performances where people are gonna be digging up Easter eggs for I mean, even when it’s not an Easter egg, make one up. Hayes, uh, this is Hayes Adler. He’s got *** question for you, Kendrick. Hi Kendrick, what’s going on? How do you prepare for such *** big performance? Do you have *** favorite way to stay healthy and active? Yeah, uh. I do some laps where there’s some sprints. If we we talking about oh let’s go from OK, on *** physical level. I give you that, um. Maybe it’s *** 2 mile warm up or *** mile warm up, maybe some pushups just to get the body movement. Sometimes you’d be out on that stage, man, and take ***, you need some, some, some, some oil on your knees *** little bit to get moving and get cranky. So, uh, physically, um, yeah, I’m, I’m, I’m just exercising the body *** little bit of stretching, *** little bit all that and um. On *** mental level, I’m usually playing some Isley Brothers just to calm my, not my nerves but calm my excitement and just give it *** *** *** balance, you know. So that’s that’s my prep right before I go out. Thank you, Hayes. Thank you so much. And now Alvin Williams. How you doing, sir? What’s up Kendrick? What’s up man? I’m, I’m *** little with um Big Brother and Big Sister New Orleans. What has mentorship meant to you during the course of your career? And if you could thank your mentors for believing in you, what would you say? Oh man, mentorship has been been everything, um. To, to, to be around individuals that had experienced every little thing that you know you think that you’re the first person to go through through *** way it is, it’s *** difficult task when you’re *** young individual because you like *** you don’t know what you’re talking about but as you progress and you be like damn. He or she was right, you. Begin to understand life *** little bit better and not be so judgmental to people that have been here before you, right? Um. The greatest thing I would say mentors. *** couple mentors had given me was like affirmation to always give myself space to believe in who I am, even when I wasn’t feeling it, right? You can, you can accomplish so many small things or big things that you still can fall in the slump where you doubt yourself and um even though. These mentors haven’t seen the spaces and been in the places I’ve been in. It was always time to allow me to share exactly who I am or how they see me and what I’m capable to give to the world and I, I think that goes *** long way, you know, from people in the highest places and the lowest places. We all need them. All right, thank you. Thank you. Thanks Alvin. And we have one more question from young Dylan. What’s up there you go. That’s that’s right there. It’s, it’s *** truly an honor to meet you. And my question I have for you is, what advice could you give to kids about not being like anyone else and how could they stay authentic while pursuing your path? It’s *** great question, um. They said the number one thing people feel in the room, you know, over love and over fears authentic, being authentic, and this is this um my homegirl Ink actually we was talking about this in the studio, she brought this in the studio and I was like damn. How many times I’ve been in *** room where. People felt you so intensely. That It inspired them and inspired the person next to them and inspired the people in their household. Um, so how to stay authentic? Was that the question or? You have to believe in yourself and have to know that it’s only one you. You and an amazing individual, unique, you’re *** miracle. I wake up every day and I’m like, this *** is crazy. Not crazy from *** standpoint of, of. Being *** celebrity crazy just life. It’s just wow when you really sit down and just think about it and just bug out on some wild. It’s wild and to know that you are in this existence and in this world as one individual is only you. You have to know that you got to carry that. Authentic nature of allowing yourself to say. This is who I am. This is how how people are gonna see me and also gonna respect me and it’s gonna inspire people to have truth because when everyone’s authentic, what comes out of that is true love. It’s there’s no boundaries. We don’t have any courtship on judgment. We don’t have any perception of. Uh, being able to ridicule anyone because you showing up as your true self, I’m showing up as my true self and carrying that nature to take you places. Answers are just as thoughtful as in the music. It’s ridiculous. Thank you, Dylan. Thank you, Kendrick. Appreciate you. Uh, ladies and gentlemen, um, one more time for the great Kendrick Lamar, please. Thank you so much for your work and your dedication. I appreciate you out there and have fun on Sunday. Um, thank you so much to everyone for joining us today. We can’t wait to see.