Quotes from Kendrick Lamar

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

Being able to tell one from start to finish, and making that puzzle come together at the end. That's the art for me.

Hip-hop and being a pro athlete go hand in hand. When they come together, it's a win, not just for your business brand but also for culture.

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.

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.

Life Will Put Many Red Lights In Front Of You, But Sometimes We Must Push On The Gas And Trust God

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

I want you to recognize that I'm a proud monkey...

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

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

In all my days of schooling, from preschool all the way up to 12th grade, there was not one white person in my class. Literally zero.

The opposite of love? Vice. Temptation. The negative influences that we have. The bad energy that comes around us and makes us do certain things. To me, it's always been a war between the two.

When you go on your Twitter or look down your Timeline and it's all great positivity - I love that. But at the same time, it can really divert you from what your purpose is or what you're trying to do. And I've seen artists get caught up in that.

I sit and talk to kids all day, because I feel like they carry the most wisdom.