Kendrick Lamar Talks Emotional Vulnerability and Success in New Interview

Kendrick Lamar is the cover star of Harper’s Bazaar. In an exclusive sit-down interview with Sza, the rapper discusses the emotional impact of his viral hits.

With a diverse discography, including numerous charting hits from “Alright” to “Humble” and now “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar is the next face to grace the cover of Harper’s Bazaar. The 17-time Grammy award-winning artist continues to push the envelope of what constitutes hip hop, with ever-evolving sounds taking the genre to new heights.

As the rapper prepares to take center stage at the Super Bowl, he sits down with fellow friend and artist Sza. Throughout their discussion about producing art, the duo examines their legacies and what follows them down the journey ahead. 

Furthermore, the two dived into deeper topics such as religion, vulnerability, and their futures in the music industry. “I feel my work in music is just the start,” he told the outlet for their “Voices” issue. “I don’t think it’s my end goal. I know it’s not my end goal. Music is just a vessel to get me there.”

Touching on vulnerability, the rapper believes he could not grow or be the person he is today without it. “For what I do, there is certainly no growth without vulnerability,” he told Sza. “If I understood the power of vulnerability earlier, I could have had more depth and more reach to the guys that was around me in the neighborhood coming up.”

In addition, the rapper also became candid on the topic of crying and allowing himself to fully feel and work through rather complicated emotions. “The first time I allowed it to happen is documented, actually, onstage [in 2011] when Dre and Snoop and the whole West Coast was out, and they was like, ‘This is the torch that we were handing off.’ Dre passed me the torch, and a burst of energy just came out and I had to let it flow.”

“My tears is all on the internet. And now I look back and I love that moment. I love that that happened. Because it showed me in real time expressing myself and seeing all the work that I put forth actually come to life in that moment,” he discussed.

Aside from accepting the powerful impact of vulnerability, he can also create a distance between who he is musically and personally. In the limelight of it all, being such a presence in music can be extraordinary yet terrifying. 

“I’ve learned that I can’t identify with my performances onstage,” he stated. “I can’t hold my true whole identity to that person who’s on stage. Because if I did, that means I will judge every movement every time I f*ck up a lyric, every time I’m off-key…. It’s too much to deal with.” 

While being candid about his fears, Lamar is able to tap into his creative roots to express his inner self. With the success of his summer anthem “Not Like Us,” the viral hit is more than just a clapback to haters. “‘Not Like Us’ is the energy of who I am, the type of man I represent,” he stated.

“This man has morals, he has values, he believes in something, he stands on something. He’s not pandering.” His strong beliefs in the song did not just inspire a ton of memes but broke numerous records a mere couple of days after release. Even when he is not releasing a complete record, Lamar proves his strength will always secure him at the top. 

Check out the rest of Kendrick Lamar’s and Sza’s conversation here.