Kendrick Lamar Talks "Personal" Album Cover & Friendship With Dr. Dre
Compton-based rapper Kendrick Lamar recently sat down with Fuse to discuss his upcoming album, good kid, m.A.A.d City. In the process, he opened up about the album’s very personal cover, his relationship with Dr. Dre and his single, "Swimming Pools."
On his album cover: It’s two uncles, my grandfather and me next to a 40 ounce next next to a gang sign. It’s not just music to me; this is a story about the youth and the people they call delinquents in my city. If you look in the background you see a picture of me with my pops. His eyes are blacked out, but that’s for personal reasons. That photo says so much about my life and how I was raised.
On his relationship with Dr. Dre: He came from that world where radio wasn’t playing his music so he went out and made his own sound. So he understands that. He knows I come from a place of originality.
On his song "Swimming Pools": The first verse is about people getting drunk and abusing liquor and stuff like that. The second verse is me becoming a teenager and indulging in it the way they do. And me having to make a decision at the end of the day – am I going to be a casual drinker or a drunk?
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