Kendrick Lamar: LA rapper honoured for raising issues affecting his community

Compton native received "Generational Icon" award

Kendrick Lamar (Reuters)

Grammy-award winning rapper and Compton native Kendrick Lamar, 27, has been honoured for his ongoing efforts to address issues affecting his community and recognised for the music he has produced that reflects these concerns.

“Being from the city of Compton and knowing the parks that I played at in the neighbourhoods, I’ve always thought of how great the opportunity would be to give back to my community off of what I do in music,” Mr Lamar said, accepting the honour.

“So in order to do that from a city all the way to a state standpoint and have these young kids look at me at some type of inspiration it’s really an honour.”

California State Senator Isadore Hall III presented Mr Lamar with the 35th Senate District's Generational Icon Award on the senate floor. He praised the rapper’s generosity sighting hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to support programmes at local schools.

“In less than 10 years as a professional artist, Mr Lamar has gone from a local Compton young boy to become a multiplatinum, Billboard chart–topping, two-time Grammy Award–winning musician, an incredible achievement for anyone 27 years old," Mr Hall said.

“But Mr Lamar has not let his recent fame get the best of him. If you visit Compton, and I would encourage all of my colleagues to do so, Mr Lamar is a familiar face in the neighborhood.”