A Kendrick Lamar Biography Is in the Works
by Site Manager
Kendrick Lamar fans, this one’s for you!
Bandcamp Senior Editor and Pitchfork contributor Marcus J. Moore announced on Thursday (March 22) that a biography about the Compton rapper is in the works.
The music journalist signed a deal with Touchstone Books to pen a cultural biography called The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America.
Moore told P&P about the concept behind the book over email: “My book details the artist’s coming of age as an MC, how he helped resurrect two languishing genres (bebop and jazz), his profound impact on a racially fraught America, and his emergence as the bonafide King of Rap.”
“It centers on three albums—good kid, m.A.A.d city, To Pimp a Butterfly, and DAMN.— and examines how Lamar charted a personal and societal awakening in America,” Moore continues. “It details how his story directly connects to the charged spirits of art and revolution. Ultimately, the biography explores the broad global impact of Mr. Lamar and his work.”
“Having covered Lamar’s music over the years, I’m always fascinated by the sheer gravity of his work,” Moore says.
He adds, “he’s an iconic musician, and someone who truly appreciates the foundation of black art, using it as a vehicle to shed light on his community. He’s never forgotten where he’s come from and I think that’s honorable. He’s also a conflicted soul who’s always looking to improve, and is never satisfied with the status quo. He shapes culture and music in a way no other lyricist has. As a a big fan of his work, I want to shed adequate light on the man behind the music while giving proper context to his art.”
Sound off in the comments below and let us know, are you excited for a Kendrick Lamar biography?
Some big news I’ve been eager to share: I’ve signed with @TouchstoneBooks to write the cultural biography of Kendrick Lamar. My book, “The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America,” will detail his rise to rap superstardom. pic.twitter.com/6Fm68sFBad
— Marcus J. Moore (@MarcusJMoore) March 22, 2018