After meeting for President Obama for the first time last January, Kendrick Lamar built a rapport with the president and says he's come to look up him as a person. At the American Express pop-up show in Brooklyn Friday, Kendrick Lamar said hip hop owes a lot to President Obama for allowing rap artists into the White House.
“I think the world, not just hip-hop owes him,” said K-Dot. “We all have to give him his credit due for even allowing us into the building. We would probably never get inside that house ever again."
In April, through the My Brother's Keeper initiative, Obama invited a few big names including Cornrow Kenny, Chance The Rapper, J. Cole, Common, Wale and many others to a round table to discuss criminal justice reform.
"This is something our grandparents always wanted to see, never thought in a million years, but [we can] pass it down to our generation to say, ‘Alright, I’m in here and I’m finna use my power to let ya’ll see how this thing works and I’mma drop some knowledge on y’all that a man can’t drop on everybody else ’cause y’all have the most influence,’” said Lamar of his dealings with the president.
Obama launched the My Brother's Keeper initiative to level the playing field for young persons of color who must face sometimes harsh economic and social hurdles and ensure they have a chance to reach success.
[via XXL]