With the state of hip-hop arguably the best it has been in years, Kendrick Lamar's Pulitzer Prize win helped to solidify his standing as one of the most talented musicians in the world. A groundbreaking moment for the genre, Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. was awarded last month with the recognition of a lifetime. When one pursues a career as a musician, it can be considered a pipedream to even think about possibly receiving a Pulitzer Prize and yet, somehow, Kendrick achieved it. With K Dot becoming the first non-classical or jazz artist to win a Pulitzer for music, the entire hip-hop community is walking away with a W.
The Pulitzer luncheon was held today where Kendrick was given a standing ovation upon accepting his award. While he did not get the chance to speak on stage as with most televised award ceremonies, members of the audience pulled out their cell phones to capture the historic moment and take part in the crowning. The official account of the Pulitzer Prizes shared several photos of Kenny arriving at the event as well as video captured of him accepting the award. According to XXL, the artist noted at the event, "To get this type of recognition. It's beautiful."
The Pulitzer board has described Lamar's DAMN. as "a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life." Watch him take the stage to excitedly accept his new award at around the 53-minute mark of the video below. Congratulations Kendrick!