Kendrick Lamar is really taking the concept of "The Pop Out" pretty far, especially for his home city of Compton, Los Angeles. Not only will he perform at The Forum in L.A. on Juneteenth for a special show with friends, but he also appeared at Compton College's 2024 commencement ceremony on Friday (June 7) and gave the graduating class an inspiring speech. For those unaware, this college is a public community university founded in 1927, and yesterday, it was home to the former TDE MC's first public appearance in not just months but since his Drake beef went down earlier this year. Below, you can find a small excerpt of the speech.
"Here is not only a representation of the world, but it's a representation of me," Kendrick Lamar remarked. "And when I walk out in these cities and these countries, I could be proud and say, this is where I'm from. I still believe in Compton. Compton always been a future for me. I think we breed some of the most incredible individuals, creators, intellectuals, talent. We had it since day one. That's why I always screamed this City. I traveled the world. It's no place like this one right here. No place, no place. And I still believe, I still believe in everything that we doing. Brick by brick."
K.Dot Speaks To 2024 Compton College Graduates
But don't fret if you're not in Los Angeles to celebrate these moments, as you can catch a livestream of the "Pop Out" show via Amazon Prime and Twitch. A lot of Kendrick Lamar fans wish that they could be there in the heat of it all, but there are plenty of chances for the world to connect with these appearances. You can find the full livestream of the commencement ceremony below. K.Dot's speech begins around the 41-minute mark.
Full Compton College Commencement: See Kendrick Lamar Around The 41-Minute Mark
Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar recently got some business offers from Dame Dash, so who knows if he'll build up his portfolio with a Roc-A-Fella purchase? He might just pour that back into Compton, a city that we know he'll continue to rep and support regardless of his global status. The 36-year-old gave these graduates a very meaningful and unique moment to remember that very few out there could even speak to. It's heartening to see, especially as the emphasis is on love, community, and perseverance after such a nasty beef.