Kendrick Lamar commended at California State Senate

Compton’s Kendrick Lamar has long been a de facto spokesperson for a generation of ambitious, inquistive young people telling new stories about their hometown. Now the state senator from that district has returned the recognition.

On Monday, Sen. Isadore Hall III led the California Senate in annoucing Lamar as the 35th Senate District’s Generational Icon. The senator praised Lamar’s charitable work in donating and highlighting fund drives supporting Compton’s school district and local charities.

Hall said Lamar’s donations totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars for sports, after-school, music and other programs. A spokesperson for Compton Unified School District declined to discuss specifics of his donations.

“In less than 10 years, as a professional artist, Mr. Lamar has gone from a local Compton young boy, to a multi-platinum, Billboard chart topping, two-time Grammy Award winning musician, an incredible achievement for anyone 27 years old,” Hall said in his speech to the state Senate. “But Mr. Lamar has not let his recent fame get the best of him. If you visit Compton ... Mr. Lamar is a familiar face in the neighborhood.”

“Mr. Lamar has not only given voice to a new generation of urban youth, he is demonstrating the best of what it means to work hard, do well and give back to his community.”

“This an honor to be right here in front of you guys,” Lamar said, in a brief speech on the California State Senate floor. “Being from the city of Compton and knowing the parks that I played at and neighborhoods, I always thought how great the opportunity would be to give back to my community. ...To do that from a city all the way to a state standpoint, and have these young kids look at me as some type of inspiration is an honor, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

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