Calling Kendrick Lamar the best rapper alive doesn’t seem right. That title seems unworthy for Kendrick Lamar, not the other way around. While artists like Lil Wayne, Eminem, and Drake are happy fighting for that title, Kendrick is seemingly aiming for something far higher than that, a position that truly captures the power of his voice. He acknowledges his lofty ambitions in “Mortal Man” (“Want you to love me like Nelson, want you to hug me like Nelson / I freed you from being a slave in your mind, you’re very welcome / You tell me my song is more than a song, it’s surely a blessing”).
Some will call it outlandish, or downplay the idea that a rapper could have any substantial positive influence over a culture and their opinion would be valid. We’ve never seen it happen before. But the culture is changing, and the next strong black leader hasn’t presented themselves yet. Is Kendrick close? Not even remotely. But if he continues on this path of putting out music touting black power, equality, justice, and unity, could his influence grow? It wouldn’t surprise me. Nothing would surprise me at this point.
