Kendrick Lamar reveals inspiration behind ‘GNX’ and Drake feud: “I love when artists grit their teeth”

nme.com:

Kendrick Lamar has shared the inspiration behind his latest album ‘GNX’ and the songs he made during his feud with Drake.Ahead of his Super Bowl halftime performance in New Orleans this Sunday (February 9), the Compton rapper sat down with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden and Nadeska Alexis to talk about his upcoming gig.

They asked Lamar about his recent sweep at this year’s Grammys, where we won five awards for the Drake diss song, ‘Not Like Us’ – making it the most celebrated rap song in the award show’s history.“I was just thinking about the culture, really,” he said, explaining his inspiration behind the song.“It’s always there for me first.

When people talk about rap, the conversations I hear, they think it’s just rap and not an actual art form. So when you put records like that at the forefront, it reminds people that this is more than just something that came 50 years ago.”Reflecting on his career, Lamar told Darden and Alexis that his goal has always been to “better himself and the craft” and give back to “the culture” of hip-hop.

This prompted Darden to ask if the music Lamar released last year – including last November’s ‘GNX’ and a slew of Drake diss tracks amid their infamous feud – was intended to “draw a line” between what is and isn’t real hip-hop.“My intent, from day one, was to always keep the nature of [Hip Hop] as a sport,” the 21-time Grammy winner said. “I don’t care how motherfuckers look at it as far as a collaborative effort.