Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and singer from Compton, California, working across a range of hip-hop styles that include West Coast hip-hop, conscious hip-hop, and progressive rap.

Born on June 17, 1987, Lamar grew up in Compton and attended Centennial High School there. He went on to build a career that spans rapping, songwriting, record producing, singing, and directing, making him one of the more versatile figures working in contemporary hip-hop. His work draws on genres as varied as jazz rap, gangsta rap, and alternative hip-hop, reflecting a broad musical range across his output.

The awards column attached to his name is substantial. He has received the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Music Video, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year, along with BET Awards for Best New Artist and Best Collaboration. Most notably, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Music, a distinction that places him in rare company among recording artists recognized by that award. His music is performed in English, and he works within the African American English vernacular tradition.

Across his career, Lamar has moved between conscious hip-hop — which tends to engage directly with social and political subject matter — and harder-edged styles associated with gangsta rap and West Coast hip-hop. That range, combined with his work as a record producer and director in addition to his roles as a performer and songwriter, defines the scope of what he does. The Pulitzer Prize for Music remains one of the most concrete markers of the recognition his work has received.