Kendrick Lamar isn’t mad at Macklemore: ‘He went out there and hustled & grinded’

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If you remember, I actually liked Kendrick Lamar last year when I covered his GQ interview. That interview was put on blast after it was published because GQ openly discussed Kendrick’s gang friends and made some stereotypes and assumptions about his “thug life,” but I came into the piece knowing very little about him, and I came out of thinking that Lamar is a very funny, self-aware and somewhat pleasantly weird dude. Anyway, Kendrick Lamar lost in every category at the Grammys, often losing to Macklemore. After the Grammys, Macklemore posted some texts he sent Kendrick, plus an Instagram message to his fans saying that Kendrick should have won Best Rap Album. Kendrick’s fans were basically calling for Macklemore’s head, so it’s cool that Kendrick released a statement to basically let everyone know that there are no hard feelings:

The biggest hip-hop storyline from the 2014 Grammy Awards was Macklemore beating out Kendrick Lamar for just about every major hip-hop award; on Grammy day last Sunday (Jan. 26), Macklemore walked away with four Grammys for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance and Best New Artist while Kendrick walked away with zero. Many people had strong opinions on the matter, from Twitter to artists like Fabolous and YG, and even Macklemore himself, who texted K. Dot that good kid, m.A.A.d city deserved Best Rap Album. XXL recently caught up with King Kendrick after his performance with Dom Kennedy last night in New York City, and asked for his thoughts on Macklemore’s victories.

“It’s well deserved; he did what he did, man,” Kendrick said. “He went out there and hustled and grinded. Everything happens for a reason; the universe comes back around, that’s how it go.”

While Kendrick may have grounds to feel snubbed, he’s hardly the first rapper to come up empty; hip-hop legends such as Snoop Dogg and Nas have been snubbed numerous times.

“I definitely feel like they should always have more of the culture up in there, for sure, because we definitely stand out just like any other genre,” Kendrick said when asked if he thought the Grammys undervalued hip-hop. “We part of the world. We part of the movement. So I think any awards, including the Grammys, should always push for more hip-hop because it’s music as a whole, it’s not just splitting different regions. Everything moves as far as sound and vibrations, and that’s how it goes. And we are a part of that.”

TDE’s CEO Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, tweeted in December of 2013 that every TDE artist is dropping a project this year. Isaiah Rashad dropped his debut EP Cilvia at midnight on Monday evening, and ScHoolboy Q is releasing his debut album Oxymoron Feb. 25. Is King Kendrick next in line? “I wouldn’t even know,” he said to XXL. ”I got to get back into the studio and vibe out. But once I get in there, for sure, I’ll let y’all know.”

[From XXL Mag]

See? It’s all good. I hope Kendrick understands that the Grammys aren’t the end-all be-all of music appreciation anyway. Like most academies and guilds, the Grammys will always skew older and whiter. Maybe I’m a sap, but I honestly believe that there’s no beef between Kendrick and Macklemore, it’s just drama between their fans. They’re fine.

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Photos courtesy of WENN.

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47 Responses to “Kendrick Lamar isn’t mad at Macklemore: ‘He went out there and hustled & grinded’”

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  1. Hannah says:

    “Like most academies and guilds, the Grammys will always skew older and whiter.” And yet the Rolling Stones have won only twice.

    • V4Real says:

      But at least they won.

      I sort of agreed with what Miley said about music execs I just wish she had phrased it differently.

    • Luca26 says:

      Yes once they got older and their music less bluesy and edgy they won. If you go back to the sixties and seventies part of what made those classic rock bands so scandalous is that they were singing a modernized form of Black southern music and reviving the motifs of the Deep South. The bands that were winning were less edgy , bland, safe and sang more mainstream lyrics.

    • Grant says:

      Aretha has, like, a million Grammys. Jay-Z has a bunch. Beyonce has a bunch. Kanye has a bunch. Alicia Keys has a bunch. Whitney Houston had a bunch. Lauryn Hill wrecked shop the year Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was nominated for stuff. Outkast won album of the year. Plenty of people of color have done well at the Grammys. I just think that Macklemore was the “It Boy” of hip hop in 2013 and that’s why he was rewarded, not because the Grammy people are inherently racist.

      • V4Real says:

        If you notice Jay has won for either best collab or rap artist. Outkast won because their music is not hardcore rap like Jay Z. It’s not about people of color winning it’s more about if they have a mediocre rapper such as Macklemore they will give it to him instead. I disagree on Mack being the it boy. Lamar was the it boy of 2013, even in the White community. The Grammys decided to give it to Mackelmore because that’s what they wanted to do. This is coming from a person who actually likes Mack. Put it’s this way; besides Thrift Shop Mack’s music was even played on the popular Hip Hop stations. So it’s very naive of you to think that race didn’t play a part.

        And of course there are Blacks who have won Grammys; most of the people you have named won in the category of best R&B artist or performance. It’s pretty damn hard to say best R& B album goes to Britney Spears when she’s not R& B.

      • V4Real says:

        Edit: I meant to say besides “Thrift Shop” Mack’s music wasn’t even played on the hip hop stations. Therefore how can he win for best rap album when his music wasn’t popular on the stations where rap is mainly played. I know the Grammys are not based on record sales but come on, let’s be real for a moment.

      • Kate says:

        I remember in the 70’s when Stevie Wonder and Elton John would go head to head at the Grammys. When Elton finally won he said, “I would like to thank Stevie Wonder for not making an album this year”. Of course Stevie was working on “Songs To The Key of Life”.

        Aretha Franklin deserves every Grammy. I think it’s sad Beyonce, Kanye etc have more Grammys than the Beatles..this is coming from a Beyonce fan

  2. Lark says:

    I like Kendrick too…Ugh, that GQ journalist was so clueless and passively racist.

  3. QQ says:

    He is a gracious dude (cute AND Talented too!)

  4. Marty says:

    I still think Macklemore posting that text was kind of tacky.

    • RJ says:

      I agree, it was an obvious douchebag play for attention, probably because of the public outcry. A savvy celebrity would have kept it private & let a publicist “leak” it to the press

      • Christina says:

        Macklemore does not have a publicist. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are an independent duo. No record label, no publicist,no bullshit. Mack showed the text publicly because he had planned on saying something on the air but got cut off. Also he has been praising Kendrick for a longtime now , way before nominations were even announced. He is truly a fan and a colleague who was honest about his thoughts.

      • We Are All Made of Stars says:

        Sooo… you judge him more for being honest than you would for a faux-leak? And what’s so awful about responding to public outcry? If I by some weird chance I happened to win an award that neither I nor anybody else expected me to win or felt I deserved, I might want to come out and let people know that I was pretty much with them on that sentiment. Nobody ever stops to consider that he might really feel that he shouldn’t have won the top honor.

      • Marty says:

        I think the gesture itself was nice, but it’s not like he’s going to give Kendrick that Grammy, so I just don’t see what the point was in making something private public? I think if it was about the public backlash, then an issued statement would have been in better taste. It just kind of felt like, to me, posting that text was more for his benefit than Kendrick’s.

      • JojoAnn says:

        Gee! If he really believes that Kendrick deserved it more, he can always decline the award. He would hardly be the first to refuse/return an award. But he wont ofcourse. He’ll just post grovelling text messages in a transparent attempt to stave the backlash.

        See Macklemore knows what the rest of you dont, which is that without the urban support the guy is two seconds from the same fate as Vanilla Ice. Those suburban college kids need to see a stamp of approval from the streets or they wont buy. Case in point, Eminem had Proof, Dre and the crew of D12 validating him so it didnt matter that King Magazine slammed him. He had the stamp. Macklemore has nobody and so being branded the new Elvis would destroy his career. The man was on full on PR mode when he shared those texts. The Huvane bros would be proud at his ho stroll.

      • V4Real says:

        @jojo Anne who said “Gee! If he really believes that Kendrick deserved it more, he can always decline the award. He would hardly be the first to refuse/return an award”

        I completely agree. Do you remember the 1998 Golden Globes when Ving Rhames gave his award away to Jack Lemmon because he felt he deserved it more. Enough said.

    • blue marie says:

      Yep, +1 to all you said Marty.

  5. Kiddo says:

    Now, that’s a class act.

  6. bns says:

    Anyone looking to get into his music listen to “Sing About Me”. It made me cry.

  7. Christina says:

    They are both talented , cute and down to earth guys. There is room in this world for both of them. In fact they should collaborate and combine their talents, along with Ryan Lewis of course!

  8. Renee says:

    I just came across this really funny article on slate:

    http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2014/01/macklemore_grammy_wins_don_t_hate_the_thrift_shop_rapper_because_he_s_white.html

    The writer articulates some of the more problematic aspects of Macklemore’s shtick in an amusing way…

    • Dea says:

      Thanks for posting the article,it totally nailed the point I always try to make to people about Macklemore’s music. I loved the “This is rap for people Who don’t like rap and pride themselves in that “.
      I tried to get in music,but his “white savior of hip-hop” attitude just won’t let me!

    • Christina says:

      That article is pretty much just an op-ed piece written by a jaded music snob. The Heist has done exceptionally well…with NO record label or industry support. It was grassroots and it became a hit because people clearly like it. Macklemore had a fan base in Seattle even before The Heist. He did not just come up out of no where. There are songs with more lighthearted lyrics such as Thrift Shop or Castle, but there are also songs like Neon Cathedral and Starting Over which are about substance abuse. I think that is a topic that transcends race and gender. Many people can relate…if not for themselves maybe because of a family member or loved one. While I agree that the writer is academically articulate, he seems like the type that hates anything that is even remotely commercially popular. People like him are a drag and they are exhausting. “I don’t like anything that is on the radio”…..shut up….we kow you are singing along to Swifty when no one is looking and probably do the Gangham Style dance in the shower.

      • Esmom says:

        Lol. (ETA well said, too, your last sentence made me chuckle, big time.)

      • Dea says:

        Nobody doubts the hard work of the duo,as Kendrick said “they hustled and grinded” good for them. Still I refuse to listen to someone whose only contribution to the genre is bashing it while priding himself in doing it, because he’s so different. He want to “heal” hip-hop making generalizations about it.The most annoying thing is that he does all this by talking on a beat and making nursery rhymes.

      • dilettante says:

        Christina, you’re so right! People ARE singing along to Swifty. I love Macklemore’s “And We Danced.” It does make you want to dance and the video cracks me up. Since when is something wrong with music just for entertainment’s sake?

        Although I realize that’s not the point of the main thread of this article and the comments.

      • gaggles says:

        @Dea
        +1000000

        Macklemore HIMSELF has made it seem like he’s revolutionizing the genre. He’s not at all. The reality is he has privilege and he’s taking advantage of it.

        And lmao. Seattle loves him and therefore he’s good? Hipster city? A city that is like what 70% white? No duh. They see him as different and cool but relatable. For them he’s hep. He’s treated as if he’s revolutionized hip hop…in reality he did nothing of the sort. He’s not the first AT ALL to rap about the things he does. But he’s most definitely mediocre, basic, and completely unimaginative in his rhymes. Also sh-t rapper. He sucks. He should propose to Ryan Lewis and never let the man go. Because Lewis really is the only thing that makes him relevant.

        Brother Ali is a white albino rapper that has rapped and conversed about all sorts of issues. Homophobia, poverty, race relations etc. But the dude does this as well, at his concerts he starts a discussion regarding white privilege. He’s apologized for saying f*g in his music. The man wrote a song about rape. This is revolutionary. This is a guy that stays true to his core values. He’s never gonna get a grammy because he forces people to recognize their privileges in life.

        So yes, compare him and Macklemore and macklemore comes off as incredibly insincere and pretentious.

      • G. says:

        @Gaggles
        The fact that you know Brother Ali makes me so happy. I’m from Minneapolis and the music scene here is phenomenal if you know where to look. Love Brother Ali so much.

      • Bridget says:

        @gaggles
        Did you seriously just proclaim that Seattle wouldn’t know hip hop because they’re 70 percent white, and then namecheck a Minneapolis rapper? Really?

      • gaggles says:

        @Bridget
        No, I didn’t proclaim that seattle doesn’t know hip hop. Christin brought up seattle as if seattle is holding up an artist that is somehow different. The reality is he’s not. He’s like their demographic of ultra progressive and liberal. He’s comfortably different.

        I brought Brother Ali up because I see a difference in how these two white rappers act and approach their music. Yet one is held up on a pedestal for subpar lyrics.

        Macklemore comes in like the white savior he wants to believe he is. Brother Ali’s efforts seem WAY more sincere with regards to social criticism, racism, and homophobia. he doesn’t act like a savior but an ally. He’s upfront and honest about his privilege despite being albino, blind, at one time poor, and muslim. Sorry huge difference between the two. I feel like one is much more honest, sincere, and critical about privilege and all it’s forms. While the other is just mediocre in his message and how he gets it across.

  9. Neffie says:

    Kendrick is a cool cat so he wasn’t about to go into bitch mode (see Kanye West). Apart from a few commercial black artist who get grammys, the Grammys used black artistes for the ratings pull but every year there is a huge upset and some relatively unknown or indie artist takes the big awards. Next Year they should Boycott!

  10. lucy says:

    I love Kendrick Lamar, he’s a class act. I agree with the poster above who said that publishing the private text was self-serving. He sending the message seems humble and sincere, his sharing it with the public is neither.

    It’s only the Grammy’s though, and at least more people are noticing Kendrick and GKMC.

  11. WendyNerd says:

    Macklemore’s a good egg. It’s not his fault. He didn’t force the people who run the Grammys to give him anything. This guy sounds like a nice guy too. Anyone who is blaming the artists for this is crazy. Bob Marley never won any Grammys either. No one gives a shit about the Grammys either, anyway. Hell, people care far more about the VMAs these days even because at least the VMAs have some crazy shit go down on occasion.

  12. Bodhi says:

    Its absolutely the fans & music journalists & bloggers who are stirring this up. I’m sure that Kendrick was bummed, who wouldn’t be? But I don’t think for one second that he holds Ben or Ryan responsible.

  13. Bria says:

    Of course he’s fine with it,he’s a smart,classy guy and knows he deserved those Grammys.
    He’s right about the fact that the institution should recognize hip -hop and I agree with the person who said Black artists should boycott the Grammys. These awards pride themselves in being about music when they just consider commercial value and popularity,and the fact that people who don’t know anything about a musical genre can vote for it shows its unprofessionalism.
    It can’t be a coincidence that JT wins against the excellence of rnb and Macklemore against the best of hip-hop right? White mediocrity is awarded because of popularity which is a direct coincidence of white privilege in black music…

  14. Lucy says:

    I’m sure they’re cool with each other as well. I really liked what Kendrick said about whether the Grammys undervalue hip hop or not (and I’m not even a huge hip hop fan).

  15. Jayna says:

    He has been very supportive, even when people said they shouldn’t be in the rap category. He told Macklemore to ignore it and do his thing. Even on the red carpet before the Grammy’s Kendrick showed love and respect for Macklemore & Lewis and said he also appreciated the respect they had for him as a rapper. Class act.

  16. Nona says:

    I dont dislike macklemore or blame him for the grammy academys idiocy. Hes just corny to me and thats why people get so annoyed kendrick lost to him.Like my hubby and i caught him on snl and my husband was sure he was a skit because if all the bad cliches and rhymes and dancing and posturing he was doing, i think hes harmless but just cheesy.

    The grammys were touting him as the history making performance of the night. Loading it in favor with narriages and madonna. And kendrick gotten written off with the goofy Mormon rock group with the overexposed song and he turned that lemon into lemonade, when he was head banging and beating the drum at the end it was such an “i bet you’ll remember me now, academy” moment, such a great performance for him and imagine dragons.

    Kendrick didnt need to go kanye style about the snubcuz he made his statement onstage, pure and simple.

  17. E says:

    This article just reminded me how excited I am for the new Schoolboy Q album. Habits & Contradictions was maybe my favorite album of 2012.

    (I wish Macklemore would go away though.)

    • Christina says:

      Well Schoolboy Q is friends with Macklemore. SBQ is featured on a song on The Heist and in the video. Then in turn, Macklemore is in one of SBQ’S videos. It seems like plenty of other hip hop artists support Macklemore.

      • Mark says:

        It’s just the hip white music critics who critcize Macklemore for saying Hip Hop is homophobic even though rapper like Snoop Dogg have said it. They’re the ones who bring race into most discussions in music.

      • Anna says:

        TDE (Kendrick, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul), ASAP Mob, Childish Gambino and all the newer rappers are really close with Macklemore since they came up at the same time and worked/toured together when they were all still nobodies, so I’m not surprised one bit that Kendrick harbours no hard feelings.

        That being said, it’s not just Kendrick fans who thought Macklemore shouldn’t have won. It was pretty much everyone who was Macklemore’s fans

  18. mar says:

    the Grammys are TOTALLY out of touch. They seem to favor who they want, but we certainly can not blame the artist, that is just silly. Both artists kept it very classy, can you hear me YEEZY?