Essay Sample on Kendrick Lamar Wins the Pulitzer Prize: The Legendary Status of a Hip-Hop Rhyme Savior

A survey was taken a few years ago that asked countless profession “What’s the biggest award you can receive in your field?”. Actors said an Academy Award, athletes said a gold medal at the Olympics, but countless authors, composers, and musicians said the Pulitzer Prize. The first Pulitzer Prize was awarded in 1943 to William Schuman’s Secular Cantata No. 2. The Pulitzer Prize was to be awarded to “a distinguished musical composition of significant dimension by an American that has had its first performance in the United States during the year.” (Pulitzer Prize, n.d). However, as many point out, there has been a jarring number of classical and jazz winners and no hip-hop or rap winners, leading to people questioning the judging of the Pulitzer Prize and the absence of rap and hip-hop winners. Since then, Kendrick Lamar’s 2017 album Damn won the Pulitzer Prize, being not only the first rapper to win the award, but he is also the first winner who is not a classical or jazz musician. However, this accomplishment was not favorable which critics saying that the album is drastically different than previous winners. Kendrick Lamar’s Damn deserved to win the Pulitzer Prize in Music as its lyrical composition is unparalleled and it was revolution to the rap genre as was previous Pulitzer Prize winners.

Many believed that the 2018 winner would be no different than the previous classical, contemporary winners. These winners were emblems of success, talent, and hard work and Kendrick Lamar was no different.  Kendrick Lamar’s impact is undeniable as he has changed the public perception of rap. In 2011, Lamar was crowned the new king of West Coast rap by legends like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog and has not disappointed. Whenever there is a discussion about the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time), his name is consistently among the top contenders, but Lamar’s impact extends well beyond the rap world. His technical ability, insightful lyrics, and distinct instrumentation allow him to make music of a caliber and complexity of which has rarely been heard before (Lynch, 2015). He’s forced people who were originally dismissive of rap to reevaluate the entire genre including the Pulitzer Prize Board. The Pulitzer committee called Damn.  “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African American life.” (Pulitzer Prize, 2018) something that the committee has said about previous winners like Robert Ward. And while it seems arbitrary to compare rap lyrics to classical, jazz lyrics, this degradation of rap music only continues to hinder the success of predominantly African American musicians. 

Followers of Kendrick’s music may have a favorite album or a favorite performance, but they all agree that his lyricism and his storytelling abilities are unparalleled. Lamar opens Damn. with the song BLOOD. a song that many believe to be about police brutality and the unfairness in the American justice system. Lamar tells the story of asking a blind woman (who is perceived to be Lady Justice; a play off on the phrase “Justice is Blind”) “Is it wickedness? Is it weakness? You decide.” While the listeners do not get a clear answer to either of Lamar’s question, they are left to ponder whether or not the justice system is truly wicked and that it is purposefully taking the lives and dignity of African Americans or if it weak and is in need of repair. This creative storytelling and obscurity allow the song to be interpreted in several ways and allows for a greater discussion of injustice that African Americans face. With theories about BLOOD. floating around the community, a new topic arises comparing the rap lyrics of Lamar to those of famous poets Robert Frost and Edgar Allen Poe. In his work “93.04.04: The Evolution of Rap Music in the United States” Henry Rhodes discusses the historical impact of rap music even alluding to it as poetry stating that like poetry “rap music… deserves more credit and recognition as an art form rather than as a fad” (Rhodes, 2016). Rhodes is not alone. Many others believe that since poetry is an art form with words to be read aloud, rap music therefore is poetry and Lamar’s writing is definitely poetic. In his song DNA. Lamar states “I got

loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA. Cocaine quarter piece, got war and peace inside my DNA” which is a direct reference to the childhood that Lamar had growing up in Compton, California. This writing is not uncommon in rap music as rappers like Notorious B.I.G and Tupac Shakur have also been compared to poets. Poets who have even won multiple Pulitzer Prizes such as Robert Frost. Thus, leading to the realization that some modern classical artists demonstrated influences of hip-hop in their works. This then circles back to the original question of why there haven’t been more rap or hip-hop winners if they did serve as inspiration for classic works. This discussion reached its peak in 2017 when Lin Manuel Miranda won a Pulitzer Prize in Drama for his rap/hip-hop musical Hamilton. People argued that the issue for rap isn’t in its poetic lyricism or in its widespread adoration, it was in the people performing it. Black people. Which again is another reason why Lamar’s win is necessary. It shows that the successes of African Americans are going to be awarded and not snubbed, a word Lamar knows all too well. 

Despite the success of Damn. and the critical acclaim, there are those who still believe that it is unworthy of such a prestigious award as Benny of the Polite as Flannels blog states (Benny, 2017). What Benny and his followers need to consider is that the conventions of rap as a genre are different from other mainstream sources of music. Most rap songs come from a different social context with different structure and capabilities than, say, a rock song. Rock songs need hooks that are catchy and there are plenty of songs in that genre that are pretty much about just having lots of sex, doing lots of drugs, and that alike. This of course implies the opposite for rap- it mostly deals with issues faced by black Americans (Blanchard, 2016). Not every person who opposes Lamar’s win follows this logic, however. Others believe that other albums are more deserving of being the first nonclassical or jazz album to win this award, most notably Lamar’s album To Pimp a Butterfly. This discussion can be settled once the qualifications to win a Pulitzer Prize are reviewed. Pulitzer Prizes are awarded to “a distinguished musical composition of significant dimension by an American that has had its first performance in the United States during the year.” (Pulitzer Prize, n.d). To Pimp a Butterfly was released in 2015 and was ineligible for this distinction. Further arguments could be made that it should have won the award in 2015 but that is quickly fizzled once it is revealed that artists must submit their own work for consideration of this award and Lamar has never publicly stated that he submitted To Pimp a Butterfly in 2015. Even if To Pimp a Butterfly win in 2015, Lamar would still be the first nonclassical or jazz musician to win this title and that is still a cause for celebration. 

Kendrick Lamar’s win was not just an award for hard work and talent, it sent a precedent as to what will come. Rap artists will be awarded these prestigious awards, their work will be admired and adored, their life stories and experiences will be shared with others. As these prestigious awards continue each year, we will see more diversity in the winners by genre, race, gender, etc. Lamar’s win may be the first time that the Pulitzer Prize in Music went to a rap artist, but it is not the last.