It's a great, great experience to finally get the reception that you know you rightfully deserve.
Every time I write these words they become a taboo,_x000D_ _x000D_ Making sure my punctuation curve, every letter here's true,_x000D_ _x000D_ Living my life in the margin, and that metaphor was proof.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the struggle of expressing oneself authentically while confronting societal constraints and taboos.
Kendrick Lamar's quote illustrates the tension between personal expression and the societal expectations that often impose limits on creativity and identity. By acknowledging that his words become taboo, he highlights the challenges artists face in communicating their truths, urging listeners to understand the deeper meaning behind his lyrics which serve as both a personal narrative and a commentary on societal issues. The reference to living life in the margins suggests that he finds strength and identity in the spaces often overlooked or deemed unacceptable by mainstream culture.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the role of artists in challenging societal norms.
More from Kendrick Lamar
All quotes →I've been called a recluse. There's definitely truth in that. I like to spend time alone.
This is the thing about hip-hop music and where people get it most misconstrued: It's all hip-hop. You can't say that just what I do is hip-hop, because hip-hop is all energies. James Brown can get on the track and mumble all day. But guess what? You felt his soul on those records.
The majority of my interactions with police were not good. There were a few good ones who were actually protecting the community. But then you have ones from the Valley. They never met me in their life, but since I'm a kid in basketball shorts and a white T-shirt, they wanna slam me on the hood of the car. Sixteen years old.
People have to go through trials and tribulations to get where they at. Do your thing - continue to rock it - because obviously, God wants you here.
I penetrate the hearts of good kids and criminals
Similar quotes
Being an actor means asking people to look at you. I guess I accept that. But it's a profession in which the job is to show another world and other people. You may access it through bits of yourself, and your imagination and experience, but actually, in the end, you're not playing yourself.
I saw the Vietnam Veterans Memorial not as an object placed into the earth but as a cut in the earth that has then been polished, like a geode.
Perhaps creating something is nothing but an act of profound remembrance.
Music is a lady that I still love because she gives me the air that I breathe. We need all sorts of nourishment. And music satisfies and nourishes the hunger within ourselves for connection and harmony.
You cannot be an actor like I am and not have been in some of the worst movies like I have. But I stand before you deeply honored, mighty grateful and just plain gobsmacked.
Music is structure out of Chaos