In the 2014 Grammy Awards, hip hop aficionados and music geeks all thought Kendrick Lamar would be the one to take home the award for best rap album. To everyone's surprise, Macklemore, a white artist, won instead. These two top selling artists are definitely talented, but many claim that Macklemore did not earn the trophy over Kendrick Lamar. These people believe that Kendrick Lamar's album was all around better, but the fact that Macklemore is white provided an edge against the competition. I will go over the commonalities and distinctions between the two artists, to explain why people think this way. While Macklemore and Kendrick Lamar are similar in that they are both top selling artists, Macklemore won because of his greater marketability potential. This is not solely attributed to his race, but also his music style and upbringing. .
Kendrick Lamar grew up in Compton, California, and had a firsthand view of living in a violent neighborhood. His father was associated to gangs at the time. Even though he was around precarious activity, "he seemed more influenced than harmed by it"(A&E 2015). Kendrick Lamar was a student, and had an interest in writing stories and poems. As Lamar gained a widespread following, Dr. Dre found an interest in Kendrick. Dr Dre took him under his wing and guided him through the music and business process. In the end, Kendrick released his first major label album "good kid, m.A.A.d. city." The art cover of the album is a polaroid photo taken of him when he was five. He sits in the lap of his uncle, who is throwing up a gang sign with the same hand holding his nephew. On the table is a 40-ounce with a baby bottle juxtaposed. This shocking imagery is shown throughout Kendrick's songs. When he started getting involved in drinking and partying at age 16, his father sat him down and told him "I don't want you to be like me"(Hopper 2012).
