Kendrick Lamar Still Reluctant to Splurge on a Lexus
Despite enjoying huge success, rapper is still afraid to buy his dream car.
Hip-hop is, and always has been, all about image. Flashy clothes, flashy jewelry, flashy cars. But Kendrick Lamar isn’t your average hip hop artist. The Compton native has gone against the grain his entire career, making music that reflects reality – not fantasy. His brash honesty and raw talent have also led to tremendous success, in spite of the fact that his music shuns convention.
And unlike certain other hip hop artists, Lamar isn’t the type to blow money on frivolous things. In fact, he talks about his reluctance to buy material goods on the 12th track of his latest album, Damn. The song “Fear” explores three different points in his life where Lamar experienced some terrifying realities.
The first deals with a seven-year old’s fear of a strict mother, while the second discusses the fears that come with growing up in a racially charged and dangerous neighborhood.
But the third fear comes at a time when most of us would expect there to be nothing but joy. It takes place after Lamar releases his hit album To Pimp a Butterfly. Despite his runaway success and critical acclaim, the young rapper is terrified of losing everything, as many do.
“At 27, my biggest fear was losin’ it all
Scared to spend money, had me sleepin’ from hall to hall
Scared to go back to Section 8 with my mama stressin’
30 shows a month and I still won’t buy me no Lexus”
You have to admire Lamar’s inherent wisdom here, even if it is hard to fathom for many of us. We see far too many musicians, athletes, and other celebrities rise like a Phoenix, yet years later, wind up penniless. But with estimated earnings of around $18.5 million last year, we think it’s safe to say that Kendrick Lamar can go ahead and treat himself. May we suggest an LC 500, perhaps?
