10 Things We Learned From Kendrick Lamar's Hot 97 Interview

K Dot chops it up with Ebro in the Morning crew.

True to the Game - Ice Cube had a hand in Kendrick’s rearing, and the West Coast veteran didn’t even know it. “My pops played a lot of Death Certificate and America’s Most Wanted. A lot of them [Ice Cube] records. I didn't know what he was kicking at the time but as I progressed and got older, I realized he’s talking about being a Black man in society and maneuvering through the cracks. So that’s one artist that shaped me for sure."(Photos from left: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS, Priority Records)
Watch the Throne - Kendrick is also down with Jay Z’s artist-driven music streaming service TIDAL, although he hasn’t signed up yet. He explained, “Me and Jay had a conversation about it and I think it’s a great idea. Just for the simple fact of us taking control of the music we’ve had for a long time and not having to fight with masters and things like that and having ownership.” (Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Diamonds and Pearls - Kendrick also revealed that he wanted to work with Prince on his latest album but timing was an issue. “I went out to his headquarters and did a show with him. We were vibing in the studio but we were pressed for time. But I didn’t trip off not getting a song done because I really appreciated the actual game he was giving me. He was breaking down some things that I need to consider in my career… Just really taking control of your creativity. He gave me some real jewels about that and what Jay Z is doing is really confirmation about what Prince was telling me.(Photos from left: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch, Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

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Watch the Throne - Kendrick is also down with Jay Z’s artist-driven music streaming service TIDAL, although he hasn’t signed up yet. He explained, “Me and Jay had a conversation about it and I think it’s a great idea. Just for the simple fact of us taking control of the music we’ve had for a long time and not having to fight with masters and things like that and having ownership.” (Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

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