Kendrick Lamar

In 2022, the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper also known as King Kendrick released his long-awaited fifth studio album, Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers. The cinematic scope of his storytelling this time around hit different, yet felt precisely on point. His chosen themes definitely struck a nerve: “N95," for example, addressed the mythical nature of cancel culture, while “Auntie Diaries” received some backlash for some of the offensive language it contained. Despite a few naysayers, most critics and fans viewed his latest as a triumphant return for the poetic rapper, and praised him for revealing the kind of vulnerability we had not up to this point seen from him. Alongside Beyonce, it was announced in November that he led the 2023 Grammy nominations. And his sold-out performance at the Accor Arena in Paris was immediately lauded as a masterpiece. Whether it’s his lyrical fearlessness or the way he theatrically performs his songs, Lamar continues to set–and then raise–the bar for artists worldwide.