Billboard has named Kendrick Lamar the Pop Artiste of 2024, acknowledging his massive influence on the music scene this year.
The publication lauds Lamar’s ability to “captivate the culture”, stating: “What made Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 so remarkable, though, was that he didn’t just remind us of all the reasons why he was so big at his commercial and cultural peak—he showed that he could do things we’d never even seen from him before. He showed that he was capable of hitting heights no other rapper had reached this decade, a period that had otherwise marked something of a downturn for the once seemingly indomitable genre’s mainstream prospects.”
Lamar’s edgy, provocative work has maintained his relevance in hip-hop and expanded his influence in popular music, demonstrating his versatility as an artiste. This recognition further establishes the Not Like Us rapper as the best in pop music and his genre.
The rap beef between himself and Drake, where he was unequivocally deemed the winner, has propelled him to new heights of respect within the hip-hop ranks and has quashed any talk of rap ‘big three’ or top three. As Kendrick puts it, “Mother **** the big three, ni**a it’s just big me.”
Lamar has “squabbled up” with naysayers, haters, and—Drake in 2024, and won. This victory lap of a year has reinforced his position at the forefront of the industry.
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