Why Kendrick Lamar Deserves the Key to the City of Compton

Throughout the 1990s, the tiny city of Compton, the hub city of Los Angeles county, was synonymous with gun violence and gangsta rappers— a reputation that became so outsized that the city was reduced to caricature for it. Today, it’s taken more seriously, not just because of it’s precipitous drop in violent crime, but for the soaring rise of its native son Kendrick Lamar, the often-grinning rapper who on January 14 was awarded the key to the city from its mayor, Aja Brown.

“Mr. Lamar's achievements further Compton's legacy of ingenuity and excellence. Kendrick Lamar represents Compton's evolution, embodying the New Vision for Compton: Purpose, Prosperity and Progress," said Brown in a press release. Lamar will receive the prestigious award during a special city ceremony on February 12.