Just a week after winning five Grammy Awards for his smash hit “Not Like Us”, Kendrick Lamar had the time of his life headlining the Super Bowl LIX halftime show. 2025 is truly shaping up to be his year, and if you’re wondering what his time in school looked like, we’re here with all the details about his academic journey.
Lamar had a pretty rocky upbringing, but he found his safe haven after discovering hip-hop and becoming interested in poetry during his time at Vanguard Learning Center. He would constantly write down the lyrics in his notebooks, and his English teacher Regis Inge helped him improve his writing skills.
Despite being pretty quiet and shy, Lamar was a good student and eventually graduated from Centennial High School with straight As. He considered studying psychology and astronomy in college but decided to pursue music instead.
Despite never completing higher education, Lamar inspired several academic classes and seminars. Concordia University’s course “The Power of Hip Hop, It’s Bigger Than Us” explored the lyrical themes of the rapper’s works, including loyalty, fatherhood, class, and racial injustice.
He also delivered a powerful commencement at Compton College in 2024. The Pulitzer Prize winner reminded the students at this public community college that their degree is as big as any other because it all comes down to “taking these resources, taking what you learned and applying them.”
