Kendrick Lamar Explains "Control"

”It’s Not About Actually Being the King”
7:00AM ET August 29th, 2013
Contributor : Chris G.
A Rocky Williform Company

Kendrick Lamar’s appearance on Big Sean’s “Control” garnered much praise and much criticism for the brash West Coast rapper. In an interview with Rap-Up, Lamar revealed that he didn’t expect his cocky rhyme to get so much attention.

“Honestly I didn’t know there would be so much speculation behind it,” said Kendrick. “I just wanted to rap. Anybody that knows me doing music, I wanna just rap.”

“I think that’s the case right there of maybe I just dumbed down my lyrics just a little bit,” he said. “The irony of that line is the people that actually understood it and got it, was the actual kings of New York. You know, me sitting down with them this past week and them understanding that it’s not about actually being the king of whatever coast. It’s about leaving a mark as great as Biggie, as great as ‘Pac.”