(MTV)
Kendrick Lamar opened up about his struggles with survivor’s guilt and suicidal thoughts in a new interview. The 27-year-old rapper sat down with MTV to discuss his song “u,” in which Lamar raps about dealing with inner demons and depression. Watch the video below.
In “u,” which is featured on Lamar’s new album To Pimp A Butterfly,” he raps, “I know your secrets… I know depression is restin’ on your heart for two reasons… Shoulda killed yo a** a long time ago/You shoulda feeled that black revolver blast a long time ago… The world’ll know money can’t stop suicidal weakness.” When asked if the dark lyrics was a reflection of Lamar’s own thoughts, he said he “pulled [the] song not only from previous experiences, but, I think my whole life.”
“Even situations from Good Kid M.A.A.D City,” he added, referring to his 2012 album. “Nothing was as vulnerable as that record. So it’s even pulling from those experiences of coming up in Compton.” Lamar explained that he dealt with a lot of survivor’s guilt, and struggled with how to deal with some of the chaos going on back home.
“Three of my homeboys [one] summertime was murdered, close ones too, not just somebody that I hear about,” Lamar revealed. “These [are] people I grew up with. It’s all, psychologically, it mess your brain up. You live this life… but you still have to face realities of this. I gotta get back off that tour bus and go to these funerals… Talk to my mom and talk to their aunties – the kids that lost their lives.” Watch the video below, and tell us what you think.
