Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987), professionally known as Kend… Read Full Bio ↴Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987), professionally known as Kendrick Lamar, is a rapper from Compton, California. He is also a member of the hip-hop supergroup Black Hippy collective along with members Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and Schoolboy Q. His music is largely influenced by the works of 2Pac, Jay-Z, Nas, DMX, The Notorious B.I.G., Mos Def, Eazy-E and Eminem.

He began to gain major recognition in 2010 after his first retail release, Overly Dedicated. The following year, Lamar independently released his first studio album Section.80, which included his debut single, "HiiiPoWeR" which was produced by J. Cole. By that time, he had amassed a large Internet following and collaborated with several artists in the hip-hop industry, including The Game, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne and Drake.

Lamar secured a major-label record deal with Aftermath and Interscope Records, in 2012. His major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, was released in October 2012 to critical success. The record contained the top 40 singles "Swimming Pools (Drank)", "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe", and "Poetic Justice". It debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Lamar won his first Grammy Award for "i", the lead single from his critically acclaimed third album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). The album drew on free jazz, funk, soul, and spoken word debuted atop the charts in the U.S. and the UK, and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 58th ceremony. In 2016, Lamar released untitled unmastered., a collection of unreleased demos that originated during the recording sessions for Butterfly.

Lamar has received several accolades throughout his career, including seven Grammy Awards. In early 2013, MTV named Lamar the number one "Hottest MC in the Game", on their annual list. Time named Lamar one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016.

Lamar's fourth album, DAMN. was released on April 17, 2017, to widespread critical acclaim. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, earning Lamar his third consecutive number-one album in the United States. The album was supported by the lead single, "Humble.". Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for DAMN.

Lamar's fifth album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers was released on May 13, 2022, his first album in five years.

Higher Ground
Kendrick Lamar Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Riding around town, big taxi
I'm out in London, please don't ask me
I don't know when I'll be going back to Cali
I don't know when I'll be going back to Cali
Said I'm riding around town, big taxi
Out in London, don't ask me
I don't know when I'll be going back too, kay?
Skkrt skkrt, pulling up, G5 land in the valley

For the valley girls or them hoochie broads
I don't know, I don't like ‘em if they got some flaws

I don't know, I don't like ‘em if you wife ‘em dog
I don't know, I don't like ‘em, this is big bruh K-D-O-T, TDE

Overall Meaning

In Kendrick Lamar's song "Higher Ground," the artist reflects on his situation as a successful musician who now travels around the world but still feels somewhat disconnected from his home state of California. The opening lines find Kendrick riding around London in a taxi, perhaps taking in the sights and sounds of a city far from home. He admits that he doesn't know when he'll be heading back to Cali, suggesting a feeling of rootlessness and uncertainty about what the future holds.

As the song continues, Kendrick references his status as a big-time rapper, landing in the valley aboard a G5 private jet. He seems to be torn between different worlds, oscillating between the glamorous lifestyle of a famous artist and a nostalgia for the streets that he came from. He references both "valley girls" and "hoochie broads," suggesting a conflicted attitude towards women and relationships. Ultimately, though, he asserts his identity as "big bruh K-D-O-T, TDE," signaling his allegiance to his art and his collaborators.

Overall, "Higher Ground" reveals Kendrick Lamar grappling with the complexities of his fame and success, as well as his longing for the place and people that shaped him as an artist.

Line by Line Meaning

Riding around town, big taxi
I'm cruising around the city in a large taxi.

I'm out in London, please don't ask me
I'm currently in London, but I'd rather not talk about it.

I don't know when I'll be going back to Cali
I'm uncertain about when I'll return to California.

I don't know when I'll be going back to Cali
Repetition of uncertainty about returning to California.

Said I'm riding around town, big taxi
I restated that I'm driving around in a large taxi.

Out in London, don't ask me
Again, I'm in London and don't want to talk about it.

I don't know when I'll be going back too, kay?
Reiteration of my uncertainty about my return to California, with slang phrase 'kay' meaning 'okay.'

Skkrt skkrt, pulling up, G5 land in the valley
Onomatopoeia of a car pulling up, followed by reference to a G5 jet landing in a nearby valley.

For the valley girls or them hoochie broads
I'm attracted to women from the valley or that dress provocatively.

I don't know, I don't like ‘em if they got some flaws
I'm undecided and possibly critical about potential partners with less-than-perfect attributes.

I don't know, I don't like ‘em if you wife ‘em dog
I may not like a woman enough to commit to marrying her.

I don't know, I don't like ‘em, this is big bruh K-D-O-T, TDE
I'm not sure about the type of women I prefer, but I'm Kendrick Lamar, with connections to Top Dawg Entertainment.

Contributed by Riley I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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