Everybody looking at you crazy,
What you gon’ do?
Lift up your head and keep moving,
Or let the paranoia haunt you?

Kendrick Lamar, “I,” 2014. More from K.Dot…

And I’m not sure why I’m infatuated with death,
My imagination is surely an aggravation of threats…
Maybe cause I’m a dreamer, and sleep is the cousin of death,
Really stuck in the scheme of wondering when I’mma rest.

Kendrick Lamar, “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst," good kid, m.A.A.d city, 2012. More Kendrick Lamar quotes…

You don’t really get why I’m so pissed?
Understand this:
I’m an artist, and I’m sensitive about my shit.

Tech N9ne, “Fragile,” Something Else, 2013

Nothing’s been the same since they dropped ‘Control’
And tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pajama clothes.
Ha-ha! Joke’s on you, high-five, I’m bulletproof,
Your shit’ll never penetrate.
Pin the tail on the donkey, boy you been a fake.

Kendrick Lamar, BET Cypher, 2013.

Every time I write these words they become a taboo,
Making sure my punctuation curve, every letter here’s true,
Living my life in the margin, and that metaphor was proof.

Kendrick Lamar, “Poetic Justice,” good kid, m.A.A.d city, 2012

What is competition? I’m tryna raise the bar high,
Who tryna jump and get it? You better off tryna skydive
Out the exit window of 5 G5’s with 5 grand
With your granddad as the pilot he drunk as fuck tryna land
With the hand full of arthritis and popping prosthetic leg
Bumpin Pac in the cockpit so the shit that pops in his head
Is an option of violence, someone heard the stewardess said
That your parachute is a latex condom hooked to a thread.

Kendrick Lamar, “Control,” from Big Sean’s Hall of Fame, 2013

I’ve seen niggas transform like villain Decepticons,
Mollies’ll prolly turn these niggas to fuckin’ Lindsay Lohan.
A bunch of rich ass white girls lookin’ for parties,
Playin with Barbies, wreck the Porsche before you give ‘em the car key.

Kendrick Lamar, “Control,” from Big Sean’s Hall of Fame, 2013

Her dreams hold Versace,
She fall for Armani…
Only deal with rich niggas,
Fuck you and Mitt Romney.

Kendrick Lamar, “Memories Back Then,” Grand Hustle Presents: Hustle Gang, 2013

I live this life at a pace that anyone can go.
Know your place, and dedicate your role
…To the faith that you’ll die alone

Kendrick Lamar, “See No Evil,” from Game’s Jesus Piece, 2012

Look inside my soul and you can find gold and maybe get rich.
Look inside of your soul and you can find out it never exists…

Kendrick Lamar, “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” good kid, m.A.A.d. city, 2012

Imagine Rock up in the projects where them niggas pick your pockets,
Santa Claus don’t miss them stockings, liquor spilling, pistols popping,
Baking soda Yola whipping, ain’t no turkey on Thanksgiving,
My homeboy just domed a nigga, I just hope the Lord forgive him.

Jay Rock, “Money Trees,” from Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d. city, 2012

Let bygones be bygones…but where I’m from,
We buy guns and more guns, to give to the young.

Kendrick Lamar, “The Heart Pt. 2,” from O(verly) D(edicated), 2010

We all seem to stumble, planning our own demise,
Getting the big picture, and making it wallet-sized.

Kendrick Lamar, “Growing Apart (To Get Closer),” Overly Dedicated, 2010

The sky is falling, the wind is calling,
Stand for something, or die in the morning.

Kendrick Lamar, “HiiPower,” Section.80, 2011

Kendrick Lamar • “FEEL.” • 2017

I feel like friends been overrated,
I feel like the family been faking,
I feel like the feelings are changing,
Feel like my daughter compromised and jaded,
Feel like you wanna scrutinize how I made it.

Kendrick Lamar, “FEEL.,” DAMN, 2017

Kendrick Lamar • “Sherane” • 2012

It’s deep-rooted, the music of being young and dumb,
It’s never muted, in fact, it’s much louder where I’m from.

Kendrick Lamar, “Sherane a.k.a. Master Splinter’s Daughter,” good kid, m.A.A.d city, 2012

Everybody want to talk about who this and who that,
Who the realest and who wack, or who white or who black.
Critics want to mention that they miss when hip hop was rappin’…
Motherfucker, if you did, then Killer Mike’d be platinum.

Kendrick Lamar, “Hood Politics,” To Pimp a Butterfly, 2015. More from Kendrick…