Kendrick Lamar, 36, surprised the graduating 2024 class of Compton College by giving an inspirational speech during commencement that lauded his hometown and provided some sage advice to students.
"Here is not only a representation of the world, but it's a representation of me," Kendrick said of Compton College's graduating class during his first public appearance since the start of his explosive beef with Drake.
K.Dot continued:
Here is not only a representation of the world, but it's a representation of me. And when I walk out in these cities and these countries, I could be proud and say, this is where I'm from. I still believe in Compton. Compton always been a future for me. I think we breed some of the most incredible individuals, creators, intellectuals, talent. We had it since day one. That's why I always screamed this City. I traveled the world. It's no place like this one right here. No place, no place. And I still believe, I still believe in everything that we doing. Brick by brick. I still believe it's time that we change the narratives. Some people tell us, this generation don't have what it takes. Gen Z. We talk about it all day. They try to pull us down and say, we don't know what we doing.
They wrong though. You know why? Because not only y'all have what it takes, but y'all have something even bigger. Y'all have the heart. Y'all have the courage to be independent thinkers. Independent thinkers. There's nothing more valuable than that. Y'all can go out here and tell and express y'all thoughts and say it with conviction and passion and stand on it and be unapologetic about it. And somebody pull you to the side. 'You know what? You was wrong about that.' And you could be like, 'I appreciate it.' Or they could say, 'I appreciate you for giving me the wisdom and the courage to be just as much as in depth and strong with conviction about the message that you have.' And it spreads not only between the person you're talking to, but subconsciously through kids that's younger than yourselves. And that's something I can always appreciate.
This degree that y'all have right here is just as big as any degree. I don't care what school. I don't care what institution. Compton College, this Compton degree is just as big... It's all about taking these resources and taking what you learned and applying them. It's simple as that.
Compton College is a public community college that was founded in 1927.
