Rapper Kendrick Lamar’s politically charged, anti-Trump album ‘‘DAMN.’’ has been a Pulitzer Prize for music, making it the first non-classical or jazz work to win the award.
While the organization did not immediately provide a brief explanation for the recording winning the prestigious prize, Kendrick Lamar’s album features lyrics from the California crooner attacking President Donald Trump, Fox News, and police brutality.
On the first track, “Blood,” Lamar takes a swipe by sampling audio of two Fox News reporters reciting anti-police lyrics from his Black Lives Matter anthem “Alright” — “‘And they hate popo’…ugh, I don’t like it’” — which he performed standing atop a police car at the 2015 BET Awards.
The second song, “DNA,” sees another Fox News audio sampling: “Hip-hop has done more damage to young African Americans than racism in recent years.”
Lamar takes aim at Geraldo Rivera on the third song, “YAH,” noting that his niece watched the Fox correspondent criticizing her famous uncle.
The Grammy-winner doubled down on politics on “LUST,” recounting the feeling of watching the news in the hopes that Donald Trump had not won the election.
“We all woke up, tryna tune to the daily news
Lookin’ for confirmation, hopin’ election wasn’t true
All of us worried, all of us buried and the feeling’s deep
None of us married to his proposal, make us feel cheap
Stealed and sad, distraught and mad, tell the neighbor ‘bout it
Think they agree, parade the streets with your voice profit”
The 14-track album features few collaborations but does see some notable contributions from Rihanna and U2.
The newly minted Pulitzer prize-winner is one of former President Barack Obama’s favorite rappers and has never shied away from taking shots at President Trump.
Kendrick Lamar released a non-album-related single last month called “The Heart Part 4” that saw the rapper calling Trump a “chump.”
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson