First Non-Classical Musician Wins Pulitzer Award

[PACOX]

Since (at least) the release of good kid, m.A.A.d. city in 2012, the singularity of Kendrick Lamar has been plainly evident. But with the Pulitzer Prize in Music for 2018 being given to the Compton rapper for his 2017 album DAMN., his exceptionalism is now officially historic: It's the first time in the prize's history that it has been given to an artist outside of the classical or jazz community.

"A virtuosic song collection," the Pulitzer board writes of DAMN., "unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life." In addition to topping many year-end best lists (including ours), DAMN. was awarded five Grammys, though it lost out on album of the year to Bruno Mars' 24K Magic.

The recognition comes on the heels of growing acceptance of hip-hop from reigning cultural institutions over the past year, including LL Cool J becoming the first hip-hop artist to be acknowledged by the Kennedy Center Honors and Jay-Z the first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (as well as giving an in-depth interview to the executive editor of The New York Times).

Lamar was awarded the Pulitzer over co-finalists Michael Gilbertson and his string Quartet and Ted Hearne's cantata Sound from the Bench. This year's music jurors were: violinist Regina Carter; Paul Cremo, a director at The Metropolitan Opera; Farah Jasmine Griffin, a professor of English, comparative literature and African-American studies at Columbia University; David Hadju, music critic for The Nation; and David Lang, a composer. The winner receives a $15,000 prize.

Lamar also recently presided over another ambitious, if commercially and artistically motivated, artistic vehicle with Black Panther: The Album.

Other Pulitzer winners this year included The New York Times and The New Yorker for their journalism, breaking the Harvey Weinstein scandal and kicking off the #MeToo movement and Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America, by James Forman Jr., in general non-fiction writing.

DAMN. itself is — particularly when considered next to the looser, jazz-rooted musicality of Lamar's album To Pimp A Butterfly from 2015 — a thoroughly modern document of hip-hop's present and near future, in both sound and narrative scope. In it Lamar questions his own motivations and those of the culture which helped make and define him (and that very nearly unmade him as a young man), the paranoia of success and the process of acceptance, all framed within bleeding-edge productions and nuanced sequencing. Late last year, Lamar released a "collector's edition" of DAMN. with the original album's tracklist reversed — played back-to-front it revealed even more of the album's shifting, contrasting revelations of self.

"Both of these pieces," Lamar said of the album's duality, "are who I am."

And its a rapper, thats pretty crazy.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thereco...prize-in-music

[derpkitteh]

it's a rapper, so it's only being given for progressive points.

his prize is as illegitimate as rap is as a form of music in general. we'll be better off when this cultural cancer dies.

(hint: rap won't die. it'll continue eating at our youth, spawning anti-intellectual sheep until the west crumbles)

[Nihilist74]

It does not seem like it is even the best rap album. Not worth a Pulitzer prize. Something like Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet or the beastie boy's pauls boutique is way better than this.

[Puupi]

What a way to devalue the Pulitzer prize.

[YorHa-Unit-2B]

Why do they keep pushing this shallow culture of idiocy, illiteracy and degeneracy on us ? Pullitzer prize to a rapper ? What's next ? 50 cent winning the Nobel peace prize ?

[GennGreymane]

I got a feeling no one here reaaallly cared about the Pulitzer's integrity before

[maccajoe]

I like Kendrick but no way is this Pulitzer worthy imo. There have plenty more virtuosic rappers and albums before this one. Seems weird..

[eschatological]

Kendrick is probably the most "virtuosic" mainstream rapper. The problem is, the Pulitzer usually awards not-so-mainstream stuff. There are definitely smaller, more "artistic" rappers out there than Kendrick, but he's the one someone on the Pulitzer committee might know.

Also, I'm fairly sure no one who is complaining about the integrity of the Pulitzer here can name a book that has actually won the Pulitzer.

[Zoldor]

I agree with it. First, I hope some of you know there is a music category and its given every year. One genre shouldn't dominate, that is basically saying this, "we've decided classical is the best music and the only intelligent music" which to them may be true but is merely an opinion. Think there is a word for this, pretentious comes to mind. it is about time they recognized there has been many great non Classical albums over the years. They are default that, that type of music is the only way, which is nonsense.

DAMN. is really solid, well told, and all around great. I'll go as far to say that, to Pimp a Butterfly would be a good enough musical to win a Tony. If well preformed. The guy is supremely talented and deserves his recognition. Sadly, it has taken this long to get out of the classical music echo chamber for the pulitzer, because they've missed other fantastic albums from various genres over they past 20 years. I don't think its SJW crap, but if it is, fuck it I'll take it, if it means Classical doesn't always win. There isn't a single way Classical genre wins every time, that is merely preconceived Bias at some point. I love Rock music, but I don't think there is any way I can say that every year a Rock album is the best musical piece created. It would be bullshit.

- - - Updated - - -

I like Kendrick but no way is this Pulitzer worthy imo. There have plenty more virtuosic rappers and albums before this one. Seems weird..

Before sure, this year DAMN. was easily the best Rap product out there. It wasn't a stellar release year for a Pulitzer level rap album. The problem is it's taken this long for them to even elect any other genre.

[McFuu]

DAMN is a good album, but good kid/mad city is far and away his best work and definitely in the running for greatest albums of all time (all music genres).

I think it's great he is getting the wide spread recognition he deserves, but it's coming late for lesser works.

[Pull My Finger]

Awards like these are, and have always been, political posing made up by some puffed up, blasé bigheads. Someone decided that it would be a good sociopolitical signal or whatever, according to whatever agenda, to give the Pulitzer Award to a rapper. This Lamar guy seems to be receiving the push and nods the most so they picked him. Whatever. That doesn't have anything to do with music.

[eschatological]

Awards like these are, and have always been, political posing made up by some puffed up, blasé bigheads. Someone decided that it would be a good sociopolitical signal or whatever, according to whatever agenda, to give the Pulitzer Award to a rapper. This Lamar guy seems to be receiving the push and nods the most so they picked him. Whatever. That doesn't have anything to do with music.

I find it more bizarre that people think rap isn't the genre right now that is pushing the most boundaries. This is an award which has only ever been awarded to classical music, the Pulitzer committee decided to join the 21st century - to which artist/genre should they have given it?

Rock? Rock is pretty dead these days. Maybe they should have dug through all those Swedish screamo metal bands. Metal is about the only real rock left, and none of it really pushes boundaries for what it is. Maybe we can give it out for Brendan Urie's latest Panic! At the Disco emo piece of trash album. Rock has come a long way since even the 90s, and that journey has been a steady decline.

Pop? Should we give it to Katy Perry? Pop has been worthless for 20 years.

Country? Please. This is a genre where if you deviate too far from a norm you get lambasted. Kind of similar to the rigidness you see in metal, actually.

Maybe some EDM? I hear Marshmello gives good acceptance speeches.

Honestly, I want you to name a genre as good as rap right now. It's only gotten better in the 35+ years of its inception. Yeah, you get derivative work like you do in all genres. But rap consistently experiments, pushes boundaries, and is one of the only musical forms left that actually sometimes occasionally puts out music which says something. It isn't derided when it tries something new, it evolves and gets better for it. I like all music, I was a metalhead in the late 90s after loving grunge for the early 90s, and loved MJ and Prince in the 80s. But rap is what I've gravitated to over the past 15 years, and it's because it's put out the best music in that time period.

[Deleted]

Here are the Lyrics from this song "Humble":


[Music video version:] Wicked or weakness, you gotta see this, waaaaay (yeah, yeah!)
[Regular version:] Nobody pray for me, it been that day for me, waaaaay (yeah, yeah!)

Aye, I remember syrup sandwiches and crime allowances
Finesse a nigga with some counterfeits
But now I'm counting this
Parmesan where my accountant lives in fact I'm down at this
D'usśe with my boo bae, tastes like kool aid for the analysts
Girl, I can buy your ass the world with my paystub
Ooh that pussy good, won't you sit it on my taste bloods
I get way too petty once you let me do the extras
Pull up on your block, then break it down we playing Tetris
A.M. to the P.M., P.M. to the A.M. funk
Piss out your per diem you just gotta hate em, funk
If I quit your BM I still ride Mercedes, funk
If I quit this season I still be the greatest, funk
My left stroke just went viral
Right stroke put lil baby in a spiral
Soprano C, we like to keep it on a high note
It's levels to it, you and I know, bitch be humble

(Hol' up bitch) sit down,
(Hol' up lil bitch, hol' up, lil bitch) be humble
(Hol' up bitch) sit down (sit down hol' up lil bitch)
Be humble (bitch)
(Hol' up, hol' up, hol' up, hol' up) bitch sit down
Lil bitch (hol' up lil bitch) be humble
(Hol' up bitch) sit down
(Hol' up, hol' up, hol' up, hol' up) be humble
(Hol' up, hol' up, hol' up, hol' up lil bitch) sit down
(Hol' up lil bitch) be humble
(Hol' up bitch) sit down (hol' up sit down lil bitch)
(Sit down lil bitch) be humble
(Hol' up, hol' up, hol' up, hol' up lil bitch) bitch, sit down
(Hol' up lil bitch) be humble
(Hol' up bitch) sit down
(Hol' up, hol' up, hol' up, hol' up)

Who dat nigga thinking that he fronting on man man (man man)
Get the fuck off my stage, I'm the sandman (sandman)
Get the fuck off my dick, that ain't right
I make a play fucking up your whole life
I'm so fucking sick and tired of the Photoshop
Show me something natural like afro on Richard Pryor
Show me something natural like ass with some stretch marks
Still will take you down right on your mamma's couch in polo socks, aye
This shit way too crazy, aye
You do not amaze me, aye
I blew cool from AC, aye
Obama just paged me, aye
I don't fabricate it, aye
Most of ya'll be faking, aye
I stay modest bout it, aye
She elaborate it, aye
This that Grey Poupon, that Evian, that Ted Talk, aye
Watch my soul speak, you let the meds talk, aye
If I kill a nigga it won't be the alcohol, aye
I'm the realest nigga after all, bitch be humble

(Hol' up bitch) sit down,
(Hol' up lil bitch, hol' up, lil bitch) be humble
(Hol' up bitch) sit down (sit down hol' up lil bitch)
Be humble (bitch)
(Hol' up, hol' up, hol' up, hol' up) bitch sit down
(Lil bitch) (hol' up lil bitch) be humble
(Hol' up bitch) sit down
(Hol' up, hol' up, hol' up, hol' up) be humble
(Hol' up, hol' up, hol' up, hol' up lil bitch) sit down
(Hol' up lil bitch) be humble
(Hol' up bitch) sit down (hol' up sit down lil bitch)
(Sit down lil bitch) be humble
(Hol' up, hol' up, hol' up, hol' up lil bitch) bitch, sit down
(Hol' up lil bitch) be humble
(Hol' up bitch) sit down
(Hol' up, hol' up, hol' up, hol' up)

[Khelek]

This is another example of how standards of excellence are falling all over the western world. The Pulitzer Prizes, Hugo Awards, and even some Nobel Prizes (I'm looking at you Peace Prize) among others have gone to shit. They have become symbols used to promote an ideology rather than highlight and reward real achievement.

[Deleted]

This is another example of how standards of excellence are falling all over the western world. The Pulitzer Prizes, Hugo Awards, and even some Nobel Prizes (I'm looking at you Peace Prize) among others have gone to shit. They have become symbols used to promote an ideology rather than highlight and reward real achievement.

Pink was named the "most beautiful" women by Peoples magazine this week.

[Deleted]

I find it more bizarre that people think rap isn't the genre right now that is pushing the most boundaries. This is an award which has only ever been awarded to classical music, the Pulitzer committee decided to join the 21st century - to which artist/genre should they have given it?

Rock? Rock is pretty dead these days. Maybe they should have dug through all those Swedish screamo metal bands. Metal is about the only real rock left, and none of it really pushes boundaries for what it is. Maybe we can give it out for Brendan Urie's latest Panic! At the Disco emo piece of trash album. Rock has come a long way since even the 90s, and that journey has been a steady decline.

Pop? Should we give it to Katy Perry? Pop has been worthless for 20 years.

Country? Please. This is a genre where if you deviate too far from a norm you get lambasted. Kind of similar to the rigidness you see in metal, actually.

Maybe some EDM? I hear Marshmello gives good acceptance speeches.

Honestly, I want you to name a genre as good as rap right now. It's only gotten better in the 35+ years of its inception. Yeah, you get derivative work like you do in all genres. But rap consistently experiments, pushes boundaries, and is one of the only musical forms left that actually sometimes occasionally puts out music which says something. It isn't derided when it tries something new, it evolves and gets better for it. I like all music, I was a metalhead in the late 90s after loving grunge for the early 90s, and loved MJ and Prince in the 80s. But rap is what I've gravitated to over the past 15 years, and it's because it's put out the best music in that time period.

Nothing will ever be better then 2pac & Biggie. So no, you are wrong.

[eschatological]

Nothing will ever be better then 2pac & Biggie. So no, you are wrong.

Pac and Biggie were great. But last I checked, they didn't put out albums in the last year, which is what this award recognized - the best musical album of the past year.

[Deleted]

Pac and Biggie were great. But last I checked, they didn't put out albums in the last year, which is what this award recognized - the best musical album of the past year.

You said it gets better and better in the last 35 years. that's what I disagreed with.
None of the rappers now have ANYTHING on guys like 2pac & Biggie. I can't stand the shit that comes out now but I still listen to the 2 masters quite often.

[Rennadrel]

I find it more bizarre that people think rap isn't the genre right now that is pushing the most boundaries. This is an award which has only ever been awarded to classical music, the Pulitzer committee decided to join the 21st century - to which artist/genre should they have given it?

Rock? Rock is pretty dead these days. Maybe they should have dug through all those Swedish screamo metal bands. Metal is about the only real rock left, and none of it really pushes boundaries for what it is. Maybe we can give it out for Brendan Urie's latest Panic! At the Disco emo piece of trash album. Rock has come a long way since even the 90s, and that journey has been a steady decline.

Pop? Should we give it to Katy Perry? Pop has been worthless for 20 years.

Country? Please. This is a genre where if you deviate too far from a norm you get lambasted. Kind of similar to the rigidness you see in metal, actually.

Maybe some EDM? I hear Marshmello gives good acceptance speeches.

Honestly, I want you to name a genre as good as rap right now. It's only gotten better in the 35+ years of its inception. Yeah, you get derivative work like you do in all genres. But rap consistently experiments, pushes boundaries, and is one of the only musical forms left that actually sometimes occasionally puts out music which says something. It isn't derided when it tries something new, it evolves and gets better for it. I like all music, I was a metalhead in the late 90s after loving grunge for the early 90s, and loved MJ and Prince in the 80s. But rap is what I've gravitated to over the past 15 years, and it's because it's put out the best music in that time period.

Ahem, we have the 21st century version of the greatest rock band of all time on the rise. Greta Van Fleet has been dubbed by many, including Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, as being the 21st century version of said band, that's some pretty.high praise. And those guys have oodlers more talent than any rapper. Music and art comes from more than just writing a song, and it doesn't take talent to speak words into a microphone and make rhymes on a drum beat. It takes talent to go out and play and be incredibly good as an instrumentalist, and it takes talent to not play the same song the same way at every gig. That's the problem with rap, pop and most modern music, there is no improvisation so everything is repetitive, most rappers can't freestyle.

[Raevene]

It's almost as if musical taste is subjective