Kendrick Lamar showed public support for XXXTENTACION in very sensational ways. One of these gestures was when he came out to defend XXXTENTACION’s music in 2018. This was at a time when Spotify was removing X’s music from its promoted playlists following allegations of abuse against him. Kendrick Lamar’s team reached out to Spotify, voicing the displeasure of himself and others over the decision. Kendrick himself allegedly threatened to remove his music from the platform if XXXTENTACION’s wasn’t reinstated. This was major for XXXTENTACION since this is a necessary, organic recommendation from someone high up in the music business like Kendrick Lamar.
XXXTENTACION’s father, Dwayne Onfroy, took to social media and thanked Kendrick Lamar for his support. He mentioned specifically how he shouted when the album “17” came out. The fact that prominent artists like Kendrick Lamar maintained the acknowledgment did much to boost X’s visibility and credibility in the music scene.
XXXTENTACION’s father praises Kendrick Lamar for supporting X’s career 👀🔥
“Thank you for giving my son a platform when he was an unknown artist. You gave him a shoutout when [17] released. Real king.” PIC.TWITTER.COM/WWUOPJRBEN
— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) JUNE 27, 2024
Kendrick Lamar has made it a habit to dish out his seal of approval to up-and-coming artists and, in cases like this one, controversial ones. Apart from XXXTENTACION, Kendrick has advocated for other aspiring stars such as Baby Keem, who is related to him—his cousin—to be specific—and a rising rap star. Kendrick Lamar signed Keem to his label, gang, and he’s featured on several songs with him which increased the latter’s profile.
For the most part, Kendrick Lamar’s support of new artists is a career-centralizing moment that exposes them to large audiences and brings forth credibility through association since that is what his influential stake commands in the music world.
