News of July 19, 2012
Kendrick Lamar Recalls the "California Love" Shoot in Compton
On his father's shoulders in the middle of Compton: How Kendrick Lamar watched Tupac and Dr. Dre shoot "California Love" as a child.
Right in the middle of the street in his hometown of Compton, the film crew stopped. Kendrick Lamar’s father ran home, got his son, and put him on his shoulders so he could watch. As a child, Lamar watched Tupac and Dr. Dre shoot the first version of the video for California Love. In July 2012, he spoke on Chicago radio station WGCI about what drew him to rapping back then: after that, it had been clear to him what he wanted to be.
Vibe and AllHipHop relayed the story on July 19. The occasion for the interview was Lamar’s appearance at the Pitchfork Festival, his friendship with Lady Gaga, and his upcoming work with Dre.
The story does not provide new facts about Tupac; it remains a personal anecdote. Yet it shows that he remained a reference point for the next West Coast generation: during the Coachella performance in April, Lamar had been on stage himself.