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Promise That You Will Sing About Me: The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar
A stunning, in-depth look at the power and poetry of one of the most consequential rappers of our time.Kendrick Lamar is one of the most influential rappers, songwriters and record producers of his generation. Widely known for his incredible lyrics and powerful music, he is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. In Promise That You Will Sing About Me, pop culture critic and music journalist Miles Marshall Lewis explores Kendrick Lamar’s life, his roots, his music, his lyrics, and how he has shaped the musical landscape. With incredible graphic design, quotes, lyrics and commentary from Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alicia Garza and more, this book provides an in-depth look at how Kendrick came to be the powerhouse he is today and how he has revolutionized the industry from the inside.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 28, 2021
89 people are currently reading
3852 people want to read
About the author
Miles Marshall Lewis
8 books51 followersMiles Marshall Lewis is a pop culture critic, essayist, fiction writer and director. His latest book, Promise That You Will Sing About Me: The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar (St. Martin's Press), comes in May 2021. He is the author of There’s a Riot Goin’ On (Bloomsbury), his book on the making of a classic Sly and the Family Stone album, as well as Scars of the Soul Are Why Kids Wear Bandages When They Don’t Have Bruises (Akashic Books), his debut essay collection on coming of age in the Bronx during the 1970s-80s.
Over the past 20 years, his celebrity profiles and arts criticism have been published by The New York Times, Rolling Stone, GQ, The Washington Post, NPR, The Nation, Essence, Salon and many others.
Over the past 20 years, his celebrity profiles and arts criticism have been published by The New York Times, Rolling Stone, GQ, The Washington Post, NPR, The Nation, Essence, Salon and many others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
October 3, 2021
This was an interesting book - pitched between a pop biography and an academic analysis of Kendrick Lamar and his place in Californian, Hip Hop, and US culture. Lamar is a great MC recognized in both hip hop and wider circles; his album Damn won the Pulitzer prize in Music in 2019, the first in forever that wasn't opera or contemporary Avant Garde orchestra music And he fits both the strong / hard / misogynistic trappings of most hip hop these days while also moving beyond that to an examination of the effects of these stances. His lyrics are interesting and dense and he does the somewhat unusual tactic of often rapping from the point of view of created characters in his songs, normal in music in general but pretty unusual in rap.
The author does a good job of discussing what makes Lamar interesting, where he came from, and (most interestingly to me) connects him to larger trends in society (especially BLM), in contemporary hip hop (Drake and J. Cole), soul and jazz (especially Marvin Gaye), alternative Hip Hop (with connections both to the pre-gansta rap period where acts like De La Soul, PM Dawn, and especially A Tribe Called Quest could exist and to the members of his supergroup Black Hippy), and other prominent rappers that came before (with long discussions of Tupac).
This isn't an exhaustive biography, nor does the author goes as deep into doing close readings of Lamar's lyrics as I expected. He also expects you to have a good grounding in Hip Hop to follow along. But I liked the way he made connections to rap and pop music history and the way he wove in his and other's reactions to Kendrick's music and how it's affected them and Hip Hop at large.
The author does a good job of discussing what makes Lamar interesting, where he came from, and (most interestingly to me) connects him to larger trends in society (especially BLM), in contemporary hip hop (Drake and J. Cole), soul and jazz (especially Marvin Gaye), alternative Hip Hop (with connections both to the pre-gansta rap period where acts like De La Soul, PM Dawn, and especially A Tribe Called Quest could exist and to the members of his supergroup Black Hippy), and other prominent rappers that came before (with long discussions of Tupac).
This isn't an exhaustive biography, nor does the author goes as deep into doing close readings of Lamar's lyrics as I expected. He also expects you to have a good grounding in Hip Hop to follow along. But I liked the way he made connections to rap and pop music history and the way he wove in his and other's reactions to Kendrick's music and how it's affected them and Hip Hop at large.
September 19, 2021
I have never heard of Kendrick Lamar. I am so glad I decided to read this book. It is very well written and informative. After reading this book I felt truly schooled on a topic I knew little about. Very easy to follow. It frames hip hop from it's beginnings and how it has grown and evolved. The author uses such detail in writing this book and you can feel his love and expertise. I want to read more now. I highly recommend.
October 17, 2021
This book is specifically targeted at Kendrick Lamar fans and I, as a general aficionado of hip-hop history and culture, didn't get much out of it. The author inserts himself and his experiences into the book far too often for my taste and spends the rest of the time dissecting lyrics and interpreting supposed influences. Usually, I'm all for books that are secretly love letters but this feels more like a test of pre-existing knowledge on said rapper than a reason to fall in love. Artwork is kinda cool though.
I was sent a free copy of this book for review by the publisher.
I was sent a free copy of this book for review by the publisher.
March 6, 2025
Before I start I just want to say that I really liked this book! I learned so much about how Kendrick Lamar became the culture builder that he is today. Yet, my biggest issue is that it often felt like the author was critiquing Kendrick’s politics and not his art- (and to that I say listen to MMATBS my guy). Also , the title is SO bad. Honestly it’s quite impressive that such an elaborate title can have nothing to do with the contents of the book whatsoever. The book focuses on the history surrounding the rise of hip hop and the culture that Kendrick was growing up in, not his poetry. Plus the author randomly enters random anecdotes from his own childhood and I’m sorry but who cares? So all in all I this book was a mess. But I was following it, and I learned a lot so I would reccomend it to certain folks.
November 13, 2021
I love that there's a full book about Kendrick Lamar but it was such a frustrating read. It's really more about the writer himself, plus his attempts (not that interesting or informed) to frame music icons/legacies in relation to each other. The most unique ideas are in brief sidebar quotes from other critics that don't correspond to the main text (I'd love to read more of Greg Tate on Kendrick, for example). It's a book that somehow fails to give Kendrick the credit he deserves even while trying to praise him. The coffee table format/design looks good but is a awkward fit with the text itself.
September 1, 2023
To my knowledge, there have been two books on Kendrick that have been published via a Big 5 Publishing House. The first one, The Butterfly Effect, I could not get into and sat to the side. It may have partially had something to do with a faux pas very early on in the book. When rattling off Kendrick's mixtape/album discography, the writer omitted (aka forgot) the Kendrick Lamar EP. Being that this was the pivotal project where Kendrick started going by his God-given name and began to really come into his own, it was a bit of a deal breaker for me to take the writer seriously.
Therefore, I sat it aside.
This is the second book on Kendrick by a Big 5 Publisher. Unfortunately, it is not without some glaring mistakes of its own. Throw in some other issues that we'll get into later, and I wasn't left super impressed. That said, it was decent. They say start with the positives. So here I go.
The high points.
-This book's rather uninventive cover negates both the cool artwork inside, the quality of the content, and the officialness of the product.. The cover made it look self-published. Au contraire. In fact, it had many side contributors outside of the main author. That said, I'm not sure why a book geared for the coffee table would go the stock image route, but that's neither here nor there. I was surprised when I started the book that Miles Marshall had actually interviewed Kendrick. This pleasant surprise made me forgo the library copy and buy my own (as any Kendrick fan would). The imagery on the pages is eye-catching. That said, the glossiness needed to make art pop doesn't bode well for black text on white background being read by a woman with bad eyes. But I digress. The start pulls you in.
-I really enjoyed the attention paid to the 2016 Grammy Performance. Why? In my opinion it's the best Grammy performance that has occured in my lifetime, that I have had the pleasure to watch live, and I have the sneaking suspicion it will remain the best. It has also been totally erased from Youtube and The Grammy online archives. Which means there is a whole host of people who will never come across it. This performance also features a song at the very end that is not one of Kendrick's mainstream hits, but it is MY personal favorite from him. Therefore, new Kendrick listeners and casual fans will be turned on to a performance and song they otherwise would not have known. And if you do go down an internet rabbit hole, you can still find the performance in its entirety. Highly recommend you do that,
-I thought his take on fellow Black Hippy Members was pretty spot on. And the whole "is it a career helper or hindrance to be standing next to Kendrick" thing is an interesting thought to ponder.
-There is a section near the end about concept albums, a premise that is already of interest to me, and that I truly enjoyed the author's commentary on. In fact, I wouldn't have minded if instead of the book being called The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar, it had been called The Concept King, Kendrick Lamar. Or The Concepts and Cognizance of Kendrick Lamar. Or The Concepts and Conscience of Kendrick Lamar. (St. Martin's, call me *fake phone to face gesture*). I started listening to albums differently after GKMC because it was my first time truly understanding what a concept album was. It made me go back and explore acts I already loved, like Pink Floyd, and listen to their concept albums as the artists intended me to. No skipping skits, no songs out of order, just put it on and let the story unfold and inspire. The tie-ins of all the artists from soul to classic rock to rap that have explored the concept album was very interesting and, having listened to many of these, I believe K. Dot may just do it best. (And I'd have to agree that, while a good album, St. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club band is not the end all be all concept album.)
Now...onto the negatives.
I'm self-aware enough to know it's going to be really hard for me to not come off like the know-it all-white woman telling a Black author how to write a book about a Black subject and simultaneously hip-hop, an art form and culture created by and for Black people that just happens to have permeated my little life and the lives of so many others. But I'm just going to forge ahead and hope the intentions of my critique are not misunderstood.
-He refers to Lil Wayne as "the Houston MC." -_- Seriously? I feel like where Wayne is from is pretty much common knowledge. Not even hip-hop common knowledge. I'm talking like regular knowledge. Grandma's from Podunk USA to Prague can probably tell you either the city or state Wayne is from. New Orleans, Louisiana. 17th ward. Hollygrove. Straight off the corner of Apple and Eagle. "Houston MC" he said. Miles Marshall must have had the man confused with what's in the Styrofoam cup.
-There was a mistake so glaring about all the hip-hop albums that have taken album of the year at The Grammys that I re-read the passage multiple times to see if I was reading it wrong. And maybe I'm stupid and missed what he was trying to say, so please do correct me if I'm wrong. As I'm reading this laundry list of rappers I'm thinking to myself...I'm pretty sure Lauryn Hill and OutKast are the only hip-hop acts who have taken home AOTY. It's only happened twice. So I Google it. I'm correct. So then I Google the year he first said a rapper won (Run DMC...against the likes of Prince, Bruce Springstein, and David Bowie in 1984). And do you know what album won AOTY that year? Freaking Thriller. He didn't even have the competition right. And then goes on to name other years and instances that are just inaccurate.
This is my biggest point: A book like this needs an editor that is proficient in hip-hop and not just grammar/spelling. It also needs an author who is passionate about the totality of what they are attempting to cover, and not just a few facets. You don't have to love the whole genre of hip-hop. You don't have to cover the whole genre of hip-hop in one book about one man. I'm not big on a lot of early hip-hop (80's & 90s.) I was born in 1992 to two people that only played classic rock. My entry point was in the 2000s with Lil Wayne. Yes, I have gone back and listened to the classics from your usual top 5 suspects (Pac, Biggie, Nas, etc), but that's not where my preference lies. Therefore, I would be remiss to write a book about 90's hip-hop. Or East Coast hip-hop when the only East Coast rappers I've listened to with any regularity are Fab, Dipset, and Dave East. Perhaps this author shouldn't have tried to tackle so many talking points and make sixteen thousand different subjects seamlessly tie in. I know it's hard with Kendrick when he was birthed by so many thoughts and has given birth to so many thoughts, but I feel like the best Kendrick book will be where the author picks one facet and hones in. Otherwise, it becomes an impossible task of being too much to keep up with. You're gonna give too much attention to one element, not enough to another, and your mind is gonna be so jumbled up with facts and cutsey little personal anecdotes you fuck around and think Run-DMC beat Thriller. And the publisher is gonna let it print because they don't know anything other than hip hop is profitable. Come on, now. You gotta do your due diligence.
-Snoop is not on GKMC. He's on TPAB.
-Some of the info becomes repetitive and redundant. This needed to flow more chronologically, or at least have a through line to stick to. Being that it jumped around so much, I feel like the author was always either always trying to get you up to speed, or forgetting that he'd already talked about something, thus useless preambles took up space.
-The slight criticism that Kendrick doesn't do enough activism or giving back to the community. The author stacked him up against Nipsey. Nipsey is Nipsey. And Nipsey had a different "specialness" than Kendrick. We have to remember the world did not know about the work Nipsey was doing until he died. His area knew, LA knew, certain people outside of LA following him knew. But the world did not know and Nip did not get on a jumbo phone projecting his good deeds. He spoke about it, and rightfully so because he had a lot to be proud of, because he was often asked about it. And he was being asked about it because the community was taking notice. There were store fronts. What Nipsey was doing was visible if you were looking. Nipsey was visible. Nipsey I believe knew he needed to be a walking demonstration and physical incarnation of the change he was making. Contrast Nip, who I believed was doing good out of the goodness of his heart, with big name celebrities doing it for the glory. Think of all the big names who can't do one good deed without calling in the press corps. I think even Chance The Rapper had a press conference for a particular donation he made to a school. I don't doubt Kendrick has read Matthew 6:2. Take note of his reaction during The VICE Noisey Bompton interview. Take note of the lyrics "I know if I'm generous at heart I don't need recognition/The way I'm rewarded, well, that's God's decision/I know you know that line's for Compton School District/Just give it to the kids don't gossip about how it was distributed/I know/How people work." The fact of the matter is Miles Marshall Lewis, Azealia Banks, Noname, and whoever else have no idea what Kendrick has "done for his community" and they don't need to know.
-At times I find myself put off with Miles Marshall Lewis' writing voice...and I'm sure if he read this he'd probably be put off with my writing voice. There are just moments where his tone lends itself to, I don't know, something I can't quite put into words. When he shares his initial write up of TPAB with the "possibly/probably white woman braiding Kendrick's hair" on the cover of The Rolling Stone that ultimately turned out to be his "light skinned fiancée". Both the assumption and the realization rubbed me the wrong way. Well, maybe it didn't rub me so wrong as it made me roll my eyes in a "listen to this dweeb" kinda way. Here you are practically frothing at the mouth with excitement over the prospect that hip-hop's savior is going to be taken to task for letting a white girl touch him, only to find out it was a Black woman all along. And not just any Black woman, but his life partner. I felt this way again when he spoke about Erykah Badu (who I'm not sure why he brought up other than to boast that he knew her back she was a dime a dozen in Brooklyn and to belittle her in the most subtle yet passive aggressive ways) and did the mental eye roll again. (But hey, she did give him a blurb for this book, albeit a succinct one, so what do I know). And I'm not even trying to make it a male/female thing because it's not. Those are just the two examples that came to mind, but it's reoccurring. His tone is...well, his tone is his tone. And I'll leave it at that.
In conclusion, I think an author needs to know why they are writing a book. Books about renowned people usually fall into two categories: Love Letters & Thorough Biographies. This was neither. The author seems like he has secondhand enamoration/respect as it pertains to Kendrick that he caught via constant exposure. To me...and this is just me....it feels like he got the call to write this. Not the calling to write this.
All that said, I would still recommend this to both newcomers and devote Kendrick fans. There are things you will like about this. But I would also recommend you go into it not hoping for the best offering. And that maybe you finish your library copy before you go out and buy it. I already have a Kendrick coffee table book (technically a very chunky book-like magazine, authorized at that) and this one will not be taking its spot.
Therefore, I sat it aside.
This is the second book on Kendrick by a Big 5 Publisher. Unfortunately, it is not without some glaring mistakes of its own. Throw in some other issues that we'll get into later, and I wasn't left super impressed. That said, it was decent. They say start with the positives. So here I go.
The high points.
-This book's rather uninventive cover negates both the cool artwork inside, the quality of the content, and the officialness of the product.. The cover made it look self-published. Au contraire. In fact, it had many side contributors outside of the main author. That said, I'm not sure why a book geared for the coffee table would go the stock image route, but that's neither here nor there. I was surprised when I started the book that Miles Marshall had actually interviewed Kendrick. This pleasant surprise made me forgo the library copy and buy my own (as any Kendrick fan would). The imagery on the pages is eye-catching. That said, the glossiness needed to make art pop doesn't bode well for black text on white background being read by a woman with bad eyes. But I digress. The start pulls you in.
-I really enjoyed the attention paid to the 2016 Grammy Performance. Why? In my opinion it's the best Grammy performance that has occured in my lifetime, that I have had the pleasure to watch live, and I have the sneaking suspicion it will remain the best. It has also been totally erased from Youtube and The Grammy online archives. Which means there is a whole host of people who will never come across it. This performance also features a song at the very end that is not one of Kendrick's mainstream hits, but it is MY personal favorite from him. Therefore, new Kendrick listeners and casual fans will be turned on to a performance and song they otherwise would not have known. And if you do go down an internet rabbit hole, you can still find the performance in its entirety. Highly recommend you do that,
-I thought his take on fellow Black Hippy Members was pretty spot on. And the whole "is it a career helper or hindrance to be standing next to Kendrick" thing is an interesting thought to ponder.
-There is a section near the end about concept albums, a premise that is already of interest to me, and that I truly enjoyed the author's commentary on. In fact, I wouldn't have minded if instead of the book being called The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar, it had been called The Concept King, Kendrick Lamar. Or The Concepts and Cognizance of Kendrick Lamar. Or The Concepts and Conscience of Kendrick Lamar. (St. Martin's, call me *fake phone to face gesture*). I started listening to albums differently after GKMC because it was my first time truly understanding what a concept album was. It made me go back and explore acts I already loved, like Pink Floyd, and listen to their concept albums as the artists intended me to. No skipping skits, no songs out of order, just put it on and let the story unfold and inspire. The tie-ins of all the artists from soul to classic rock to rap that have explored the concept album was very interesting and, having listened to many of these, I believe K. Dot may just do it best. (And I'd have to agree that, while a good album, St. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club band is not the end all be all concept album.)
Now...onto the negatives.
I'm self-aware enough to know it's going to be really hard for me to not come off like the know-it all-white woman telling a Black author how to write a book about a Black subject and simultaneously hip-hop, an art form and culture created by and for Black people that just happens to have permeated my little life and the lives of so many others. But I'm just going to forge ahead and hope the intentions of my critique are not misunderstood.
-He refers to Lil Wayne as "the Houston MC." -_- Seriously? I feel like where Wayne is from is pretty much common knowledge. Not even hip-hop common knowledge. I'm talking like regular knowledge. Grandma's from Podunk USA to Prague can probably tell you either the city or state Wayne is from. New Orleans, Louisiana. 17th ward. Hollygrove. Straight off the corner of Apple and Eagle. "Houston MC" he said. Miles Marshall must have had the man confused with what's in the Styrofoam cup.
-There was a mistake so glaring about all the hip-hop albums that have taken album of the year at The Grammys that I re-read the passage multiple times to see if I was reading it wrong. And maybe I'm stupid and missed what he was trying to say, so please do correct me if I'm wrong. As I'm reading this laundry list of rappers I'm thinking to myself...I'm pretty sure Lauryn Hill and OutKast are the only hip-hop acts who have taken home AOTY. It's only happened twice. So I Google it. I'm correct. So then I Google the year he first said a rapper won (Run DMC...against the likes of Prince, Bruce Springstein, and David Bowie in 1984). And do you know what album won AOTY that year? Freaking Thriller. He didn't even have the competition right. And then goes on to name other years and instances that are just inaccurate.
This is my biggest point: A book like this needs an editor that is proficient in hip-hop and not just grammar/spelling. It also needs an author who is passionate about the totality of what they are attempting to cover, and not just a few facets. You don't have to love the whole genre of hip-hop. You don't have to cover the whole genre of hip-hop in one book about one man. I'm not big on a lot of early hip-hop (80's & 90s.) I was born in 1992 to two people that only played classic rock. My entry point was in the 2000s with Lil Wayne. Yes, I have gone back and listened to the classics from your usual top 5 suspects (Pac, Biggie, Nas, etc), but that's not where my preference lies. Therefore, I would be remiss to write a book about 90's hip-hop. Or East Coast hip-hop when the only East Coast rappers I've listened to with any regularity are Fab, Dipset, and Dave East. Perhaps this author shouldn't have tried to tackle so many talking points and make sixteen thousand different subjects seamlessly tie in. I know it's hard with Kendrick when he was birthed by so many thoughts and has given birth to so many thoughts, but I feel like the best Kendrick book will be where the author picks one facet and hones in. Otherwise, it becomes an impossible task of being too much to keep up with. You're gonna give too much attention to one element, not enough to another, and your mind is gonna be so jumbled up with facts and cutsey little personal anecdotes you fuck around and think Run-DMC beat Thriller. And the publisher is gonna let it print because they don't know anything other than hip hop is profitable. Come on, now. You gotta do your due diligence.
-Snoop is not on GKMC. He's on TPAB.
-Some of the info becomes repetitive and redundant. This needed to flow more chronologically, or at least have a through line to stick to. Being that it jumped around so much, I feel like the author was always either always trying to get you up to speed, or forgetting that he'd already talked about something, thus useless preambles took up space.
-The slight criticism that Kendrick doesn't do enough activism or giving back to the community. The author stacked him up against Nipsey. Nipsey is Nipsey. And Nipsey had a different "specialness" than Kendrick. We have to remember the world did not know about the work Nipsey was doing until he died. His area knew, LA knew, certain people outside of LA following him knew. But the world did not know and Nip did not get on a jumbo phone projecting his good deeds. He spoke about it, and rightfully so because he had a lot to be proud of, because he was often asked about it. And he was being asked about it because the community was taking notice. There were store fronts. What Nipsey was doing was visible if you were looking. Nipsey was visible. Nipsey I believe knew he needed to be a walking demonstration and physical incarnation of the change he was making. Contrast Nip, who I believed was doing good out of the goodness of his heart, with big name celebrities doing it for the glory. Think of all the big names who can't do one good deed without calling in the press corps. I think even Chance The Rapper had a press conference for a particular donation he made to a school. I don't doubt Kendrick has read Matthew 6:2. Take note of his reaction during The VICE Noisey Bompton interview. Take note of the lyrics "I know if I'm generous at heart I don't need recognition/The way I'm rewarded, well, that's God's decision/I know you know that line's for Compton School District/Just give it to the kids don't gossip about how it was distributed/I know/How people work." The fact of the matter is Miles Marshall Lewis, Azealia Banks, Noname, and whoever else have no idea what Kendrick has "done for his community" and they don't need to know.
-At times I find myself put off with Miles Marshall Lewis' writing voice...and I'm sure if he read this he'd probably be put off with my writing voice. There are just moments where his tone lends itself to, I don't know, something I can't quite put into words. When he shares his initial write up of TPAB with the "possibly/probably white woman braiding Kendrick's hair" on the cover of The Rolling Stone that ultimately turned out to be his "light skinned fiancée". Both the assumption and the realization rubbed me the wrong way. Well, maybe it didn't rub me so wrong as it made me roll my eyes in a "listen to this dweeb" kinda way. Here you are practically frothing at the mouth with excitement over the prospect that hip-hop's savior is going to be taken to task for letting a white girl touch him, only to find out it was a Black woman all along. And not just any Black woman, but his life partner. I felt this way again when he spoke about Erykah Badu (who I'm not sure why he brought up other than to boast that he knew her back she was a dime a dozen in Brooklyn and to belittle her in the most subtle yet passive aggressive ways) and did the mental eye roll again. (But hey, she did give him a blurb for this book, albeit a succinct one, so what do I know). And I'm not even trying to make it a male/female thing because it's not. Those are just the two examples that came to mind, but it's reoccurring. His tone is...well, his tone is his tone. And I'll leave it at that.
In conclusion, I think an author needs to know why they are writing a book. Books about renowned people usually fall into two categories: Love Letters & Thorough Biographies. This was neither. The author seems like he has secondhand enamoration/respect as it pertains to Kendrick that he caught via constant exposure. To me...and this is just me....it feels like he got the call to write this. Not the calling to write this.
All that said, I would still recommend this to both newcomers and devote Kendrick fans. There are things you will like about this. But I would also recommend you go into it not hoping for the best offering. And that maybe you finish your library copy before you go out and buy it. I already have a Kendrick coffee table book (technically a very chunky book-like magazine, authorized at that) and this one will not be taking its spot.
July 17, 2021
This book is a combination of hip hop history, and glowing review of Kendrick Lamar. It was interesting, somewhat in the vein Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest by Hanif Abdurraqib, but without as much cultural commentary. Mostly Miles Marshall Lewis wanted to talk about how great Kendrick Lamar was and how his lyrics helped shape a groundswell that is part of the BLM movement, etc. It's perfectly fine, but wasn't inspiring in any way. To be honest, I prefer just to listen to Kendrick Lamar for a few hours, and actually feel something instead of reading this book to try to feel something.
I think part of my lukewarm feelings about this book was the ARC I got, which was clearly a very early format of this book. I expect (I hope) that the paragraphs that got chopped up for random pictures and quotes will be put together in a way that is a less jarring read. Also, I had several chapter in my copy that began in the middle, and it took me awhile to realize that I had to skip around the book to find the beginning. Again, little ARC nitpicks that I'm sure will not show up in the final copy.
I think part of my lukewarm feelings about this book was the ARC I got, which was clearly a very early format of this book. I expect (I hope) that the paragraphs that got chopped up for random pictures and quotes will be put together in a way that is a less jarring read. Also, I had several chapter in my copy that began in the middle, and it took me awhile to realize that I had to skip around the book to find the beginning. Again, little ARC nitpicks that I'm sure will not show up in the final copy.
August 15, 2021
This book was really insightful, not just about Kendrick Lamar but of hip hop and R&B and the history behind them.
There was a lot of context given for the creation of rap and the times in which it evolved.
The author examined Kendrick's music not only in the context of his life but the framework of the world in which Black people live that inspired his work.
I loved that the author talked about the history of the music and the important figures like Tupac that made rap a global phenomenon.
To understand Kendrick's music you have to understand the world in which he lives and the history of Black people in America. These two things are essential as they inform his voice and inspiration.
I believe Kendrick's music will grow as he matures and experiences more of the world outside of what he can see around him but what and who he can connect to universally.
Is he the Tupac of this generation as he has been called? I don't think so. I think he is his own voice and I'm excited to see how it grows.
There was a lot of context given for the creation of rap and the times in which it evolved.
The author examined Kendrick's music not only in the context of his life but the framework of the world in which Black people live that inspired his work.
I loved that the author talked about the history of the music and the important figures like Tupac that made rap a global phenomenon.
To understand Kendrick's music you have to understand the world in which he lives and the history of Black people in America. These two things are essential as they inform his voice and inspiration.
I believe Kendrick's music will grow as he matures and experiences more of the world outside of what he can see around him but what and who he can connect to universally.
Is he the Tupac of this generation as he has been called? I don't think so. I think he is his own voice and I'm excited to see how it grows.
July 26, 2022
“Promise That You Will Sing About Me”, by author Miles Marshall Lewis, is about hip hop rapper sensation Kendrick Lamar. The book not only gives the history of Kendrick Lamar’s music and influence but also the history of hip hop. It was actually quite fascinating to me to read of Mr.Lamar’s life and the influence he has on an entire generation.
Throughout the book is interviews with activists, critics, and also Pulitzer juror Farah Jasmine Griffin. I had no idea that Mr.Lamar won a Pulitzer!
I loved this book, it is evident the author put extensive research and has much knowledge of Kendrick Lamar and hip hop/rap. I liked the author’s writing style too, it flows well.
*For those of us that love graphics, this book is full of them!
I received an advanced readers copy of this book in a gracious giveaway on Goodreads by St. Martin’s Press. My review is based upon my opinion after reading (and enjoying!) the entire book.
Throughout the book is interviews with activists, critics, and also Pulitzer juror Farah Jasmine Griffin. I had no idea that Mr.Lamar won a Pulitzer!
I loved this book, it is evident the author put extensive research and has much knowledge of Kendrick Lamar and hip hop/rap. I liked the author’s writing style too, it flows well.
*For those of us that love graphics, this book is full of them!
I received an advanced readers copy of this book in a gracious giveaway on Goodreads by St. Martin’s Press. My review is based upon my opinion after reading (and enjoying!) the entire book.
August 10, 2021
I went into this knowing nothing about what would be discussed. I am pleased that I did. I learned a lot about a person who I consider one of the greatest rappers of my time. Thanks for the ARC NetGalley.
February 24, 2025
3.5 stars.
I wish there had been more of Kendrick's words and poetry instead of so much hip hop history. I get that the author was trying to show us what shaped Kendrick but it didn't come off like that at times.
I wish there had been more of Kendrick's words and poetry instead of so much hip hop history. I get that the author was trying to show us what shaped Kendrick but it didn't come off like that at times.
August 31, 2021
Reading "Promise That You Will Sing About Me" by Miles Marshall Lewis is an experience, I tell you. Not only does Lewis give critical, well-researched analysis of Kendrick's body of work, he gives a glimpse into the life of Kendrick by way of his environment, musical influences, and the time period that shaped him. Musical ethnography of one of my favorite rappers is a treat in the way that it feels as though you are front + center of a hip-hop seminar and this curriculum covers Kendrick. There is no stone left unturned as Miles discusses Kendrick Lamar the artist: from his unique style and flow, on down to the competitive energy that tethers Kendrick to the likes of rapper Drake.
The author masterfully weaves his own personal experiences into the mix-- where he was and what he was doing when something specific happened in the country. And what Kendrick might have also been experiencing, using his age, environment, and lyrics for reference. In reading, I was blown away by how well-researched everything was. However, there were times when I felt the author led me down a rabbit hole of information I had a hard time crawling out of!
Any true student of hip hop will appreciate this read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC and St. Martin's Press for the physical ARC of "Promise You Will Sing About Me" in exchange for an honest review.
The author masterfully weaves his own personal experiences into the mix-- where he was and what he was doing when something specific happened in the country. And what Kendrick might have also been experiencing, using his age, environment, and lyrics for reference. In reading, I was blown away by how well-researched everything was. However, there were times when I felt the author led me down a rabbit hole of information I had a hard time crawling out of!
Any true student of hip hop will appreciate this read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC and St. Martin's Press for the physical ARC of "Promise You Will Sing About Me" in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2022
Surprisingly, this book was very well written and I say this as someone who does not listen to any of the youngins lol. It is beautifully detailed and has maybe even swayed me to listen to K Dot’s discography. I mean, he is a Pulitzer Prize recipient. Thanks Marshall for such a beautiful, no-nonsense book on one of the greatest to ever do it apparently cause I DO LOVE THE BLACK PANTHER soundtrack!!! 💚💚💚 tops
April 26, 2022
The 🐐 plain and simple. Wish it was written by him to understand a little more of his background
March 20, 2025
my major quarrel with this book is that there should have been more kendrick. which is honestly surprising because it's marketed as a book about...kendrick lamar.
as a preface before i begin, i want to say how happy i am this book exists. although a somewhat niche topic and perhaps a more reclusive artist than others of our generation, i'm thankful this book even exists at all. it gives readers a great background in kendrick's life, early career, and some of his major works. i also enjoyed that it went into the ripples kendrick has made culturally, not only for rap, but music in general.
all that being said, the order of this biography (can you call it that when it talked just as much about tupac and other greats just as much as kendrick?) was all weird. totally fine if it's not chronological as not all biographies have to be, but what was the reason for jumping around? discussing the pulitzer-prize winning DAMN. and then discussing good kid m.a.a.d city track by track? the narrative was jarring to the reader and i didn't feel that it served a purpose for helping us better understand kendrick's career or persona. i also dont understand why the author decided to end the entire book by deep-diving into m.a.a.d city when he doesn't give the same type of attention to the other albums. if you're gonna do it for one, why not do it for all? each have such unique storylines they could be books in themselves! i wish we could've gotten to hear that analysis.
going back to my point about wanting more kendrick-- i felt that this book was inaccurately named. although it was majorly about kendrick and his career and life, it mostly centered around conscious rap as a subgenre and the major names that forged the space that kendrick currently exists in. this is good background knowledge to have surrounding the enigma of kendrick, but should have been a chapter or two (at most!) within this book. instead, much of the narrative gets taken over with describing artist after artist and name dropping person after person, so much so that it disorients the reader. yes, kendrick stands on the shoulders of those that came before him, but there is a way to mention them without distracting from the current-day artistry of lamar--which is what i was here to learn about!
the author touched a bit on the now old rap beef between kendrick and drake and i would LOVEE to get his perspective on this past summer's discourse the whole way until the superbowl performance. he could write another book on just that!
i loved the audiobook for this and felt like that was the major reason i was able to stick it out. the narrator kept it engaging and sorta (lightly) rapped when reading kendrick's rhymes. it helped make the entire thing feel more immersive. also enjoyed the author adding bits about his life and growing up around hip-hop.
as an avid kendrick fan myself, i can't say i learned a toooon that i didn't already know about him, but it was nice to read a book on this topic nonetheless. overall, i think this is a great book to pick up if you want to know more about kendrick or the state of conscious rap in general. it's so important that books like this exist!
as a preface before i begin, i want to say how happy i am this book exists. although a somewhat niche topic and perhaps a more reclusive artist than others of our generation, i'm thankful this book even exists at all. it gives readers a great background in kendrick's life, early career, and some of his major works. i also enjoyed that it went into the ripples kendrick has made culturally, not only for rap, but music in general.
all that being said, the order of this biography (can you call it that when it talked just as much about tupac and other greats just as much as kendrick?) was all weird. totally fine if it's not chronological as not all biographies have to be, but what was the reason for jumping around? discussing the pulitzer-prize winning DAMN. and then discussing good kid m.a.a.d city track by track? the narrative was jarring to the reader and i didn't feel that it served a purpose for helping us better understand kendrick's career or persona. i also dont understand why the author decided to end the entire book by deep-diving into m.a.a.d city when he doesn't give the same type of attention to the other albums. if you're gonna do it for one, why not do it for all? each have such unique storylines they could be books in themselves! i wish we could've gotten to hear that analysis.
going back to my point about wanting more kendrick-- i felt that this book was inaccurately named. although it was majorly about kendrick and his career and life, it mostly centered around conscious rap as a subgenre and the major names that forged the space that kendrick currently exists in. this is good background knowledge to have surrounding the enigma of kendrick, but should have been a chapter or two (at most!) within this book. instead, much of the narrative gets taken over with describing artist after artist and name dropping person after person, so much so that it disorients the reader. yes, kendrick stands on the shoulders of those that came before him, but there is a way to mention them without distracting from the current-day artistry of lamar--which is what i was here to learn about!
the author touched a bit on the now old rap beef between kendrick and drake and i would LOVEE to get his perspective on this past summer's discourse the whole way until the superbowl performance. he could write another book on just that!
i loved the audiobook for this and felt like that was the major reason i was able to stick it out. the narrator kept it engaging and sorta (lightly) rapped when reading kendrick's rhymes. it helped make the entire thing feel more immersive. also enjoyed the author adding bits about his life and growing up around hip-hop.
as an avid kendrick fan myself, i can't say i learned a toooon that i didn't already know about him, but it was nice to read a book on this topic nonetheless. overall, i think this is a great book to pick up if you want to know more about kendrick or the state of conscious rap in general. it's so important that books like this exist!
July 14, 2024
I read this book in July 2024, and can only imagine a re-write of the section about Kendrick’s relationship/beef with Drake would look entirely different in light of “Not Like Us” and “Meet the Grahams.”
It really felt like the author relied too much on the quotes of other people to relate why Kendrick Lamar is important to the culture and delve deeper into his music. I was hoping for more, but still learned a lot reading this book.
It really felt like the author relied too much on the quotes of other people to relate why Kendrick Lamar is important to the culture and delve deeper into his music. I was hoping for more, but still learned a lot reading this book.
October 31, 2021
This was an insightful look into the life of Kendrick Lamar and the history of hip hop and R&B music. While I usually am not a fan of biographies, this book was insightful and gave an in-depth look into more than just the life, but also how Mr. Lamar shaped the history of the genre. It is worth a second look especially for fans of Mr. Lamar and of the genre.
July 26, 2024
Kind of disappointed I gave so much time to this. As a Kendrick fan, I learned almost nothing from this book. I wouldn’t even call this a biography. More like a love letter written by another super fan.
However, if you are unfamiliar with Kendrick Lamar, his life, and rap career I do see how this could be entertaining and informative.
However, if you are unfamiliar with Kendrick Lamar, his life, and rap career I do see how this could be entertaining and informative.
October 20, 2021
Part biography and part academic analysis of Kendrick Lamar, this book was insightful and provided a clear take on Lamar who's one of my favorite rappers.
May 24, 2022
Great read that puts more dimension onto an already vulnerable and thought-provoking artist.
September 12, 2024
This was a very well done book in many ways. I loved all the biographical pieces and the musical analysis. I struggled with the structure of the book - im sure other folks who aren’t as novice of hip hop and rap fans didn’t have that problem. Also why did he talk about Kendrick getting the most Grammy noms other than Michael Jackson like 5 times.
March 10, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ This was a part biography, part commentary, part lyrics, part black music history. I enjoyed this and now I feel compelled to take a deep dive into Kendrick’s discography.
September 23, 2025
Great book about kendrick lamar
July 7, 2022
Some really strong contextual leads and backgrounds on this important artist, particularly the formative stuff here. Really great writing.
January 5, 2023
A scattered and repetitious biography/analysis on the life and career of Kendrick Lamar. That said, when Lewis actually focuses on Lamar, his lyrics, and influences, this book really soars.
March 15, 2025
As a 66 year old white woman, I learned alot. I was hoping for more of Kendrick and his art, background, motivation, influences. It could have been the narrator that left me empty. Not sure. I’m still glad I listened and learned about the genre. I just had to sift through to get a sense of where Kendrick fit.
June 9, 2021
Promise That You Will Sing about Me reads like a love letter to rap with fascinating personal anecdotes from Lewis. If you're not familiar with the genre, that's fine. You'll gain a healthy dose of historical and cultural explanations that you may have not otherwise felt or experienced. Lewis is quite the storyteller. Wow, can he elaborate.
As someone who's not part of the Kendrick Lamar wave, I was surprised to learn how much praise and influence he has had over the last decade. Tells you often I pay attention to the music scene, period. The only one I was kinda familiar with before this book was Childish Gambino.
I can only speak for myself when I say Lewis went above and beyond in making me look up a YouTube video here and there. Rich and descriptive, it's just the tonic I needed in learning about a new voice of a genre I like. I appreciated whenever Lewis wrote about what he believes are Kendrick Lamar's weaker or controversial pieces. Kept it real with me.
It's a small quibble but understandable. Kendrick hasn't lived a long life yet, so autobiographical details about him may be repeated. You're just going to have bear with it. Whenever Lewis repeats, it's often to remind you how and why they are so relevant for each section.
The artwork in here is marvelous. So were the pages printed in color. Shame I have an advance reader's copy. Be interested in seeing what colors are used for the print on sale.
Promise That You Will Sing about Me got me to look up an artist I'd never heard of before. It introduced me to a generation's voice that I hadn't considered before. Thrilling, no? If you want to learn why Alright matters so much without getting into a flame war or troll comments online, read this book. Lewis educates you.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
As someone who's not part of the Kendrick Lamar wave, I was surprised to learn how much praise and influence he has had over the last decade. Tells you often I pay attention to the music scene, period. The only one I was kinda familiar with before this book was Childish Gambino.
I can only speak for myself when I say Lewis went above and beyond in making me look up a YouTube video here and there. Rich and descriptive, it's just the tonic I needed in learning about a new voice of a genre I like. I appreciated whenever Lewis wrote about what he believes are Kendrick Lamar's weaker or controversial pieces. Kept it real with me.
It's a small quibble but understandable. Kendrick hasn't lived a long life yet, so autobiographical details about him may be repeated. You're just going to have bear with it. Whenever Lewis repeats, it's often to remind you how and why they are so relevant for each section.
The artwork in here is marvelous. So were the pages printed in color. Shame I have an advance reader's copy. Be interested in seeing what colors are used for the print on sale.
Promise That You Will Sing about Me got me to look up an artist I'd never heard of before. It introduced me to a generation's voice that I hadn't considered before. Thrilling, no? If you want to learn why Alright matters so much without getting into a flame war or troll comments online, read this book. Lewis educates you.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
October 4, 2021
I will preface this review with I'm not a huge fan of Kendrick Lamar. Like the author, I grew up with rap and hip hop artists who influenced Kendrick. Like him, I also stopped really listening to that music and other genres, because they were tired and their lyrics mostly shit. I just never came back. I entered this giveway for two reasons: my cousin is a huge fan and I really was fascinated by the first rapper to ever get a Pullitzer Prize award. It was amazing.
Even though the summary book talks of this, this book is not that at all. Don't expect it. I was disappointed in this book for that reason. In fact, the album that won him the award was not discussed in detail like MAAD City. The layout and content was all over the place. I didn't really get the point of this book. Hood Politics which I thought was an interesting chapter was put in the very beginning and then repeated again for Chapter 2. I'm not sure why. There was no consistency and some of the pages I couldn't read due to faded text or gray text on a gray / black background. It was also one of the few times I felt the author put too much of himself into this story. At one point, he went on a tangent about east coast vs west coast and then he decided he liked west coast on a road trip to Atlanta. It went on longer than that though.
I did learn a lot of great music history and I did learn more about Kendrick Lamar. Just not what I wanted. I had some nostalgia and got out some old playlists to listen to some music of my youth. I also picked up a few new artists who I added to the list. I'm sure if you are a big fan (like my cousin), you might like this book, but the inconsistency of the text and page and content turned me off to recommend this book wholeheartedly.
Even though the summary book talks of this, this book is not that at all. Don't expect it. I was disappointed in this book for that reason. In fact, the album that won him the award was not discussed in detail like MAAD City. The layout and content was all over the place. I didn't really get the point of this book. Hood Politics which I thought was an interesting chapter was put in the very beginning and then repeated again for Chapter 2. I'm not sure why. There was no consistency and some of the pages I couldn't read due to faded text or gray text on a gray / black background. It was also one of the few times I felt the author put too much of himself into this story. At one point, he went on a tangent about east coast vs west coast and then he decided he liked west coast on a road trip to Atlanta. It went on longer than that though.
I did learn a lot of great music history and I did learn more about Kendrick Lamar. Just not what I wanted. I had some nostalgia and got out some old playlists to listen to some music of my youth. I also picked up a few new artists who I added to the list. I'm sure if you are a big fan (like my cousin), you might like this book, but the inconsistency of the text and page and content turned me off to recommend this book wholeheartedly.
September 28, 2021
Although I dnf'd after approximately 50%, I am still giving this book a 4 star rating! Thank you to Goodreads and St. Martin's Press for the Advance Reader's Edition I won in a giveaway!
If you are a fan of Kendrick Lamar and his brethren from Top Dawg Entertainment you will truly love this book. It is so beautifully and eloquently written, the imagery is powerful, the socioeconomic and political undertones are moving and I really respect the author for presenting both Kendrick's positive and not-so-positive personality traits. The author, Miles Marshall Lewis, has clearly done his research listing all of Kendrick's albums and accomplishments while quoting some of his lyrics to reinforce his points. He also dives into hip hop history and Kendrick's influences.
I did not finish this book as the subject matter simply doesn't speak to me. Kendrick Lamar is not one of my favourite rappers but I am glad I got to read about his life nonetheless.
If you are a fan of Kendrick Lamar and his brethren from Top Dawg Entertainment you will truly love this book. It is so beautifully and eloquently written, the imagery is powerful, the socioeconomic and political undertones are moving and I really respect the author for presenting both Kendrick's positive and not-so-positive personality traits. The author, Miles Marshall Lewis, has clearly done his research listing all of Kendrick's albums and accomplishments while quoting some of his lyrics to reinforce his points. He also dives into hip hop history and Kendrick's influences.
I did not finish this book as the subject matter simply doesn't speak to me. Kendrick Lamar is not one of my favourite rappers but I am glad I got to read about his life nonetheless.
August 25, 2021
3.5 stars.
Overall, a pretty decent book. Though I was hoping for a bit more about Kendrick’s rise to fame and his backstory. So I feel like Lewis really only scratched the surface of who he is as an artist. But I did, however, learn some very interesting (and also some very messed up) pop culture history that I had never heard of before, which blew my mind. I also really liked the narrator. All in all, it just felt like a comprehensive rap history book, rather than one focused on Kendrick, which I had hoped for. But I totally agree with Lewis - Kendrick deserved that Pulitzer Prize for “DAMN.” & he’s definitely the most talented, poetic rapper of our generation.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, a pretty decent book. Though I was hoping for a bit more about Kendrick’s rise to fame and his backstory. So I feel like Lewis really only scratched the surface of who he is as an artist. But I did, however, learn some very interesting (and also some very messed up) pop culture history that I had never heard of before, which blew my mind. I also really liked the narrator. All in all, it just felt like a comprehensive rap history book, rather than one focused on Kendrick, which I had hoped for. But I totally agree with Lewis - Kendrick deserved that Pulitzer Prize for “DAMN.” & he’s definitely the most talented, poetic rapper of our generation.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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