Kendrick Lamar becomes first rapper to win Pulitzer Prize for Music

Kendrick Lamar has won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Music for his album ‘DAMN.’ which “captures the complexity of modern African-American life”. Lamar is the first rapper to win the prize, which is usually given to classical or jazz artists.

The prize listing describes Lamar’s record as “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.”

It is seen as a more compact successor to Lamar’s experimental, often complex sophomore record, 2015’s 'To Pimp a Butterfly'that sold 353,000 copies its first week, according to Billboard (not including streams as in overall it collected 603,000 “album-equivalent units”). It went platinum earlier this month, the third of his records to do so.

His previous, 'Like Butterfly', got Lamar an Album of the Year nomination and the award for Best Rap Album at the 60th Grammy Awards. He was also given a standing ovation for his performance that night.

'DAMN.'features credits from other popular singers like Rihanna, U2, James Blake and jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington.

The Pulitzer Prize founded in 1917, first established its Music category in 1943. Its recipients were exclusively reserved for classical artists until 1997 when trumpet player Wynton Marsalis became the first jazz musician to win the award. Marsalis was only the second African-American composer to win, following composer George Walker’s win with 'Lilacs'just a year before.

Lamar has released at least one album every year since 2015, including, most recently, the accompanying soundtrack for Marvel’s Black Panther, which he brought together.

He was last seen publicly at the much-talked-about Coachella event headlined by Beyonce, Eminem and The Weeknd. He did so during the sets of Black Panther collaborators SZA and Vince Staples.