Recording artists Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Pharrell Williams attend the 56th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on January 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo : Getty Images/Christopher Polk)
Kendrick Lamar released his third studio album "To Pimp a Butterfly" on March 16 under Interscope, Aftermath and Top Dawg. Recently, the rapper from Compton, California, talked about how Detroit rapper Marshall Mathers III, professionally known as Eminem, influenced him.
Former Columbia Records co-president Rick Rubin recently interview Lamar for a GQ Style cover story. Rubin pointed out that it was interesting to hear the sort of clarity and depth that Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" collaborator lyrically go into.
"The clarity, I got my clarity just studying Eminem when I was a kid," Lamar told Rubin. "How I got in the studio was all just curiosity. I had a love for the music, but it was curiosity."
According to Lamar, the day he heard Eminem's third studio album "The Marshall Mathers LP," he became curious about rap music. The former wanted to know how the latter put his words together.
Eventually, Lamar became curious about how Eminem's words cut through the beat the way it does. At one point, the Compton wanted to know what the Detroit rapper was doing that he was not doing.
In 2013, Lamar was one of the four collaborators featured in Eminem's eighth studio album "The Marshall Mathers LP 2." The other three were Skylar Grey, Nate Ruess and Rihanna.
Eminem and Lamar's collaboration song is titled "Love Game," which was produced by Rubin. The two rappers co-wrote the song with Pinky Tomlin, Coy Poe, Jimmie Grier and Clint Ballard.
Meanwhile, Houston rapper Travis Scott recently expressed his appreciation for the artistry of Lamar and Andre 3000. Both Lamar and Andre 3000 appeared on Scott's second studio album titled "Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight," which was released on Sept. 2 under Epic Records and Grand Hustle Records.
"I look at them as the best artists," Scott said of Lamar and Andre 3000 in an interview with Paper magazine. "So, for them to come to my world and rap with me is crazy."
Watch a fan's cover of "Love Game" here:
