‘I Wonder What Lecrae Would Do?’: Kendrick Lamar & the Hip-Hop Renaissance

“I wonder what Lecrae would do?” Kendrick Lamar raps this on “watch the party die,” and it caused a shift. I wonder what Lecrae has done? I wonder what has been done to Lecrae? These two follow-up questions surfaced in my mind after hearing Kendrick Lamar’s recent social media release, popularly but unofficially titled “watch the party die.” The nod to Dee-1 and Lecrae comes after a long list of grievances stated by Lamar. His complaint is voiced against aspects of Hip Hop culture and the current state of the industry. [embedded content] The acknowledgment of Lecrae and Dee-1 by Lamar, presently the most prolific voice in hip-hop, was well received by the self-defined community of CHH. Commentators celebrated the work of Dee-1, Lecrae, and the entire CHH community for standing as a beacon of light, hope, and transformation. Lecrae, Dee-1, KB, Ruslan, and many other public figures and artists have commented on the significance of this historical moment. But as I heard the song, I had to wonder if Lamar was really looking to Lecrae as a way forward exclusively. Is he really referencing Lecrae’s character only? Or is his a statement of awareness of the violence perpetrated against...