Kendrick Lamar shared his thoughts during a conversation with SZA for Harper’s Bazaar.
He expressed to his colleague from the past that accepting his softer side is his “gift.”
“Initially, I was only familiar with masculinity, and I always maintained that barrier due to my father. However, as I explore more of my artistry and become more open with myself, that embodies the feminine energy I’ve been suppressing, rather than the tough exterior I grew up witnessing. This is my authentic self, the gentle side of me, and it’s essential that I embrace it. My true strength lies here. If my role is to convey messages, I must engage with everyone […] I can’t achieve that while keeping a barrier up. I can’t connect deeply while exclusively leaning on my masculinity,” he remarked.