Kendrick Lamar's Political Views Have Always Been Part of His Music

Following his performance in the Super Bowl, Kendrick Lamar has come under more intense scrutiny for his political views. This makes sense, given how much America was woven into his performance, but it also left some wondering whether the rapper has publicly endorsed candidates of ether party.

Kendrick made his name in part by riding the wave of Black Lives Matter, and he's never shied away from being explicit about his feelings on race and culture. Here's what we know about which political party he associates with, though.

Although his music has always been political, Kendrick has not spent too much of his time talking overtly about politics. When he first emerged following his debut album in 2012, he famously said "I don't do no voting," touching off a controversy as the election was approaching.

Kendrick clarified his stance later, saying that Americans should vote for "the right reasons" so they “won’t point the finger at that Black man like y’all did," referring to Barack Obama.

As this sentiment makes clear, Kendrick has an uneasy alliance with the Democratic Party that is born more of necessity than of any love for them. He eventually became a leader in the Black Lives Matter movement, although he caused some controversy when he made more conservative comments abut the killings of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown.

Although his alliance with the Democrats may not have been straightforward, Kendrick has always made his feelings about Donald Trump quite clear.

“Donald Trump is a chump, know how we feel, punk,” he raps on his album "DAMN."

He also aligned himself with Colin Kaepernick and his movement to kneel during the national anthem as a form of protest against police violence.

Although Kendrick's music has always been political, and always proudly reflective of the Black experience, he has never made himself a mouthpiece of any political party.

Kamala Harris did use "Not Like Us" and "Freedom," two songs featuring Kendrick, at her rallies, but Kendrick never agreed to perform or speak on her behalf. He would let her use his music, but he wasn't going to get any more involved than that.

Even so, his Super Bowl performance sparked controversy on the right in part because it was clearly reflective of a part of the American experience they have worked hard to push away from the mainstream. Kendrick's performance, which included Black men who were arrayed to resemble an American flag, was a reminder of all the different kinds of experiences America encompasses and was a defiant act as a result.

He might not have said anything all that explicit about the president or either political party, but Kendrick has always had smarter, subtler ways of making sure that his points are heard through his music. His career has been characterized by his ability to make meaning through words, and on the biggest stage, he did exactly that.