Kendrick Lamar Net Worth

What Is Kendrick Lamar's Net Worth?

Kendrick Lamar is an American rapper who has a net worth of $200 million. Kendrick Lamar is one of the most popular and highest-paid rappers on the planet. To date, he has earned more than $350 million in his career. In 2018, he earned $60 million, which made him one of the highest-paid entertainers for the year. In 2025, he earned $110 million, which made him the highest-paid rapper in the world and one of the highest-paid celebrities in the world.

As of this writing, he has won 22 Grammys. At the 2025 Grammy Awards, he took home Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance, all for his Drake diss-track "Not Like Us." He also won a Pulitzer Prize for his album "Damn." He has sold over 70 million records in the United States alone, and three of his studio albums were included in "Rolling Stone's" 2020 ranking of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Lamar's career began to gain momentum with the release of his first mixtape, "Youngest Head Nigga in Charge (Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year)," in 2003, which garnered local attention and led to a deal with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). His subsequent projects, "Training Day" (2005) and "C4" (2009), showcased his evolving style and lyrical prowess. However, it was his 2010 mixtape, "Overly Dedicated," that marked his emergence on the national stage, receiving critical acclaim and introducing his introspective narrative style. Lamar's first studio album, "Section.80" (2011), further solidified his standing in the hip-hop community, with themes focusing on social issues affecting the African-American community.

Lamar's major-label debut, "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City" (2012), was a monumental success, earning rave reviews for its conceptual depth, storytelling, and production quality. The album, which includes hits like "Swimming Pools (Drank)" and "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe," was a commercial success and cemented Lamar as a major force in the industry.

Kendrick's third studio album, "To Pimp a Butterfly" (2015), was yet another critical and commercial triumph. The album's blend of jazz, funk, and soul, along with its exploration of racial dynamics, personal struggle, and social commentary, won him numerous accolades, including several Grammy Awards. Lamar continued this success with "Damn" (2017), which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music, making him the first non-classical and non-jazz artist to receive the award.

Beyond his studio albums, Lamar's influence extends to his powerful live performances, collaborations with other artists, and soundtrack curation for the film "Black Panther," which included the hit song "All the Stars."

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Early Life

Kendrick Lamar was born Kendrick Lamar Duckworth on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California. Kendrick began rapping while he was still in elementary school, inspired by his idols Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre. Lamar's parents had moved from the south side of Chicago to Compton three years before he was born, as his father had been heavily involved in gang activity, and his mother had issued an ultimatum for them to escape together. Kendrick was given his first name by his mother in honor of Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations. Despite his surroundings and the family's struggles to make ends meet, he's described good memories from childhood and was a straight-A student who churned out award-winning essays and impressive test scores at Centennial High School in Compton.

Early Mixtapes and Breakthrough

Kendrick Lamar released his first mixtape, "Youngest Head Nigga in Charge," at age 16 while still in high school, quickly drawing attention from the Los Angeles rap scene. He signed with Top Dawg Entertainment in the mid-2000s and followed up with additional mixtapes that steadily expanded his profile. By 2008 and 2009, Lamar was gaining national recognition through collaborations and appearances, including a feature in Jay Rock's video for "All My Life (in the Ghetto)" and a high-profile co-sign from Lil Wayne. After aligning with Wayne, he began using his real name instead of the stage name K. Dot, signaling a shift toward a more personal and ambitious artistic identity.

Independent Success and Major-Label Debut

In 2010 and 2011, Lamar toured extensively and released a critically acclaimed mixtape followed by an independent album that established him as one of hip-hop's most promising voices. His major-label debut, "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City," was released in October 2012 through Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment. The album was both a commercial and critical triumph, selling over 1.1 million copies in the United States and reaching #1 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop chart and #2 on the Billboard 200. Singles such as "Swimming Pools (Drank)" and "Poetic Justice" became mainstream hits, and Lamar made his "Saturday Night Live" debut performing tracks from the album.

Critical Acclaim and Industry Recognition

Lamar's profile continued to rise through high-profile collaborations and touring. In 2013, he joined Kanye West as a supporting act on the "Yeezus" tour and appeared on Eminem's album "The Marshall Mathers LP 2." That same year, he was named Rapper of the Year by "GQ." Although he was nominated for seven Grammy Awards in 2014, he did not win that year. His momentum continued in 2015 with a feature on Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood," which topped the Billboard charts and won multiple major awards.

(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

"To Pimp a Butterfly" and Artistic Peak

Released in 2015, "To Pimp a Butterfly" debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and topped charts internationally. The album was widely praised for its ambition, musical experimentation, and political depth, and it earned Lamar five Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album. Many critics described it as one of the most important hip-hop albums of its era.

"Damn," Commercial Dominance, and Touring

Lamar's 2017 album "Damn" marked his most commercially successful release to date. It debuted at #1 and produced his first Billboard Hot 100 #1 single, "Humble." At the 60th Grammy Awards, Lamar swept five major categories. Between mid-2017 and mid-2018, he earned nearly $60 million. He later curated and produced the soundtrack for Marvel's "Black Panther," earning an Academy Award nomination for "All the Stars." His 2022 album "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers" was followed by the "Big Steppers Tour," which became the highest-grossing rap tour of all time in 2023.

The "Victory Lap" (2025)

While the lyrical warfare between Kendrick Lamar and Drake ignited in 2024, the rivalry reached its cultural apex in 2025, serving as a triumphant victory lap for Lamar. Following the global dominance of his chart-topping anthem "Not Like Us," Kendrick utilized the massive platform of the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in February 2025 to cement his standing, performing the diss track to a record-breaking global audience. This performance was widely interpreted as the final blow in the feud, shifting the conflict from the recording booth to the history books.

The rivalry continued to evolve throughout the year as Drake pursued legal action against Universal Music Group regarding the track's promotion, while Kendrick swept the 2025 Grammy Awards, taking home trophies for Song of the Year and Best Rap Performance. By the time Kendrick released his follow-up projects later in the year, the "2025 rivalry" had transformed into a coronation, solidifying Lamar not just as the winner of the feud, but as the undisputed "King of the West" and a singular force in hip-hop culture.

Acting and Other Projects

In 2018, Lamar made his acting debut on the Starz series "Power," portraying a drug addict named Laces. His performance was well received, and the role was personally requested by executive producer 50 Cent.

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella)

Kendrick Lamar's Career Earnings By Year

• 2013 – $9 million
• 2014 – $9 million
• 2015 – $12 million
• 2016 – $19 million
• 2017 – $30 million
• 2018 – $60 million
• 2019 – $39 million
• 2020 – $5 million
• 2021 – $10 million
• 2022 – $10 million
• 2023 – $20 million
• 2024 – $40 million
• 2025 – $110 million

Total: $373 million

Accolades

During his career so far, Kendrick has won 22 Grammy Awards. At the 2025 Grammys, Kendrick took home five awards, all for his Drake diss-track "Not Like Us":

• Record of the year: "Not Like Us"
• Song of the year: "Not Like Us"
• Best music video: "Not Like Us"
• Best rap song: "Not Like Us"
• Best rap performance: "Not Like Us

Kendrick's album "Damn" won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, and he made history by being the first non-jazz or classical artist to ever win the award. Hailed worldwide for his thought-provoking lyrics and rhymes, Lamar has appeared on many publications' lists of best rappers of all time.

Personal Life

Lamar got engaged to Whitney Alford in 2015. The couple has two children together: daughter Uzi and son Enoch.

Kendrick is a former cannabis user and is a converted, devout Christian. During the 2012 presidential election, Lamar stated that he did not plan to vote. However, in the days leading up to the election, he reversed this claim and said he was planning to vote for Barack Obama.

Real Estate

• In 2013, Kendrick paid $523,400 for a relatively modest home in Eastvale, California.
• In 2017, he paid $2.65 million for a home in a gated Calabasas community.
• In October 2019, Kendrick paid $9.7 million for a home in Manhattan Beach, California.
• In December 2022, Lamar paid $16 million for a home in LA's Bel Air neighborhood.
• In November 2023, Kendrick paid $8.6 million for a four-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, NY.
• In May 2024, Kendrick paid $40 million for a mansion in LA's Brentwood neighborhood.

Who's Richer?

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