Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar has made massive waves in the music world in recent weeks. After a buzzed-about build-up, Lamar’s new LP, DAMN., shot to #1 on the Billboard albums chart, selling over 600,000 copies in its first week. A few days after the release, he made his way to Indio, CA for his first of two weekend-closing headlining sets at Coachella. Next, he announced a national tour with Travis Scott and D.R.A.M., a followed up that announcement with the addition of several more dates due to overwhelming demand. Suffice it to say, Kendrick Lamar’s name and face have been everywhere in the first half of 2017.
Now, thanks to Colorado high school senior Tiona Cordova, Kendrick’s likeness will reach beyond album covers and arena stages–and into the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The Congressional Art Competition is an annual contest that invites high school students to submit original artwork to their congressional representatives, with the winning pieces being displayed for a year in the U.S. Capitol. Cordova’s entry was a portrait of Kendrick, stylized to appear as if his face is melting. You can check out the winning painting below:
From the mean streets of Compton to the hallowed halls of the U.S. Capitol, Kendrick Lamar has come a long way. We can’t wait to see how high his star will climb in the future. Until then, you can stream DAMN. below in its entirety via Spotify:
[h/t – Pitchfork]