Kendrick Lamar's Net Worth Confirms He's Not Like Us

When we talk about Kendrick Lamar, it's easy to get caught up in his seemingly never-ending feud with Drake. In fact, this year, at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Kendrick is nominated for Song of the Year for "Not Like Us," which, primarily, is a diss track aimed at Drake. But, thinking about Kendrick primarily as one side of the Drake beef diminishes what makes him such a fantastic artist.

Love him or hate him, Kendrick Lamar is easily one of the most influential hip-hop purveyors of the 21st century. And, it appears that the future holds nothing but victory laps for Lamar, despite any bad blood he has with Drake or anyone else in the rap game. His music has amassed him an impressive fortune, resulting in a staggering net worth. Here's What Kendrick is worth, and how he got there.

Kendrick Lamar's Rise, From Rags-to-Riches 

When it comes to authenticity relative to aspects of rap culture, and what it's like to have lived on the streets, Lamar is very real. He was born in Compton, CA. At points, he and his family lived in Section 8 housing; other times they were homeless. When he was just 8 years old, Lamar saw Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur filming in his neighborhood. The music video was "California Love. Witnessing Dre and Tupac inspired Kendrick to make his own music. In 2013, Lamar recounted the story for the Grammys, saying: "That momentum right there, subconsciously or not, I think it eventually branched me off to what I'm doing now."

After releasing mixtapes in the early 2000s, Lamar was eventually signed to Warner/Chappell Music in 2010. Between getting a formal record deal, Lamar had a series of odd jobs like working as a security guard. But, from 2010 onward, Lamar's star continued to rise, leaping from relative obscurity to global fame in just a few short years. Lamar's work ethic and output are relatively unparalleled, and his artistry is somewhat even with his mainstream popularity—a rare occurrence for experimental hip-hop artists.

Depending on how you count, Lamar has released six studio albums and several EPs. His 2017 album Damn ended up earning him the Pulitzer Prize in 2018. In 2015, President Barack Obama noted that he considered Lamar the superior artist to Drake, saying "Gotta go with Kendrick. I think Drake is an outstanding entertainer. But Kendrick, his lyrics—[To Pimp a Butterfly] was outstanding. Best album, I think, last year."

Whether he's rapping about his real life, or collaborating with pop stars like Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar is more than just a pop star. He's an honest guy, who tells it like it is, and is overflowing with much-earned confidence. 

Kendrick Lamar's Net Worth

Kendrick Lamar's net worth is currently $140 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. But this doesn't fully represent how much he tends to make. In 2018, the year he won the Pulitzer, he made $60 million and, overall, his career has garnered him $250 million.

The majority of Lamar's net worth comes primarily from his music career, including album sales, massive streaming numbers and, of course, live performances. His collaborations with everyone from Common to Adam Levine to Taylor Swift are also a part of his massive reach. Back in the day, before their beef, he even collaborated with Drake. 

In 2024, Lamar's latest album, GNX, hit No.1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Also, when you break that down by songs, seven tracks from GNX also hit the Top 100. 

At just 37 years old, Kendrick Lamar has already won every award you can imagine, and his music is more popular than ever. And, unlike some rap stars who stay in the game for a while, Kendrick is unique because there's no sign he'll be slowing down anytime soon. At this rate, who knows what this guy can accomplish in another decade?