Kendrick Lamar’s new publishing deal could be worth as much as $40 million.
The 30-year-old rap star has emerged as one of the biggest-selling artists in the music industry since he signed his original agreement with Warner/Chappell Music, but Top Dawg Entertainment, which manages Kendrick, is now weighing up offers between $20 million and $40 million.
One bidder has offered $28 million, according to Billboard, which also revealed that another offer has been made worth $23 million.
It’s thought that these eye-watering offers would be for Kendrick’s entire catalog, although it’s not clear what terms the rapper’s team are keen to secure. Meanwhile, Kendrick previously claimed that hip-hop culture determines “what’s cool and what’s not cool”.
The chart-topping rapper is a long-time fan of hip-hop culture and Kendrick believes it is the most influential genre of music in America.
He said: “Hip-hop has always been the ultimate genre. Yeah. Even when these numbers weren’t out. Even when the stats weren’t out we always moved the needle. We always … we were the culture.
“You can debate me on this all day you want. We say what’s cool and what’s not cool. We say what we like.”
Kendrick – who grew up listening to the likes of Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre – is amazed that anyone ever doubted the longevity of the genre. Kendrick recalled: “My mom told me, I couldn’t believe when she told me this. She said 1987, the year I was born, [people were saying] hip-hop was going to last six months to a year … that tripped me out.
“And now you fast forward and you see Jay-Z up there, you know? [Song]writers’ Hall of Fame. This is us. This is who I am. He’s from the projects. You dig what I’m saying?”
