Early in Kendrick Lamar’s career, we knew him as a “good kid in a mad city.” His music aimed to tackle his environment in Compton, California, and how it shaped his worldview. Despite the tough circumstances and his immense struggles, he didn’t have to succumb to street life. Eventually, that mindset transferred to his ambitious To Pimp a Butterfly. A trip to Africa informed his faith and his belief that you can save yourself despite the odds.However, this didn’t come from nothing. One horrific inciting incident radically altered his worldview at a far too young age. In a 2015 interview with NPR, Kendrick Lamar recalled being only five years old when he witnessed someone die for the first time. They were murdered then and there from a shotgun blast to the chest. From there, it wasn’t just being familiar with the fragility of life. It became evident that horrific tragedies like that might just be common.“It was outside my apartment unit,” Lamar shared. “A guy was out there serving his narcotics, and somebody rolled up with a shotgun and blew his chest out. Admittedly, it done something to me right then and there. It let me know that this is not only something that I’m looking at, but it’s something that maybe I have to get used to.”Kendrick Lamar Recalled The Horrific Trauma That Changed His Life ForeverAdditionally, he explained that growing up in such rough circumstances creates a sense of community. Even when those friends got into bad circles, there’s an accord that quickly became hard to break.“You grow up inside these neighborhoods and these communities, and you have friends, friends that you love, friends that you grew up with since elementary. And you have their trust, and you have their loyalty. So it brings influence,” Kendrick Lamar stressed. “So no matter how much of a leader I thought I was, I was always under the influence, period. Most of the time, when they were involved in these acts of destruction, I was right there.”Ultimately, Kendrick Lamar admitted that without music, life could’ve taken a much uglier turn. Still, seeing what he’s seen, he told NPR that success in the music industry was quite the adjustment.“You can have the platinum album, but when you still feel like you haven’t quite found your place in the world — it kind of gives a crazy offset,” the West Coast legend added. “When you go inside these places, no matter how much money you have, no matter how much success, when you still feel like you’re not comfortable, where’s the feeling in that?”Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImageThe post Kendrick Lamar Traces His Creative and Personal Worldview Back to One Horrific Moment He Witnessed at 5 Years Old appeared first on VICE.