Lamar and Hendricks are two of a kind.
A brilliant lyricist adept at weaving diverse influences and genres together, he revolutionized his art form with his verbal brilliance and performance style.
Am I talking about Kendrick Lamar, or Jon Hendricks?
Kendrick Lamar has been having a moment this year, with his Grammy success and Super Bowl Half-Time Show…on the heels of a career made of amazing moments, including winning the Pulitzer Prize.
75 years ago, Jon Hendricks had a similar series of moments with his lyrics for Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross. He didn’t invent vocalize, but he was, as Kurt Elling said, “The perfecter of the art.” His lyrics contain everything from classical references from Greek mythology and Shakespeare to current references, slang, and social issues.
Their genres aren’t unrelated, though they might not sound connected on the surface. But it’s profound to think about the way these two brilliant Black artists both innovated the language within their chosen genres.