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Sunday, November 15, 2026Nov 15

Lamar says Swift’s remarks help himself, hip-hop

FILE - Recording artist Kendrick Lamar performs at the Maxim Magazine Super Bowl Party in this Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014 file photo taken in New York. Lamar said Saturday night Sept. 13, 2014 he was grateful to hear about Swift knowing the words to his lyrics and putting her in a great mood.  (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Recording artist Kendrick Lamar performs at the Maxim Magazine Super Bowl Party in this Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014 file photo taken in New York. Lamar said Saturday night Sept. 13, 2014 he was grateful to hear about Swift knowing the words to his lyrics and putting her in a great mood. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)

ATLANTA (AP) – Kendrick Lamar appreciated Taylor Swift for paying homage to his music in a recent interview.

Lamar was grateful to hear about Swift knowing the words to his lyrics and putting her in a great mood. The rapper praised the country music star for speaking highly of his music, saying her admiring remarks show hip-hop shouldn’t be categorized for one listener.

“Some people always try to lock it down and categorize it for one particular listener,” Lamar said at the fifth annual ONE Musicfest in Atlanta on Saturday night. “But it moves all, even people from other genres.”

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Swift said listening to Lamar’s music helps change her mood from feeling “victimized” to “awesome.” She said her “go-to” song is Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle,” a record featured on his Grammy-nominated album, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.”

“I appreciate Taylor Swift for supporting not only my music but just the hip-hop culture,” he said. “There’s really no gap. It’s music and it feels good.”