American rapper Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, more commonly known simply as Kendrick Lamar, embarked on his musical career as a teenager under the stage name “K-Dot.”

His interest in writing poetry and lyrics, however, began much earlier. Lamar’s seventh grade English teacher introduced him to the world of rhymes and metaphors, and he was immediately hooked.

"You could put all your feelings down on a sheet of paper, and they'd make sense to you," he says. "I liked that."

Lamar has gone on to achieve a successful career as a rapper and songwriter. He released his major label debut album good kid, m.A.A.d. city in 2012. The album debuted at number two on the U.S Billboard 200 chart and later went platinum. His third album, To Pimp a Butterfly, won the Grammy for Best Rap Album in 2016 and earned Lamar the second most Grammy nominations in a single night with 11 nominations.

As a seven-time Grammy Award winner, it's hard to believe Lamar grew up with a stutter. Rather than let his stammer get in the way of his success, Lamar claims it actually encouraged his musical career. “As a kid, I used to stutter,” he says.  “I think that’s why I put my energy into making music. That’s how I get my thoughts out, instead of being crazy all the time.”

Lamar’s passion and perseverance serve as an inspiration to the stuttering community.

Posted Sept. 18, 2017