← All stories
Society

Kendrick Lamar says a Compton gang war summer left three friends dead

Howard Stern · Kendrick Lamar | Howard Stern Interview · July 25, 2026
Kendrick Lamar says a Compton gang war summer left three friends dead
Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Kendrick Lamar | Howard Stern Interview
"This was probably some of the worst times in the city. It was a big, big gang war going on. I was 16, 17 years old."
Lamar describes being 16 or 17 during what he calls one of Compton’s worst periods, saying a major gang conflict was “hitting the street heavy”. He says he lost three friends over the summer, and frames that period as a turning point when he had to make decisions about his future, with studio time providing a “safe haven”.
From this episode
Howard Stern
Howard Stern

Kendrick Lamar | Howard Stern Interview

July 25, 2026 · 56m · 2 Egleze moments
Read episode summary and key points →

More moments from this episode

EntertainmentKendrick Lamar says he is sober and avoids weed for ‘clarity’
More stories More from Howard Stern