On April 16, Pulitzer Administrator Dana Canedy unveiled the announcement of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize winners, and this year's honoree in the music category is Kendrick Lamar's album, DAMN.
Released in 2017, DAMN. effortlessly captured themes from racial equality to love with Lamar's signature rhymes at the helm. The Pulitzer Prize website called DAMN. "a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/kendricklamar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kendricklamar</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/dangerookipawaa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dangerookipawaa</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Interscope?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Interscope</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pulitzer?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pulitzer</a> <a href="https://t.co/fFQBYnoW9F">pic.twitter.com/fFQBYnoW9F</a></p>— The Pulitzer Prizes (@PulitzerPrizes) <a href="https://twitter.com/PulitzerPrizes/status/985958652656930816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2018</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Since its release, the LP has garnered extensive critical acclaim and accolades, including five GRAMMYs at the 60th GRAMMY Awards: Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song and Best Music Video ("HUMBLE."), and Best Rap/Sung Performance ("LOYALTY.," with Rihanna).
In addition, Lamar is not only the first hip-hop artist to be awarded the Pulitzer, he is the first non-classical or -jazz musician to achieve the honor.
