Dot emphasized on how special Compton is
Kendrick Lamar attended Compton College’s graduation event for the class of 2024 on Friday (June 7) where he shared a passionate speech.
“I wanted to come out here just to tell y’all how much I appreciate y’all,” Dot told the grads. “I’m proud of the city of Compton; I’m proud of Compton College; most importantly I’m proud of the graduates out here. That’s right, I know what it takes. You had a lot of hardship, not only in your house, in your communities, but most importantly, within yourself. And that’s the toughest thing to overcome. We still growing day by day, brick by brick, making sure we develop, not only in physical form but in the spiritual as well.
“Seeing y’all out here, it’s not only a representation of the world, but it’s a representation of me. When I walk out in these cities, in these countries, I can be proud and say, ‘This is where I’m from.’ I still believe in Compton — Compton always been [the] future for me. I think we breed some of the most incredible individuals: creatives, intellectuals, talent. We had it since day one, that’s why I always scream this city. I traveled the world; there’s no place like this one right here. No place.”
He went on, “And I still believe in everything we’re doing, brick by brick, I still believe. It’s time that we change the narratives. Some people tell us this generation don’t have what it takes. Gen Z — we talk about it all day. They try to pull us down and say we don’t know what we’re doing. They wrong though. You know why? Because not only [do] y’all have what it takes; y’all have something bigger: y’all have the heart, y’all have the courage to be independent thinkers. Independent thinkers — there’s nothing more valuable than that.
“This degree that y’all have right here is just as big as any degree — I don’t care what school, I don’t care what institution. Compton College — this Compton degree is just as big. Now it’s all about taking these resources and taking what you learned and applying them. It’s as simple as that.”