After capping off his 2015 by landing the most nominations for the 2016 GRAMMY Awards, Kendrick Lamar once again returned to XXL to self-pen a cover story for the magazine’s Winter 2015 issue. A year after doing the same for the publication, Kendrick gives his thoughts on the diverse reactions of his album To Pimp A Butterfly, the politically-charged climate of today’s society, and more.

“The past few years or so has been very politically charged and controversial. From Trayvon Martin, to Eric Garner to Michael Brown and issues of police brutality and racism and for so many other reasons. All of it has really struck a nerve with me because when you experience things like that personally and you know the type of hardships and pain that it brings first-hand, it builds a certain rage in you. It brings back memories of when I’m 16 and the police come kicking the door in. They don’t care that I’m a little boy and they stumped me in my back two times and they dragged me out the house and have us all handcuffed. It brings back those memories. Memories of losing loved ones. It brings back some of the most painful memories and deepest thoughts of real life situations that I didn’t even want to address on good kid. Or wasn’t ready to. Rage is the perfect word for it.”

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While the entire magazine – which will also have features on Rhymesayers’ 20th anniversary, Bryson Tiller, Tory Lanez, Ty Dolla $ign and Kevin Gates among others – arrives on December 22nd, readers can view more quotes from the issue at XXL’s e-home, and watch a behind-the-scenes clip for its photoshoot down bottom.

https://youtu.be/7gn2_YP2moQ