Kendrick Lamar became one of the most innovative and unique voices in hip-hop by studying the greats. The social conscience of 2Pac, punchlines of Lil Wayne, cerebral poetry of Nas, West Coast swagger of Snoop Dogg and intricate internal rhymes of Eminem—they're all present in K.Dot's lyrics and gooey flow, integrated into his identity as an enigmatic, fiercely honest storyteller.