Kendrick Lamar Named "Generational Icon" by California State Senate

Kendrick Lamar has been honored with the 35th Senate District's Generational Icon Award. The California State Senate officially presented the Compton native rapper with the award on Monday.

Listen to Senator Isadore Hall III, who is also from Compton, praise Lamar:

Hall III said: "In less than ten years as a professional artist, Mr. Lamar has gone from a local Compton young boy to become a multi-platinum, Billboard chart-topping, two-time Grammy Award-winning musician - an incredible achievement for anyone 27 years old.

But Mr. Lamar has not let his recent fame get the best of him. If you visit Compton - and I would encourage all of my colleagues to do so - Mr. Lamar is a familiar face in the neighborhood...giving back to his community that raised him. He has personally donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to support sports programs, after school programs, music programs in the Compton Unified School District to help keep Compton students off the streets and in the classroom."

In K. Dot's acceptance speech, he thanked the State Senate for selecting him.

He said, "Being from the city of Compton, and knowing the parks that I played at, and the neighborhoods, I always thought of how great the opportunity would be to give back to my community off what I do in music. So, in order to do that from a city all the way to a state standpoint, then you have these young kids look at me as some type of inspiration, it's really an honor, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for honoring me today."

Lamar, who brought his finance Whitney Alford, also met with Jerry Brown, the governor of California.

Lamar recently released his album, "To Pimp a Butterfly" in March.