“Kendrick Lamar sits at a black upright piano, remaining in shadow, till a single soft spotlight reveals him fingering chords, with a suited-and-booted ventriloquist’s-dummy version of himself he calls Lil’ Stepper seated atop the piano’s lid. He starts rapping a verse with his back to the crowd. Then, carrying Lil’ Stepper, he saunters onto the catwalk, his Chelsea bootsteps amplified, recalling the tap dancing that runs as a motif on his recent album, ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.’ On giant screens behind him, you can see the chrome embellishments along the outseam of his pants, and one of his handles, ‘oklama,’ emblazoned in bold white Old English letters across the back of his black vest, the yellow gradient of his sunglasses, the fulgent glint of his diamond earrings. All to say, homie looks every bit the sublime superstar he is.” In our cover story this week, the Pulitzer Prize-winner @mitchsjackson profiles @kendricklamar, the greatest rapper of his generation. In partnership with his longtime collaborator, @davefree, Lamar is pushing himself — commercially and creatively — onto unexpected terrain. CREDITS: Photographer: @rafaelpavarotti_ Stylists: @georgekrakowiak @jedi__ @karizzasanchez Barber: @slidercuts Braider: @iamkhristn Makeup: @mata_marielle Manicure: @laurenmichellepires Production: @ragidholakiaproductions