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Watch Kendrick Lamar Perform “These Walls” With Dancers

The MC also talked about being a role-model and working with Taylor Swift on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show.’

May 27, 2015

Kendrick Lamar stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show today to perform “These Walls”—the fifth track from To Pimp A Butterfly—accompanied by a dancing couple clad only in white. During a brief post-performance interview, Lamar stressed the importance of presenting the next generation with a conscientious role model. “I know there’s a lot of kids watching TV in my neighborhood that are saying, ‘I want to be a positive influence just like Kendrick,’” he noted. (He said a similar thing when he was presented with the Generational Icon award by the California Senate recently.) In addition, the rapper thanked his parents for “put[ting] something more in [my] heart than what was around me."

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Naturally Ellen also asked about Lamar’s involvement in Taylor Swift’s recently-released video for “Bad Blood.” “She reached out,” the rapper said. “I’ve always been a fans of hers and she’s a fan of my music.”

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According to Reddit, Lamar only played one song from his new album during a set at last weekend’s Sasquatch music festival. Interestingly, that track wasn't "These Walls," it was “Alright.”