Kendrick Lamar pulled the curtain back on his single with SZA, “Luther,” during the acceptance speech for Record of the Year. The single, which samples and reimagines “If This World Were Mine,” by Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn, received full approval for the new version, as long as the condition of no cursing was met.
“This is what music is about,” Kendrick said on Sunday. “Luther Vandross. This is special for me. I got to take my time because it’s one of my favorite artists of all time. They granted us the privilege to do our version of it. When we got that clearance, I promise you, we damn near all dropped a tear because we know how much him and Cheryl Lynn poured into that record.
“Being able to put our vocals [on] it, it proves that we were somewhat worthy to be just as great as them individuals. They granted us that. They said, ‘No cursing, though. Can’t curse on it.’ That was the only thing, right? And we said, ‘You know what? We’re gon’ do just that. No cursing. And we’re gon’ make sure that this song represents love.’”
You can hear the speech below.
Kendrick Lamar has officially made history as the most-awarded hip-hop artist at the Grammys, surpassing Jay-Z with his 26th and 27th wins.
The rapper earned accolades for Best Rap Album for GNX, Best Rap Song for TV Off, Melodic Rap Performance for “Luther,” and Rap Performance for featuring on Clipse’s Chains & Whips. “Luther” also took home Record of the Year.
Additionally, Kendrick Lamar is the first rapper to win Best Rap Album for four consecutive albums: To Pimp a Butterfly, DAMN., Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, and GNX.