Kendrick Lamar has been the busiest man in music the past few months, and yesterday (May 11), he added another notch to his belt: The California State Senate honored the Compton rapper with the 35th "Generation Icon Award." State Senator Isadore Hall summed up his career and service to his home nicely in his introduction:

In less than 10 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 visit all my colleagues to do so, Mr. Lamar is a familiar face in the neighborhood, giving back to him 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 class.

Through his work with his own non-profit organization and other organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Mr. Lamar has not only given voice to a new generation of urban youth: he is demonstrating the best of what it means to work hard, do well and give back to his community. Indeed, Mr. Lamar is working hard and doing well. His story is indeed a uniquely California one, and a story that should encourage others to accomplish their goals and give back to their community.

Lamar also spoke on the Senate floor, saying in part, "Being from the city of Compton and knowing the parks that I played at and neighborhoods, I always thought how great the opportunity would be to give back to my community." Check out video of Lamar receiving the honor below:

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