Ebony magazine is celebrating Black Music Month with their June 2015 issue so who better to grace the cover than Kendrick Lamar. The Compton rhymer’s latest album, To Pimp a Butterfly, has garnered rave reviews for its lyricism and musical production.

The editors of Ebony wanted to recognize millennial artists who are “breaking down boundaries” and changing the game in music. K.Dot certainly fits that mold.

“This is Ebony’s 70th anniversary [in publishing]. I feel honored, I feel privileged to be part of it,” said Lamar. “I’m one of a few rap artists to actually grace the cover.”

“They have done a whole spectrum of controversial covers with us as a culture and identifying ourselves and the world in general,” he added.

There’s nothing controversial about Lamar. He’s certainly one of the most exciting and powerful artists in the rap game. Much like what Ebony’s VP Digital Content Kierna Mayo said, “He’s young, he’s fresh, he’s hot...he’s Ebony.”

Ebony’s June 2015 issue, with Kendrick Lamar on the cover, will hit newsstands next week.

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