Rap icon Kendrick Lamar is taking academia by storm as Temple University in Philadelphia prepares to launch a new course this fall titled “Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of M.A.A.D City”, exploring the artist’s cultural, lyrical, and societal impact.
The course, named in reference to Lamar’s seminal albums Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, will be open to all students beginning in the Fall 2025 semester. It will be taught by Professor Timothy Welbeck of the Department of Africology and African American Studies, who also serves as the Director for the Center for Anti-Racism at Temple. Welbeck previously led courses on artists such as Tupac Shakur, Beyoncé, and Jay-Z.
“Kendrick Lamar is one of the defining voices of his generation,” said Welbeck. “His journey toward self-actualization mirrors the broader Black experience in deeply resonant ways.”
The course adds Lamar to a growing list of musicians whose work has crossed into academic study, particularly in U.S. institutions. Other American universities have offered classes on Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Britney Spears. In Europe, similar courses are gaining ground, albeit more gradually.
In 2022, France’s elite École Normale Supérieure (ENS) offered seminars titled “Beyoncé: Nuances of a Cultural Icon,” while Belgium’s University of Ghent introduced a literature course centered on Taylor Swift in 2023. In Scotland, Glasgow Clyde College hosted a Taylor Swift course aimed at helping parents better connect with their children during her Eras Tour.
Kendrick Lamar, currently touring Europe with SZA on their Grand National Tour, performs in Paris today before continuing to the UK, Spain, Italy, and Poland. The tour runs until December, concluding in Australia.
Lamar’s latest album GNX, released in 2024, was hailed as one of the year’s best. Critics praised it for its cinematic scope and lyrical sharpness, calling it a return to Lamar’s more accessible yet still profound style.
As Lamar continues to shape culture on stage and now in the classroom, the new course underscores his growing status not just as a musical powerhouse, but as a significant figure in modern intellectual and social discourse.
Written By Rodney Mbua
