Imagine going to a Kendrick Lamar course after your Biology 101 class.
Temple University has picked a side. Starting in Fall 2025, they will offer a brand-new course titled “Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of M.A.A.D City,” diving deep into the music, influence, and cultural impact of one of rap’s most critically acclaimed artists.
Named after Kendrick Lamar’s classic 2012 debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, and referencing themes from his 2022 Pulitzer-worthy album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, the course will explore Lamar’s role as a modern-day poet, social commentator, and musical innovator. Students will analyze his discography alongside contemporary issues like systemic racism, trauma, morality, masculinity, and Black identity, connecting lyrical content to the larger social and political forces shaping today’s world.
The course will likely also address Lamar’s artistic evolution, including his battles with fame, responsibility, and his recent headline-dominating rap beef with Drake, giving students a timely lens on hip-hop history in the making.
Temple’s latest move follows a growing trend of universities incorporating hip-hop into academia, placing artists like Kendrick Lamar alongside Shakespeare, Baldwin, and Morrison. Yes, this is a new school system, folks.
Temple University is offering a new course about Kendrick Lamar in Fall 2025 ?
— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) July 7, 2025
The “Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of M.A.A.D City” pic.twitter.com/eMJo95m7Tu
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
