Kendrick Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize in music for his album “Damn” on Monday afternoon. He is the first nonclassical or jazz artist to win the award.
The award is given “for distinguished musical composition by an American that has had its first performance or recording in the United States during the year,” according to the Pulitzer Prize Board.
Released on April 14, 2017, “Damn” was described by the Pulitzer committee as a “virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.”
Twitter users exploded with excitement at the announcement of Lamar’s win:
“Damn” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart last year and spent four nonconsecutive weeks atop the list, according to Billboard.
The critically acclaimed album was also Lamar’s third million-selling set in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music, after his 2015 album “To Pimp a Butterfly” and his 2012 album “good kid, m.A.A.d city.”
Additionally, the album was ranked No. 1 on Rolling Stone’s best albums of 2017 and won the Grammy for Best Rap Album in 2018.
Lamar’s win comes on the heels of his guest performances at Coachella this weekend. He appeared during Vince Staples’ set and also alongside TDE mate SZA.