"I think a lot of kids out here, they recognize the talent and the potential that we all have," Kendrick Lamar told us when we visited him in his home city of Compton, California. "I think that's one of the things that can really break down barriers, is the music scene."
Compton is known for launching the rap careers of stars like Kendrick, and music provides a promising avenue out of the community's cycle of violence. In the second of six segments of Noisey Bompton, we spend a day with Kendrick's childhood friend Lil L, who's pursuing his own musical ambitions. L's grandma invites us over for a gumbo dinner and shares her experiences as a mother and grandmother who's lived in Compton since 1965. Then we head to one of the West Side's many hole-in-the-wall studios, where L gets to work recording with his friend Earl Swavey and producer Larry Jayy.
Noisey Bompton is a new documentary made by the people who brought you Noisey Atlanta and Noisey Chiraq. It's the first episode in an eight part series, NOISEY, on VICE's upcoming TV channel VICELAND. Each episode focuses on a different city, its major stars, and the stories and issues that influence its music scene.
Noisey premieres on VICELAND March 1 at 10PM, and Tuesdays at the same time each week after that. More info on VICELAND, and how to watch it, here: https://viceland.com/
Executive Producer: Andy Capper
Host: Zach Goldbaum
Supervising Editor: Matthew Murphy
Producers: Scott Pierce, Gregory "Beef" Jones, Shadeed G-Weed Muhammad, Jay Worthy
For Viceland & Noisey: Executive Producers: Patrick Moses & Trevor Silmser
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