Love Is Not Just A Verb (A Kendrick Lamar Story)

Chapter 19

Tuesday, October 22, 2002

Yn's POV

I met Kendrick at the Cherry Blossom tree after school, as usual. He was seated at the trunk, scribbling into his notepad. I leaned against the tree, just over his head, and watched him work. He looks so focused, I thought. He must really love to write. It's actually kinda sexy. I smiled a little bit and read some of the content.

Give me rings, give me chains, mane

Give me a blue Benz, red Porsche, red Range

Give me black b*tches, white hoes, new clothes

A mansion with marble floors and security codes

Then give me some land, or maybe I'll land a

G5 Clearport, say hello to the man

Give me awards, Grammies, and let the crowd applaud

My name 'till they strain the veins in they're vocal cords

Give me fame and fortune, me and Trump on golf courses

With that being said, give me Tiger sports endorsements

Give me billboards, whatever that people kill for

Manhattan and 40/40, no 40's but rose poured

Give me vanity, give me Kurt Cobain sanity

Give me a city where channel 7 newscasters cameras be

Give me horror like Amity, no, give me the charts

And if you ever renege, I'll still give you Kendrick Lamar

This is me, and that's love.

As he finished up his last line, he looked up at me, put his notepad away, and stood up so we could get to walking. He flung his backpack onto his back and pulled me in for a hug. "Hey, Yn," he greeted me.

"Hey," I replied as we started walking. "So, what's the plan?"

"You could come over and we could do our homework before we go to Jay's crib," he proposed.

"Sounds good."

"Cool."

"So, is that what you're using for the rap battle thing on Friday?"

"What?" He asked.

"That. The rhymes you were jotting down a few seconds ago."

"Oh, no. This was just a lil somethin' I been workin' on. I already finished the one I'm using."

"Oh, really? Can I hear it?" I asked, politely, smiling from ear to ear.

"Nah, sorry, shorty. It's a surprise."

"Pleeeeaase? Pretty please?" I begged.

"Nope," he said, chuckling. "Just wait. It's only a few days."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Awe, you mad, lil mama?"

"No," I said, rolling my neck and stuffing my fists into the pockets of my hoodie.

"Aye, I'm sorry," he said as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on the cheek. I cracked a small smile and wiggled around a little bit.

"Sorry enough to rap for me?"

"No." He said, nonchalantly. I squirmed out of his arms and hit him. I, then, stuffed my fists back into my pockets and continued walking by his side.