Kendrick Lamar has the most nominations of any artist, with eight nods, at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, which will be held on Aug. 27. The 30-year-old L.A. rapper is having a moment, and here are five reasons music critics and industry insiders give for why. His virtuosity, versatility and lyricism as a rapper rival that of hip-hop’s greats. Mr. Lamar’s cerebral, jazzy, verbal flow is considered as distinctive as Michael Jackson’s squeals or Robert Plant’s howl. An heir to rap icons Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, Jay-Z,...

Source: Wall Street Journal August 19, 2017 10:52 UTC