Kendrick Lamar Playing URI April 15

Press release courtesy of Global Spectrum.

Global Spectrum and the University of Rhode Island Student Entertainment Committee are proud to bring Kendrick Lamar, recently crowned No. 1 Hottest MC in the game by MTV, to the Ryan Center on April 15.

Tickets go on sale to the public 2 p.m. Friday. For more info, click here.

Lamar is an American hip-hop recording artist from Compton, CA. Initially signed to independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment, in 2012 Lamar and the label signed a joint venture deal with Aftermath and Interscope Records.

Lamar is also a member of West Coast hip hop supergroup, Black Hippy, along with fellow California-based rappers and label-mates Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul.

He first gained major attention after the release of his fourth mixtape, Overly Dedicated, in 2010. The next year, he released his first independent album to critical acclaim, Section.80 (2011), released exclusively through iTunes and instantly ranked as one of the top digital hip hop releases of the year.

Early in his career, before releasing his major label debut, Lamar amassed a large internet following, and had already worked with Dr. Dre, The Game, Drake, Young Jeezy, Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, E-40, Warren G and Lil Wayne, among other popular artists.

His major label debut studio album good kid, m.A.A.d city, was released in October 2012 to universal acclaim. The album spawned the Top 40 hits "Swimming Pools (Drank)" and "Poetic Justice." The album was later certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

In early 2013, MTV crowned Lamar the No. 1 Hottest MC in the Game, on their well known annual list.

Tickets are $35 for general public and $22 for URI students. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com, by calling 1.800.745.3000, or at the Ryan Center Box Office.