Kendrick Lamar is doing his thing.com right now  Kendrick had an awesome 2012 year and he is now being rewarded for it.  His major label debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city had the biggest opening week of any rap album this year and was roundly praised by critics.  he recently reached Gold album status by seeling over 500k albums in just five weeks.  He now has been named "Rookie of the Year" by The Source magazine.

Kendrick hits the cover of the third annual Rookie issue sporting a crown and the headline "Compton's Crown Jewel."

In the inside interview, Lamar talks about reckoning with religion as a youth — a recurring theme from his album.

"We couldn't believe something we didn't know about. As a kid, all we seeing is street s--t," he says. "When you see one of your partners get smoked and that same day you have someone coming to you preaching to you asking you, 'Do you believe in God?' it gives you a [different] outlook."

Grab the new issue of The Source, which also features a profile of "Man of the Year" 2 Chainz, on newsstands everywhere.

SOURCE