Kendrick Lamar Wins the Pulitzer for DAMN.

Kendrick Lamar · 2018

“First non-classical, non-jazz album to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. The committee's note called it a virtuosic song collection.”

April 2018, Columbia University announces the Pulitzer Prize for Music goes to DAMN. Hip-hop is 45 years old. Every previous winner came from the academy or the conservatory. The award's existence justifies itself — the canon expands by force of fact, not committee. Kendrick later donates the prize money to youth music education.