Kendrick Lamar returns to his old high school for a groundbreaking ceremony with Dr. Dre and Will.i.am.
Kendrick Lamar returned to his high school alma mater, Centennial High School in Compton, California, on Thursday (May 7) to help celebrate new construction projects on campus. Also in attendance were veteran hitmakers Dr. Dre and Will.i.am, who also supported the school’s new transformation.
K-Dot graduated from CHS in 2005, while Dre attended the school as a freshman in 1979 but transferred to Fremont High School in South Central Los Angeles due to poor grades.
It will be the school’s first major construction project in 70 years, with the new facility reportedly expected to cost $270 million. The modern, state-of-the-art campus is expected to open in 2029 and will replace the existing school building and serve approximately 1,800 students.
“Sometimes you hear the word come full circle. Well, this is a full circle moment for me because I did go to this high school,” Dr. Dre said during his speech. “Well, sometimes I join in,” he added jokingly.
“On this day, I make a commitment, and that commitment is to let go of the idea of giving back. Instead, I embrace the power of investing forward,” he continued. “Now you may not know this about me, but I only invest in things that have a strong impact.”
“Today is not just about a new building, it’s about my commitment to the city that makes me, point blank, period. And this groundbreaking is where the vision we’ve shared for years finally comes to fruition,” he added.
Kendrick did not speak during the ceremony, but his broad smile betrayed his recognition of his alma mater’s new state-of-the-art school.
