Kendrick Lamar is well known for fiercely guarding his private life. Yesterday, June 19, for Father’s Day, his long-term partner Whitney Alford gave his fans a glimpse into his family life.
She took to Instagram to post a rare photo of herself and Kendrick Lamar with their two young children. The message that accompanied the photo was also heartwarming as she poured her admiration and appreciation for the rapper’s approach to fatherhood.
The photo was taken during a recent trip to Ghana and displayed the family in some happy times. In it, the “We Cry Together” rapper is kneeling next to his daughter, born in July 2019. His partner is holding their second child.
“Happy Father’s Day fellas! Today I am more than happy to celebrate the men in my life. I choose to celebrate them for stepping up instead of stepping out, for providing, for assisting us women, for healing, for showing up physically and most importantly for showing up emotionally.”
She added that in her life, she witnessed a lot of fathers run from their responsibilities. She said this was probably due to their trauma and not learning how to properly communicate with their children and the women who bore them.
This led the men to seek validation outside of the home, which in turn has caused a lot of pain to a lot of children who have learned to face life’s challenges without a dad.
“I was almost 30 the first time I celebrated Father’s Day and it’s still one of the hardest for me. I know there are many women like me. So men it’s not as important for us to celebrate you, as it is for You to celebrate You,” she added.
She urged men to step up and celebrate their fatherhood instead of running from their responsibilities. Even though this may be a reality, Alford added that she was still grateful for the men that are showing her a different type of fatherhood as they were stepping up to their responsibilities.
In Kendrick Lamar’s latest release, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, he revealed how important his partner is to him and his progress. He revealed that she helped him go to therapy and share what he was experiencing. He revealed just how much she helped him to overcome his darkest moments in tracks like “United in Grief” and “Father Time.”
The Compton native has always acknowledged the important role a father plays in the life of his children. Something he has always said that he is thankful for, and back in 2017, during an interview with Rolling Stone, he revealed more about his relationship with his dad.
At that time, Kendrick Lamar said that his father taught him how to deal with emotions. He added that this helped to navigate the trials of life because he was able to realize that when people do things that the world calls harmful or a threat, it’s because they don’t know how to deal with their emotions. Having a father who cares can help change this narrative, he added.
