Courtney Love has shared her admiration for Kendrick Lamar, describing him as her “mad crush” and expressing her desire to work with him in the future.
In an interview with The Standard, the former Hole frontwoman lauded Lamar as “undoubtedly the best hip-hop writer ever,” and highlighted his “beautiful flow” and “thoughtful lyrics.”
Love speculated about which music stars influenced Lamar growing up, mentioning the likes of Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, and Bob Dylan. “Kendrick – if you’re reading this – did you listen to Leonard Cohen or Bowie growing up? Because it sounds like it! Plus, political-era Bob Dylan? Dude… seriously… he’s a genius!”
She also mentioned her appreciation for Stormzy, Doja Cat, and classic West Coast hip-hop figures like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube.
She spoke positively about Doja Cat’s 2022 cover of Hole’s “Celebrity Skin,” signaling her approval for the reinterpretation of the iconic song.
During the interview, Love reflected on her evolving opinions and revisited her thoughts about Lana Del Rey, admitting she once suggested the singer take a break but is now hoping to collaborate with her.
“I’d love to co-write a song with Lana Del Rey,” she said.
Courtney Love also humorously criticized the language around collaborations, and said: “Can you stop saying ‘collab’ to someone who straddles Gen X and boomer? We don’t do that! Call it ‘writing a song together,’ not ‘featuring.’”
Love also left her thoughts on Taylor Swift, admitting that though she doesn’t connect with Swift’s music, she respects her lyrical expression during moments of anger.
Love then shared further insights into her creative discussions with co-stars from the upcoming Wicked adaptation, particularly Jonathan Bailey and Lena Waithe.
She recalled deep conversations with Bailey about queerness and how it shapes their experiences in the world.
Love stated that their exchanges have been eye-opening and impactful and that people should not be afraid to show their authentic selves.
