Kendrick Lamar Duckworth was born in Compton, California, on June 17, 1987,[8][9] the son of a couple from Chicago.[10] Although not in a gang himself, he grew up around gang members, with his closest friends being Westside Piru Bloods and his father, Kenny Duckworth, being a Gangster Disciple.[4][12] His first name was given to him by his mother in honor of American singer-songwriter Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations.[13] He grew up on welfare and in Section 8 housing. In 1995, at the age of eight, Lamar witnessed his idols Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre filming the music video for their hit single "California Love", which proved to be a significant moment in his life.[14] As a child, Lamar attended McNair Elementary and Vanguard Learning Center in the Compton Unified School District. He has admitted to being quiet and shy in school, his mother even confirming he was a "loner" until the age of seven.[15][11] As a teenager, he attended Centennial High School in Compton, where he was a straight-A student.[10][16][17]