Kendrick Lamar engaged to girlfriend Whitney Alford

NEW YORK, April 3 (UPI) -- Kendrick Lamar and Whitney Alford are engaged.

The 27-year-old recording artist confirmed he proposed to his longtime girlfriend in an interview with The Breakfast Club on Power 105.1, saying, "Yeah, yeah, definitely."

"At the end of the day, you want to always, always have real people around you, period," he said of his commitment to Alford. "I always show respect when respect has been given, and people that have been by your side, you're supposed to honor that."

Lamar and Alford started dating in high school and have been together nearly 10 years. The singer spoke to Billboard about his then-girlfriend in January, declaring, "I wouldn't even call her my girl. That's my best friend ... she's somebody I can tell my fears to."

Kendrick Lamar is engaged to his high school sweetheart Whitney Alford http://t.co/hLVJU500nn pic.twitter.com/J5fbjzgfAT

— Rap-Up (@RapUp) April 3, 2015

Lamar released his third studio album, To Pimp a Butterfly, in March. The record debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and includes the singles "i" and "The Blacker the Berry." The singer released a music video for third single "King Kunta" on Wednesday.