Kendrick Lamar: A Song Analysis

Kendrick Lamar’s third studio album, “To Pimp a Butterfly,” sheds light on the struggle of achieving rich and fame and the trials that come with. Rolling Stone and Billboard praised the album awarding it the best album of 2015. The album depicts the difficulties of fame by putting the trials and tribulations on display; the inability for those to adjust to their new lifestyle and the potential temptations that creep in. “To Pimp a Butterfly” has been both a divisive and uniting factor in its emergence in popular culture.

The song “Freedom” by Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar provides the central idea of redemption through the use repetition. The singer repeats the word “Freedom” to express that the black community needs to be freed from oppression. This is illustrated by Beyonce singing “Won’t let my freedom rot in hell.” This connects to the central idea because Beyoncé encourages her audience members around freedom, however specifically the freedom of Black ladies. African-American ladies are frequently at the bleeding edge of social equality yet their necessities are more than once pushed to the side for the requirements of Black men, as though their needs are the requirements of the entire, or take point of reference. This is important by Beyonce singing “...

Born in Compton, Kendrick Lamar delivered a performance at the 2016 Grammy’s in February. Performing racially charged songs like “Blacker the Berry” and “Alright” was Kendrick’s attempt to bring more awareness towards police brutality among black

N.W.A emerged out of Compton, CA. Today when many people hear the word Compton they usually think of violence, gangs and rappers. This is because N.W.A’s debut album Straight Outta Compton revolving around the crime and corruption that would become synonymous with Compton. This was Compton’s first step into the limelight opening a door for new artists.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard this, haven’t we? Kanye West’s return to lyrically focused hip hop (a.k.a. “straight bars”) was heralded two weeks ago with the release of “Real Friends”, but “No More Parties in L.A.” is the party piece, a six-minute showcase featuring two of hip hop’s biggest artists trying their very best on top of a storied producer’s beat. It’s a triumphant return of the “old Kanye”, and it’s everything you might have expected from everyone involved: Madlib & West’s production is stellar, guest star Kendrick Lamar’s contribution is a special highlight, and Kanye is back creating magic with a memorable lines about a laptop-stealing cousin and the determined refrain of the song’s title. It’s rare that three superpowers

In “Alright” Kendrick Lamar is speaking to the public about police brutality, or is he sending a deeper message to the people of minority. Kendrick Lamar released the song titled “Alright” in 2015. Upon release the song instantly blew up. It 's catchy and even though people got tongue tied trying to recite the song everyone knew the hook of the song which stated “We gon be alright do you hear me do you feel me we gon be alright.” I wonder did anyone catch the poetic verses Kendrick was saying before the hook. By simply watching the video you instantly think oh police brutality but I recieved a deeper message. I believe Kendrick wanted the song to inform the public about the brutality that seemed to be continuous at the time; and offer a bit of hope to those who didn’t feel there was any. That’s why the song was so famous, Kendrick performed this song on numerous award shows and talk shows because the people needed to hear it. Though some believe the song is in protest against cops or sending a bad message others believe it is an anthem for african americans.

Kendrick Lamar has lyrics that are hard, but within those lyrics is a description of his childhood which was even harder.To provide some background on Kendrick Lamar, he grew up in Piru territory of Compton, also know as Bompton. His parents both used drugs, and listened to many different types of music ranging from, “Jazz and blues to gangsta rap.” Any hip hop fan should be familiar with Kendrick’s name, they should also be familiar with his music. The fact that Kendrick Lamar isn’t being recognized as a legend this early in his career slightly upsets me.

Many times, when I am asked about hip hop influences, many people refer to the stereotypical characteristics such as lots of tattoos, money, women flaunting their bodies in music videos and excessive expression of foul language. Then, mysteriously appears Kendrick Lamar, a rapper who isn’t afraid to speak the truth and become the voice for the minority. He expresses his story through his music and even empowers others to face their demons and gain self-confidence. Lamar evaluates the contemporary everyday narrative and realties of youth who endure the social, economic and psychological trauma of coping with racial injustices within America today. He doesn’t cower from his flaws but confronts them through his lyrics and passion from his beliefs

Rap music and hip-hop culture has a deeply rooted tradition originating within the African-American community. In its original form, Rap music was an ‘escape’ for the working class African-American population, particularly within the communities settled on the East-Coast of the United States of America. It was pioneered by African-American artists like Pete ‘DJ’ Jones, Eddie Cheeba, Grand Master Flash, Run DMC, Tupac Shakur, and Christopher ‘The Notorious B.I.G.’ Wallace just to name a few. From its inception, it was a tool that these men used to talk about the oppression and hardships that they, as black men, faced in a predominantly white society, where the ‘system’ worked against them.

Also by releasing a series of increasingly popular Mixtapes, which brought him to the attention of hip hop producer Dr. Dre. Lamar's debut major-label recording, Good Kid, m.A.A.d City, was released to great success and impressive sales for an up and coming recording artist.

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth often references the experience of sitting on his father’s shoulders at the age of 8, watching West coast hip-hop legends Dr. Dre and Tupac film the music video for their anthem to the Golden State, “California Love” as the spark that ignited his creative bonfire. Born on June 17, 1987 to couple who moved from Chicago to Compton with only $500 to their names in order to escape the gang lifestyle, Lamar was exposed to guns, drugs, and violence at a young age. “I 'm 6 years old, seein ' my uncles playing with shotguns, sellin ' dope in front of the apartment.” Lamar witnessed his first murder outside his family’s apartment when he was 5 years old — a teenager gunned down while selling drugs. Although Lamar was never affiliated with a gang, his whereabouts did put him into a few tense situations with gang members; in the song “Average Joe,” Lamar recounts his experience being shot at by a group of Crips simply because of the neighborhood in which he lived. But instead of being caught up in the whirlpool of gang-banging that takes the lives of so many young Compton residents before him, he used his experiences as motivation and fodder for exploding music career.

Kendrick Lamar has introduced to us the HiiiPower movement which is his cry for social and mental revolution. The three fingers in the air resemble the three I’s in the word, which represent heart, honor, and respect. He believes that now is the time to rise above the lies that we have been fed since we were born. He insists for people to, “Get up off that slave ship, build your own pyramids, write your own hieroglyphs” (47-48). For one, he is commanding his listeners to work towards becoming independent and critical thinkers. When he refers to “get up off that slave ship” he is mainly referring to those part of the black community and makes the statement that shows his race should not be taken or seen as a disadvantage but believes it should

In my opinion, Kendrick Lamar, an award-winning rapper and songwriter, has one of the best abilities to describe his distressed and abused lifestyle in Compton, California. He is not your original cliché artist who does not speak about anything meaningful. Kendrick, also known as K. Dot, is one of the most well known and most respected rappers in this era. Not only does he speak about his gloomy past, but he also speaks about his fortunate future. His ability to give detailed representations of his struggles and his story telling allows me to, metaphorically, enter the mind of Kendrick Lamar.

The newscast interjecting Kendrick saying “ this is why I say Hip Hop is damaging young African Americans” is an argument against rap music and the culture it instills. Kendrick then shows he against this by saying he rather die than to listen to what critics people have to say. He then poses a rhetorical question to his critics saying “tell me something” “you m* can’t tell me nothing” saying they can’t judge what he does unless they been in his shoes. Loyalty and Royalty in his DNA can be connected to Kendrick being loyal to his people . Ultimately, DNA summarizes what it means to be an African American in the culture today no matter what part of the

As discussed earlier, ‘M.A.A.D City’ is all about his life in Compton, the flashbacks, memories, regrets and a small biography. How he had to survive and deal with the living there. This song begins with an A rhyme scheme then continues into, B all the way until N. The first nine lines is his introduction to the song. He first lets everyone know that the two gangs of Pirus Bloods and Crips would get along, he would be dead by the end of the song which was for five minutes and fifty seconds. That would be all the time they needed to kill him. He is also assuring people that he is no longer associated with gangs, he is a changed person. Ending the ninth line reminding everyone that the two gangs that run Compton and how they would get him because there would be no way out (Rap Genius). Saying, “This M.a.a.d City I run my nigha” assuring him, that they run this town and that if he would walk into their streets, all you would hear is gunshots.