Macklemore's Struggles

The appeal he uses most often is pathos, it is found throughout the song. Macklemore uses a word that is very hurtful to homosexuals: “faggots" (Haggerty, Lewis, Lambert, 2102). He uses it to show how people inappropriately use the word, but it is a word that causes a lot of pain to some people. His word choice is effective in bringing out emotion as in the line, “plagued by pain in their heart.” The choice to use the word plague describes just how bad the pain is. When people hear the word plague, we think of a widespread disease that affects hundreds and causes worldwide scare. He is saying that this pain is what they have in their heart every day. By using pathos to appeal to the emotion of love in every chorus, “my love, she keeps me warm,” Macklemore successfully tugs at a listener’s heartstrings because most can relate to the feeling of love in some way or another. Another phrase that he uses that applies to pathos is “some would rather die than be who they are.” In today's society, the topic of suicide is extremely emotional, which is what this lyric refers to. Macklemore uses a great deal of pathos appeal to reach out to his listeners and get his argument across.

Unlike many other mainstream artists, Kendrick Lamar attaches great importance to the lyrics of his songs. Lamar’s song “DNA”, released last April, became a real breakthrough in the world of hip-hop music. In this song, Lamar reflects on various social issues faced by the modern African-American community of the USA. The song’s lyrics, as well as the music video, portrays the most common stereotypes and biases labeled to the African-American community. The central aim of the song is to sarcastically demonstrate the image of African-Americans as they are viewed by biased media. By the use of symbolical sarcasm and double meanings, Lamar underlines the acuteness of the race inequality that remains existing in the modern America.

Cultural phenomenon, rapper Kendrick Lamar has embraced a growing minority centered culture in America through his album “To Pimp A butterfly” this album conveys themes of hardship for minorities and cultural uprising. One of the singles on this album “Alright” simply tells black audiences that with faith everything will be alright. He uses the Lyrics “Alls my life I has to fight, nigga .Alls my life I...Hard times like God. Bad trips like: ‘God!’ Nazareth, I 'm fucked up..Homie you fucked up..But if God got us then we gon ' be alright” These lyrics simply tell suppressed minorities that despite hardship there is hope within our communities. . Months prior to the release of Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” several attacks from white police officers happened in the black community. A common case in this uproar was the “Mike Brown case”. In this case a black man was shot dead after allegedly robbing a local gas station. Kendrick simply responded to these seemingly racial attacks with his album to “Pimp a Butterfly”. To pimp a butterfly simply means to use your influence to the best of its ability to make a meaningful impact. With tracks like “Alright” Kendrick Lamar does just that. The Primary themes and issues conveyed in this song are white supremacy, racism and black uprising

Macklemore’s song, “Same Love,” with Ryan Lewis, featuring Mary Lambert, tells the younger generation about discrimination against gays, homophobia, and inequality. The song calls out people who want freedom, where our country came from, and what are religion says to show how if we don’t accept gays, there is a lot we can never have. Macklemore is disappointed with the way hip hop and rap talk about gay people without realizing how difficult they are making gay’s lives. It is also great when Macklemore practically asks religious people how exactly they do not support gay rights, and why they believe it is wrong because God is supposed to love everyone. Macklemore gives his honest opinion on how he feels everyone should be equal, and there are no “buts” or “ifs.” I stand by his opinion about love being love no matter what. Macklemore’s song, “Same Love,” he talks about societies false ideas of gays, the way the term “gay” is used in hip hop music, and that we are not equal until we allow gay rights with a huge change at heart.

Otherside is a very meaningful rap, which I feel reflects my generation, by Macklemore. Macklemore wrote this song in 2009, from his parents basement, where he was forced to move after falling victim to drug addiction. Otherside is a deep, chilling song, which describes what it’s like to be a drug addict, and how the media encourages things like drugs, sex, and violence. This song shines a lot of light on the growing trend of lean, which is a mixture of promethazine with codeine cough syrup, Sprite, and Jolly Ranchers. The intro and outro of the song are from a news clip of an interview between a reporter, and another famous rapper Bun B, speaking about the death of his friend, who overdosed on codeine cough syrup, rapper Pimp C. In this song Macklemore talks about his struggles with drugs, and how he’s seen many lives ruined, and taken by drug addiction. Macklemore wrote this song to educate people about the dangers of drugs and expose the falsity of how various rappers claim to live. Macklemore wants people to know that the glamorous, rich, sex and drug filled lives many Hollywood personalities claim to live is all smoke and mirrors and they portray themselves this way just because, sadly, that’s what sells.

Kendrick Lamar took the music industry by storm last year after his release of his sophomore album To Pimp A Butterfly. Immediately, the album quickly became critically acclaimed and resulted in multiple awards such as winning four grammys this past winter. The album goes deep into Kendrick’s personal struggles as new found celebrity, while also touching on subjects surrounding the black community. For this paper I took a look at the standout song off the album Institutionalized, that deals with the internal struggle people go through in life because of the barriers of thinking they are imprisoned to in their lives. Along with this, the song also has elements that tie

This paper will open by first and foremost, explaining the different sociological meanings of the term power, so as the reader has an understanding of the arguments being made. This will allow anybody reading this paper to follow the arguments being made. Music can provide a means of resistance for challenging the power relations of racism, class and gender in a number of ways. The first way that this paper will approach this is the racial aspect and as a means of doing this, the main focus point will be Eminem and his break-through in to the Rap/ Hip-hop genre. This is relevant because he was the first white person to ever successfully break into this specific genre of predominantly Black artists. This will lead neatly onto the next element to answering the question of music providing a means of resistance for challenging power relations, It will move on to look at the class element of resisting and challenging power. This section will start off by continuing with regard to Eminem and how he used his “underclass” background as a means of connecting with his black counterparts, But still gaining acceptance from his peers and even forming a working relationship with an already massively established artist that aided him in his entrance to the hip-hop music industry and his credibility their after. Whilst still staying with subject matter of class, this

Fake and so plastic, you’ve heisted the magic. ”(“From Beyoncé to Usher”, 1) Macklemore explain that he was writing in his own point of view. This prove that not only it effect blacks but it also effects everyone else

Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem, is recognized for his work as a rap artist who is able to connect with his audience through humor and rhythmically dicey lyrics. Eminem’s “My Name Is” music video is able signify whiteness and rearticulate race with the use intertextual editing techniques that parody common representations of whiteness. Eminem is using his “My Name Is” video as an approach to solidify his style of rapping and thus create new political and cultural authenticities that entice questions of race representation in the 1990’s and beyond. (Kajikawa).

A common question in today’s popular culture is “what is your jam?” Most of the time the response will be a song that the person most enjoys listening to or singing along to. However, what this question should mean is, “what is the song that most relates to you, the one that perfectly explains your thoughts.” We often get so caught up in asking, “what’s the story here?” in articles, movies, and television shows, but it’s about time that we ask the same question with the music that we call our “jam”. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s single “Same Love”, a song with one of the best stories about same-sex marriage. Influential hip-hop artist Macklemore, who has gained a strong base through his hit

At this moment, Kendrick’s monologue addresses the battle encountered by African Americans today and the frustration that comes with wanting and deserving more than they have. The backing vocals in this section of the song imply that American society wants African Americans to submit to it and praise it, even though many of them have suffered from it. This introduction signifies how dazed society is to the black people and how there is a constant battle between

On February 15, 2016, Kendrick Lamar took the stage at the 2016 Grammy Awards show. Shackled in chains, he moved lethargically across the stage in a prison uniform. Words began to stream out of his mouth and I imagined the elephant that filled the room as an unapologetically black male made a statement to the world about African American oppression in the United States. Kendrick Lamar’s showcase included an intricate set that addressed social issues such as mass incarceration with song, “The Blacker the Berry”, while keeping hope towards better days with song “Alright”. The elaborate performance on February 15, 2016 would be a performance that will go down in history. An artist used his platform to discuss important issues in the United States to a diverse audience. With so much passion invested into the song, it was almost impossible to pick any other song besides “The Blacker the Berry”, as it discusses a wide range of issues within the United States, especially related to the black body.

Macklemore says, “I thought I was gay ‘Cause I could draw, my uncle was and I kept my room straight… a bunch of stereotypes all in my head”. He uses an anecdote of a young boy who is confused about who he is. He compares himself to the gays stereotypes and realizes he might be gay too. It is damaging to society to have stereotypes that sometimes not be true. Children do not know any better, but to believe the ideas or thoughts put into their mind. He also refers to the bible, “‘God loves all his children’ is somehow forgotten”. By using this allusion, he brings up the issue of inequality. God loves ALL his children, he does not judge, he does not hate. Human beings develop hatred or dislike for those who are different, and that does not make them any better than those who are different. In God’s eyes, everyone is the same. Macklemore repeats the word “gay” to defend what he says on how that word is “dropped on the daily” because people become blind on what they say. The word is used with a negative connotation to insult others, because people do not realize the potential consequences of their

Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” covers many important issues including self-hatred, blackness, representations of success, and police brutality. In one track off the album, “The Blacker The Berry”, Lamar speaks from the perspective of a young, angry, black man who takes a confrontational and hostile stance against police brutality. From the instrumental, to the features, to Lamar’s tone, to the lyrics, everything about this song screams rebellion against harmful institutions and police who seek to diminish the state of black people in America and the world.

First of all, music has the capability of positively influencing the audience by providing a positive message incorporated into their music. One societal change that that the world is forced to look upon is the promotion of same sex marriage laws. In 2012, Macklemore released a song titled, “Same Love”. In this song, Macklemore depicts a man struggling to discover his identity, particularly in his childhood. Macklemore sings, “When I was in the 3rd grade I thought that I was gay 'cause I could draw… I told my mom, tears rushing down my face” (“Same Love”). In the beginning of the song, he was conflicted about his sexuality and was in a state of confusion. For the people that are in similar situations, will also experience these kind of struggles throughout their lifetime. Later in the song, he sings, “It's human rights for everybody. There is no difference. Live on! And be yourself!”(Macklemore, “Same Love”). This phrase is the essence of the meaning behind the song. It says that human rights are for