The Blacker The Berry, By Kendrick Lamar - 1420 Words

Still Fighting Recently, in the United States, there have been more and more racially charged incidents, such as the Ferguson riots, the University of Missouri protests, etc. These two different types of events are compared to the two different ideologies of non-violent and violent protests. Examples of people who believed in each of these ideologies are Martin Luther King Jr. who used non-violent protest and Malcolm X who used violent protests. Kendrick Lamar who has had song that are on both sides of the spectrum from his song â€Å"I† which is more like Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolent beliefs to â€Å"The Blacker the Berry† which is more like Malcolm X’s thinking of self-hatred. In light of many of these issues along with the fact that racism is still an issue, Kendrick Lamar released his critically acclaimed song â€Å"The Blacker the Berry† in February 2015. This racially-charged song celebrates Kendrick’s African American heritage, but also has an underlying theme of racialized self hatred. The song also discusses the ideas of racism, hatred, and hypocrisy throughout the song. Some of the things Kendrick mentions in the song show how the beliefs and the people have not changed from the â€Å"three distinct periods of racial terror: antebellum slavery, Jim Crow, and the mass incarceration of Black people in the prison-industrial complex† (Lindsey 236). The song also shares its name with 1929 novel, The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurmond, which deals with similar issues ofShow MoreRelatedThe Blacker The Berry By Kendrick Lamar1025 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"The Blacker the Berry† by Kendrick Lamar was released February 9th, 2015. This incredibly racially motivated song has created controversy throughout America because it tackles racism, hypocrisy, and hatred head on. Although Stephen Best argues that the past defines the present without question, and Hartman believes that many important African American sto ries have been silenced due to lack of evidence, Kendrick Lamar’s song â€Å"The Blacker the Berry† complicates and adds to their arguments by introducingRead MoreAnalysis Of Kendrick Lamar s The Blacker The Berry Essay1629 Words   |  7 Pages2016, 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, â€Å"The Blacker the Berry†, whileRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Blacker The Berry By Kendrick Lamar940 Words   |  4 Pagesremarks someone makes of their race or ethnicity they are considered someone without humor. We are to blame for t he everyday racism we see in the music, television, posters, etc because we see it as something normal. In the song â€Å"The Blacker the Berry† by Kendrick Lamar, Lamar calls himself the biggest hypocrite of 2015. I believe he himself is realizing that he is also at fault for the everyday racism we seem to face. In the poem â€Å"Power† by Audre Lorde we also see a black woman described to be 4’10† beingRead MoreMulticulturalism : A Better Understanding And Implementation Of Multiculturalism1846 Words   |  8 Pagesdiscrimination and injustice. One prime example of global musical resistance is Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), where Compton-born Lamar explored the struggles of black identity. Of the sixteen songs in the Platinum-album, â€Å"The Blacker the Berry† created the most controversial display of empowerment through means of self-hatred and reflection. Produced by Terrace Martin and Boi-1da in Los Angeles, â€Å"The Blacker the Berry† utilized beats and lyrics in order to focus on the issue of institutionalRead More Hip Hop And Rap Music904 Words   |  4 Pages The motives and ideas of hip-hop strongly pushes for a social change in the world. Many artists such as Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole talk about social issues that goes on in the country and city they reside in. In Kendrick Lamar’s recent album To Pimp a Butterfly, Lamar strongly voices the inner struggles he faced in his city caused by the oppressors, usually police. (#Respect) Kendrick Lamar shows that is music is striving for a social change. This should be more respected more as he stands for aRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Kendrick Lamar s I m The Biggest Hypocrite Of 2015 Essay2363 Words   |  10 Pagesâ€Å"I’m the biggest hypocrite of 2015†: Kendrick Lamar’s 2016 Grammy performance Well-known American rapper and songwriter, Kendrick Lamar, in his influential performance at the 2016 Grammy Awards while singing Blacker the Berry off his 11 time nominated album To Pimp a Butterfly, recounts issues of racism in society, however, conveys a deeper meaning of hypocrisy towards the end of the song. In this essay, I will be doing a contextual analysis of Kendrick Lamar s 2016 Grammy performance. I argueRead MoreAnalysis Of The Blacker The Berry857 Words   |  4 PagesKendrick Lamar’s â€Å"To Pimp a Butterfly† covers many important issues including self-hatred, blackness, representations of success, and police brutality. In one track off the album, â€Å"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 harmf ul institutions and police whoRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem I Pimp A Butterfly By Neil Mccormick1532 Words   |  7 PagesAmericans. In almost every song of the album, Kendrick raps about police brutality, gang violence, extreme poverty, or racial discrimination. He leaves none of his message left to assumption, and he clearly presents his opinions. One of the most controversial aspects of â€Å"To Pimp a Butterfly† was its racially charged subject matter and message. Each track features different takes on racial discrimination, as well as the internal struggle faced by Kendrick in regards to this issue. â€Å"To Pimp a Butterfly†Read MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Blacker The Berry And Alright 1704 Words   |  7 PagesTo many Kendrick Lamar is just another west coast rapper; and to a diehard group of fans he is the king of west coast rap. But on the night of the 2016 Grammy awards, as he limped on stage, chained to his backup dancers, Kendrick suddenly became more than just a rapper. His six minute performance of â€Å"The Blacker the Berry† and â€Å"Alright† from his hit album To Pimp a Butterfly was captivating, electrifying and so powerful it had him trending on Twitter for days to follow. This reaction was the resultRead MoreThe Music Has Been The Main Outlet For Some Powerful Speakers2638 W ords   |  11 Pagesmovement are Tupac and Kendrick Lamar. Both artist have similar styles when it comes to making music. The use of their poetry skills and similar backgrounds of growing up makes it easy to compare the language of the two artist. When looking at the city of Compton, the way language has changed from the early 90s up until now. Two songs that Tupac expressed his mind on the lives of the black community and racism are Changes and keep your head up. As for Kendrick Lamar s he expressed his feelings