I found Kendrick
Lamar's performance at the Grammy's profoundly relevant as many people have
said in the below posts. What gets me most frustrated about the entertainment
industry and this performance is that he is making relevant statements in one
of the most viewed award shows across the globe and moving people socially and
politically in ways that most artists can't and choose not to do and yet he
still does not win album of the year. Let's talk about Taylor Swift's opening
performance for "Out of the Woods" a song that did well this year but
it's a metaphor for a relationship being "out of the woods" not about
racism and the power to move people socially and politically. She wears a
glitter jumpsuit with a wooded background behind her as she sings about a
complicated relationship and she is praised for her "stunning opening
performance" while Kendrick Lamar is criticized for bringing such a
serious tone to the award show. In my mind music is about changing people's
mind, having them relate to something, and/or making them think. While I think
Taylor Swift is relatable to white, middle to upper class women below the age
of twenty-eight, that's all she is. Because she represents and relates to this
population, however, she controls so much of the music and entertainment
industry. Even in her acceptance speech for album of the year, she talked about
her fame and the power of the female celebrity and her voice specifically
targeting a lyric Kanye West had written about her on his new album. In these
circumstances, she is incredibly selfish and self-serving in an agenda that I
think DOES need to be spoken for (feminism) but she doesn't represent a large
population like Kendrick Lamar does. He represents marginalized and targeted
people in our society and that must be recognized. I have to go ahead and thank
Adele because even after her performance that was filled with sound mistakes
throughout, she uses her influence to recognize the genius that is Kendrick
Lamar and specifically all that he has done for the music industry this past
year. Yes, he won hip hop/rap album of the year but it is not enough until he
wins album of the year for a work of art filled with many genres and
understanding the lives of many different marginalized peoples. He has a voice
that has spoken for so many people that his popularity has stretched through
white populations which is just one step forward in moving toward the progress
that whites think they see but cannot actually prove.
While I too am disappointed that Kendrick Lamar’s performance was given negative reviews, and saddened that he did not win more of his nominations, I am not infuriated that out of all the other nominees it was Taylor Swift that won. In fact, if Lamar was fated to lose, I would prefer for Swift to win so that the award and recognition would go to someone who had some kind of meaningful message. It is my personal opinion that Lamar and Swift are the only two artists in that category who stood for any kind of message. While Swift might not use her music to voice her opinions on gender inequality, she definitely voices her opinion in the many interviews she partakes in. Her statements came off as self centered and misplaced, but I give her kudos for using the spotlight she was given to draw attention to the fact that the female sex is still under represented and under valued in the music industry. My interpretation of her speech is that Swift intended to use a situation that she herself experienced to show that women are still struggling in society because it is still entrenched in a patriarchal system. I completely agree with you that her brand of feminism is only accessible and applicable to a certain group of people, but like I state above, my thought is at least she is drawing attention to the issue.I would love to see more female artists using their stage to promote feminism and gender equality, but, sadly, the only other superstar I can think of who has done this is Beyoncé, and unfortunately she was not nominated for any awards.While I agree that Kendrick Lamar is the only artist who was using his platform and craft to spread awareness about an issue that affects so many, I also think that Swift deserves a nod for making history in being the first female to win album of the year twice. None of this is to say that I think that Swift should have won, on the contrary I believe that Lamar was the sole artist who deserved it, but like I said earlier, I am just glad that the award went to someone who was campaigning for a cause that affects a large group of people.
ReplyDeleteWhen I learned that 1989 won best album of the year for 2015, I was fairly annoyed. I did purchase a couple of the songs from the album on iTunes, but modeling after all the other Taylor Swift albums, the songs sound relatively similar and the lyrics only focus on her life and the awful guys that have done her wrong (or broken up with her). After Taylor Swift became the first woman to win the award for album of the year for her own album twice, a Vanity Fair article came out with the title: “Taylor Swift: Apple Crusader, #GirlSquad Captain and the Most Influential 25-Year-Old in America.” While winning two Grammy’s for album of the year is very impressive, especially for being a female, I think that it is a far leap to call Taylor Swift “the most influential 25-year-old in America.” Some of her lyrics empower women by negatively depicting guys that break girls hearts, but besides that I do not see her attempting or promoting societal change. On the other hand, Kendrick Lamar with his album To Pimp a Butterfly, which lost the 2015 best album of the year, like Ashley pointed out, made a strong push towards getting listeners to recognize and change their minds about the marginalized and targeted people in our society. I think that Kendrick Lamar’s appeal as an artist comes from the fact he can speak on behalf and relate to so many people in the United States. His success over the years proves he has the ability to progress societal change for minority populations because vast audiences listen to his music.
ReplyDeleteAshley - I absolutely love what you have to say about Kendrick Lamar's influence among the American public. Lamar never fails to disappoint in his politically ambitious, yet vulnerable lyrics and production on his albums. What I think is most important on his tracks is his ability to convey a story that so many Americans can relate to. While I do feel that he was more a 'storyteller' on his second album, I would like to think that "To Pimp a Butterfly" opens a new door for Lamar and the future of his music. Hopefully, in a few years, the American public can develop gratitude for such an honorable musician who never fails to articulate his beliefs, values, and experiences so exquisitely.
ReplyDeleteAshley - I absolutely love what you have to say about Kendrick Lamar's influence among the American public. Lamar never fails to disappoint in his politically ambitious, yet vulnerable lyrics and production on his albums. What I think is most important on his tracks is his ability to convey a story that so many Americans can relate to. While I do feel that he was more a 'storyteller' on his second album, I would like to think that "To Pimp a Butterfly" opens a new door for Lamar and the future of his music. Hopefully, in a few years, the American public can develop gratitude for such an honorable musician who never fails to articulate his beliefs, values, and experiences so exquisitely.
ReplyDelete