Don’t use words too big for the subject.
Don’t say infinitely when you mean very; otherwise you’ll have no word left
when you want to talk about something really infinite. –C.S. Lewis
Hip-hop is no stranger to
using its power for good. But while lyricism has always been used to highlight
the plight of African-Americans, live performances have not usually followed
suit. When it comes to performing live, particularly on network television,
hip-hop is all about leaning toward the camera with a fish-eyed lens while
throwing dollars with braggadocio or leaning on star power to make a great
performance.
This year, Kendrick Lamar
could have chosen to boycott The Grammys. (Especially after he was completely
shut out of the 2014 Grammys with seven nominations and zero wins). Instead, he
agreed to perform once again, knowing full well that he could go home
unrewarded once more. This time, he decided to go out in a blaze of glory
whether he took home a trophy or not. His performance, just as nuanced and ripe
for dissection as Beyoncé’s video for ‘Formation” was a tour de force, a
history-making turn on the Grammy stage. Kendrick brought live theater to his
musical set. He walked like he was actually in physical pain as he moved in
chains, across the stage and toward the mic. His facial expressions were far
more than just that of a musician performing a powerful song. He was a man with
a brutal message, several in fact: stop stealing our culture,
understand our pain, know why we don’t trust you.
This is
the motto of Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, or more formally known as Kendrick
Lamar. Born and raised in Compton, California, a much younger Kendrick grew up
listening to his idols: Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre. Listening to his idols
ultimately fueled the drive to not only produce lyrics that everyone would
recognize and appreciate, but to produce a piece of work that was closely
linked to the experiences he endured in Compton.
On “To
Pimp a Butterfly,” Kendrick Lamar’s overflowing post-fame album, he was, in his
own words, a king, a hypocrite, a sinner and a prophet. Awash in black music,
black pride and shame, he attempted to propel the ghosts of Nelson Mandela,
Tupac Shakur, and Michael Jackson through the will of his conflicted rhymes.
Ultimately the dreams of Kendrick became a reality after releasing this album,
he not only racked up seven Grammy Awards, his music became anthem for Black
Lives Matter. It’s when Kendrick would hear his words outside of the concerts,
that he would understand that it’s more deep-rooted than just a song. It’s more
than just a piece of a record. Kendrick commented about his album becoming an
anthem, “it’s something that people live by – your words.”
Words are a powerful way of grabbing attention and expressing deep emotion and pain. Music and the arts have been used to express oneself, ones culture,and struggles throughout history and throughout the world. It is something that each and every person can relate to. It is exciting to me to be able to witness a stand against the societal norm, and have the opportunity to be a part of it. Seeing these artists continue to stand up and use their abilities and fame to bring awareness, speaking out. Change is not only brought on by words, but also action. In his performance, Kendrick used words from one of his well known songs, "we gon' be alright," and we will be. It's a long road to changing the societal norms, but it will happen because people will ensure that it does.
ReplyDeleteKendrick Lamar is continuing the voicing of the messages that hip-hop artists began, dating back to its origin. Hip hop at its core has been a genre and culture of aggression, defiance, and a scientifically doctored approach that speaks for those on the margins of society, who are not only unheard, but also not listened to. As artists like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five created The Message and Queen Latifah and Salt n’ Peppa advocated for women equality, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and other modern artists have followed in their paths. The entire hip-hop culture connects with the #BlackLivesMatter movement, in that it is a medium in which the message can spread. Indeed Kendrick Lamar has been the voice of the modern movement, but many artists have also been integral in spreading the message, as that’s what hip-hop was created for.
ReplyDeleteI am a fan Kendrick Lamar and greatly appreciate his "freshness" and nonconformity as he continues to break the modern mainstream rapper mold latent with misogyny, materialism along with the promotion of illicit drug use and oftentimes their manufacture. Many in the hip-hop world would quickly label Kendrick as merely another "conscious rapper", but something separates him. Most conscious rappers while effectively integrating a take home worthy message into a track, they often fail to focus on the aesthetics of the music resulting in a small fan base. Kendrick is now firmly a 'mainstream' artist and after obtaining a significant following in the wake of his GKMC album release, to release an album with content as controversial as TPAB had it not been well received could have easily ended his career in an era where one hit wonders are all too common. I respect his courage to give the masses music with message when the current wave his so heavily dependent on the beat.
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