Does the colonized mind really exist? A colonized mind is the oppressed mindset of groups of people who have had aspects of their past or present taken and changed. The colonized mind is an idea that is highly debated but the matter of fact is, symptoms of this mindset affect most colonized people. A colonized mind is constantly at war with itself due to the internalized oppression that comes with it and many struggle to find confidence in themselves and their identity. Many want liberation from this mentality and the system that furthers the oppressive psychology. One notable figure fighting for the unshackling of the colonized mind is Kendrick Lamar, an up and coming rap artist who primarily raps about issues that he thinks need to be tackled.
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In the song “Alright,” Lamar expresses his struggles to have strength through his troubles: “N****, I’m at the preacher’s door/ My knees gettin’ weak and my gun might blow (Lamar 39-40)” but then adds his optimism by saying, “But we gon’ be alright (41).” The symbolism that is used is being at the preacher’s door because it represents Lamar’s absolute lack of hope in himself and all he can do is trust in God. However, he encourages his listeners to not give up because eventually things will be okay. Lamar also uses symbolism in his song “The Blacker the Berry” when saying, “Muscle cars like pull ups, show you what these big wheels ‘bout, ah/ Black and successful, this black man meant to be special (Lamar 52-3).” He uses muscle cars as a way to symbolize his material wealth and argues that despite his disadvantage as a black man, he is still able to become a great success. The clever symbolisms can be found all throughout “To Pimp a Butterfly” and creates a strong effect on how the viewer interprets Lamar’s ideas. They show that everyone can overcome their internalized oppression to defeat the system that undermines them and rise to do great
In the song “Alright,” Lamar expresses his struggles to have strength through his troubles: “N****, I’m at the preacher’s door/ My knees gettin’ weak and my gun might blow (Lamar 39-40)” but then adds his optimism by saying, “But we gon’ be alright (41).” The symbolism that is used is being at the preacher’s door because it represents Lamar’s absolute lack of hope in himself and all he can do is trust in God. However, he encourages his listeners to not give up because eventually things will be okay. Lamar also uses symbolism in his song “The Blacker the Berry” when saying, “Muscle cars like pull ups, show you what these big wheels ‘bout, ah/ Black and successful, this black man meant to be special (Lamar 52-3).” He uses muscle cars as a way to symbolize his material wealth and argues that despite his disadvantage as a black man, he is still able to become a great success. The clever symbolisms can be found all throughout “To Pimp a Butterfly” and creates a strong effect on how the viewer interprets Lamar’s ideas. They show that everyone can overcome their internalized oppression to defeat the system that undermines them and rise to do great