Introduction Kendrick Lamar released his highly anticipated album, To Pimp A Butterfly, in mid-March 2015. The jazz-poetic album contains numerous top-chart singles in addition to going Platinum. Furthermore, Lamar recorded the collection over the span of three years, beginning in 2012 after the murder of Trayvon Martin. Having heard the news of this crime against a young member of the African-American community, Lamar turned to the pen, producing the track “The Blacker the Berry.” The song vocally carries heavy emotion and lyrically targets internalized thoughts relative to the self-questioned identity of an African-American. Similarly, W. E. B. Du Bois coins the term “double-consciousness” which appears to be encapsulate Lamar’s immediate reaction toward the current events of the time.
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He elaborates on this instance, dividing the two identities into “an American” and “a Negro.” Du Bois suggests the idea of a single identity encompassing both; one that is strived for by the “American Negro” but is hindered by the underlying views of a racist institution. This double-consciousness that is discussed ultimately describes the aforementioned two identities faced by a single being. Such an introspective concept arises a question as to the effect of this dual identity on one’s character; the identity composed of qualities they associate with themselves based on their individuality, and the identity of what they are told to be by society based solely off of their external appearance. In “The Blacker the Berry,” Lamar captures both of these identities lyrically and the consequence of their unity through his timbre.
He elaborates on this instance, dividing the two identities into “an American” and “a Negro.” Du Bois suggests the idea of a single identity encompassing both; one that is strived for by the “American Negro” but is hindered by the underlying views of a racist institution. This double-consciousness that is discussed ultimately describes the aforementioned two identities faced by a single being. Such an introspective concept arises a question as to the effect of this dual identity on one’s character; the identity composed of qualities they associate with themselves based on their individuality, and the identity of what they are told to be by society based solely off of their external appearance. In “The Blacker the Berry,” Lamar captures both of these identities lyrically and the consequence of their unity through his timbre.