Kendrick Lamar Interpretation

Improved Essays
Evaluation Paper #2
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize “ artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to the album sales or chart position.” Album of the year is easily the most prestigious award category at the Grammy’s and has been since 1959. Kendrick Lamar, a West Coast rapper, was recently nominated for 11 Grammys; almost surpassing the late Michael Jackson’s record of 12 nominations. Kendrick Lamar’s third studio album “To Pimp a Butterfly”, is one of the greatest albums of this decade. Because of it’s production quality, meaningful lyrics, and story of his album, Kendrick
…show more content…
Lamar 's lyrics to his songs are easily the most densely contexted lyrics of any artist over the last couple of decades. At the conclusion of his song “Wesley’s Theory,” Lamar delivers a line that is so well thought of and has much more meaning than of what you first expect. Lamar is playing the role of Uncle Sam saying, “I’ll Wesley Snipe your ass before thirty-five.” Coming across first glance you do not completely understand what the artist is meaning by “Wesley Snipe your ass before thirty-five,” but analyzing Lamar 's lyrics you can finally comprehend why he decided to use Wesley Snipe before say “I’ll snipe your ass before thirty-five.” On April 3, 2013 Wesley Snipes was convicted of tax evasion and was sent to prison. This elaborates on Kendrick 's theory that Uncle Sam does not want see wealthy black men succeed. Lamar 's third track in his album is “King Kunta.” In this track Kendrick celebrates being at the top of the rap game. The title of the song refers to a slave, Kunta Kinte, who tried to escape slavery but ended with getting his foot amputated by his masters. By then adding “King” to Kunta you have a slave becoming a King, which represents Kendrick starting from the bottom, and then becoming one of the greatest rappers of all time. “King Kunta” is without a doubt one of the most well thought out title any musician has given

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    On April 14th, 2017, proclaimed artist, Kendrick Lamar, released his fourth studio album, titled Damn. This fourteen track album was possibly Lamar’s most personal and most in-depth project yet. However, no song on this album, perhaps, reaches the personal level of the fifth track titled “FEEL.” In this song Lamar gives a super in-depth look at what he believes his biggest issues are and allows the listener to realize your own by confessing his. The purpose of this essay is to conduct a rhetorical analysis of Kendrick Lamar’s “FEEL.”…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Kendrick Lamar also uses irony in line 10 when he says, “I opened my Bible in search to be a better Christian / And this…

    • 1104 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Kendrick Lamar is a modern day Harlem Renaissance author. He talks about personal experiences with struggles he has gone through and seen and that all other blacks have gone through. He mentions the typical black stereotypes of physical features that are used to put a label on black people. His newest album has mostly this dark, depressing story like format about the battles and struggles that himself and other blacks have gone through. Though included on the album is what he claims to be the most positive song he has written, called “i”.…

    • 1030 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In this anthem, she discusses her independence and successfulness through her lyrics. Through words like, “Keep your money, I got my own (13:21)” and “Get a bigger smile on my face, being alone” (13:24), the audience understands the message that she is truly a strong and successful black woman that does not need a man to support her. “Freedom”, the tenth song on the album, also deals with infidelity and even the oppression the African-American community faces. In the song, Kendrick Lamar references tactics the police would use when confronting protests during the civil rights movement with the lyrics “Fire hydrants and hazardous smoke alarms on the back of us”. Both songs contribute to the message of injustice and the strength developed as a…

    • 1498 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In summary, Lamar is basically stating how no matter how successful an individual may become, there is nothing more important than earning a spot in Heaven; that is how much a dollar truly costs. The artist starts the song off by bragging about his luxury car that he driving as he pulls into a local gas station; this is a reference to his success and wealth. Later, he mentions that as he is leaving the store, a homeless man is outside asking for money. Kendrick, coming from a predominately poor community, denies the man’s request in a rather rude tone; for he has experienced what homeless people do with the money they receive.…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When Anthony Elonis’s wife divorced him and left with their kids, he began to write and produce songs to express how he felt about what he was going through. He wrote,“There’s one way to love you but a thousand ways to kill you… I’m not going to rest until your body is a mess soaked in blood and dying from all the little cuts.” Elonis was doing what many people do when they are going through a tough time, finding a safe outlet such as writing.…

    • 1083 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The song “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar has grown to be very popular. Many people interpret this song as a song about hope for the future. Both the song and the music video have received enthusiastic responses, highlighting the message that was related to social outburst at the time in regards to racism towards African-Americans. The song “Alright” has been directly associated with the Black Lives Matter movement not only because of the message it delivers but in many instances multiple people started singing the lyrics “we gon’ be…

    • 1294 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Both artists rap about their personal experiences with racism and consumerism and its negative effect on their communities. The experiences presented in these songs are relatable to all African Americans. In Lamar’s song, listeners can truly hear the accusatory and bitter tone in both his music and voice. “The Blacker The Berry” lets the listener know that the oppression Lamar faces is not unique to him; it is experienced by his entire community. West’s “New Slaves” portrays a sarcastic tone, mocking “White America.”…

    • 1125 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Kanye West Influence

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages

    He has publicly bashed presidents, fought paparazzi, and made drunken tirades on the Internet. These negative moments all pale in comparison to his talent and his influence on culture. He has change the how hip-hop sound and how fashion is worn. He belief in himself has pushed him through all the negativity around him and made him one of the greatest musicians to ever lived. “Masterpieces make us forget the artists, and instead direct our attention to the artist’s works.…

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dre. This became his major breakthrough into his ever growing music career. This introduction into the rap world was all he needed to flourish into a life of encouragement and dreams for others to follow. Kendrick’s first record was released in 2011, following with one in 2012, 2015, and 2016. “In March 2016, Lamar released untitled unmastered, a compilation of tracks that were unfinished demos for To Pimp a Butterfly.”…

    • 1273 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    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…

    • 1189 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In today’s media race is used throughout programs such as television shows, movies, and music videos. They often times present a false stereotype that many believe are true when accessing media. When it comes to music artists will use music videos so there listeners will have a better understanding of the song. The music video analyzed is Kendrick Lamar’s alright which was released in 2015. As an artist who has a history of creating songs that are detailing experiences in which he has either lived or seen this video is a powerful statement released by him.…

    • 1735 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Throughout history, society has instigated a difference in the between light and dark skin shades in the black community. Lamar sends a message in saying that skin colour should not affect your view on someone and there is beauty in everyone. “it’s all beautiful to me… no colors ain’t a thing.” The next song “The Blacker The Berry” focuses on the negatives of society in all races. “You sabotage my community, makin’ a killin’.…

    • 1839 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    By saying that, he starts standing up for his black community. I like how in Kendrick’s lyrics he says that black people are known to be doomed from the start but then he goes on by saying “Remember this, every race start from the block, just remember that. By saying that, he is showing us that every single race starts off the same and is equal but it’s the people that start taking advantage of the less advantaged. After that starts happening the hatred towards one…

    • 735 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Beautiful by Eminem According to the fans, this song is considered as one of the strongest song of relapse. He was on drugs when he had written this song, we get to know this from his lyrics. He expresses his feelings telling that the addiction he had towards drugs made him go into depression, and he felt trapped. But towards the end of the song he tells his fans that he has hope for the future and he is optimistic.…

    • 644 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays