Kendrick Lamar: Deconstructing a Culture of Trauma
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- Опубликовано: 20 май 2024
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In this video, I go through Kendrick Lamar’s discography breaking down his relationship with ‘the culture’. I chronicle his beginnings reflecting his community (Section.80, Good Kid Maad City), his responsibility in influencing a culture (To Pimp a Butterfly, untitled unmastered), the disillusionment he felt about the impact of his music (DAMN, Black Panther Album), and his cathartic realization about his role as the voice of a generation (Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers).
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Dissect podcast TPAB series: dissectpodcast.com/tag/to-pim...
Trans perspective on ‘Auntie Diaries’ by streamer conure: • Is "Auntie Diaries" PR...
Sources mentioned:
Kendrick Lamar Says "Section.80" Is Just A Warm-Up, Analyzes Work With Game & Dr. Dre | HipHopDX
hiphopdx.com/interviews/id.17...
Kendrick Lamar Says DAMN. Was Designed to Be Played Backwards | Pitchfork
pitchfork.com/news/kendrick-l...
0:00 Intro
1:41 Reflection (Section.80, GKMC)
10:42 Responsibility (TPAB)
18:24 Resentment (DAMN, BPA)
25:17 Release (Mr. Morale) 
Развлечения
![Jason Aldean - Should've Been A Cowboy [Toby Keith Tribute] (Live from the 59th ACM Awards)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-B4nR-CgMVA/mqdefault.jpg)
This latest kendrick-drake beef made me realize nobody actually listens to the lyrics. They just care if the beat sounds good.
Algorithms have people in a trance since 2010 and slowly growing
This is the original black man versus a “They Cloned Tyrone.” Drake is the final version of what the underground world wanted to release. They’re working on our women now. That’s why Sexxy Red Megan Thee Stallion, City Girls, Latto, etc. are the hottest rappers out rn. Think about it gangsta rap had a worse effect on our community than any gun in the words of Cole, ”You got dummies rappin smart sh**, Nerds rappin hard sh**.” In the movie “They Cloned Tyrone” the cloning wasn’t of the actual bodies but the mindset in a specific type of body. Kids from the suburbs turnt killas for the mind control of music. Now you have little girls as young as 3 tryna twerk. Control the mind and the body will follow.
@@matthewwinn5401exactly
It boils my blood when ppl sleep on kdot
Bro people treating Not Like Us like it was the first time Kendrick made any of the points in the three tracks prior honestly pissed me off.
Not Like Us is lyrically an addendum and a bit of an appendix too for themes brought up in any of the 3 prior tracks.
And sonically it was clearly meant to be a banger for the homies that would bring the message of Kendrick's project to the billboard as a final nail in the coffin for a man who's career has been so largely interpreted by the charts.
Euphoria, 6:16, and Meet The Grahams are the real story.
“Sorry I couldn’t save the world my friend. I was too busy building mine again.”
This line. This line is everything. This is the absolute culmination of everything he is. How beautiful.
❤️❤️❤️
That line made me cry ngl
Really too busy destroying his own tbh
@@cheeseballs9579Not for no reason. He knew this was a possibility when he started this.
It was annoying how people hated on the new album cause it wasn't the same song energy as DAMN, even tho it continues the storytelling and breakdowns of culture, but nah some just wanted party music.
Iuno what kind of parties you throwing if DAMN is party music haha
Uummm excuse me I didn’t feel like this was his strongest album but I have NEVER approached Kendrick’s music in all of his discography as PaRtY MuSiC. I’m pretty sure u listened to the masterfully cultivated album such as the To Pimp a Butterfly right? Even Good Kid Maad City was done extremely well. No I just felt like this album didn’t give me the same moments as the other ones. As far as artistic expression goes he’s the most vulnerable on Mr.Morale. But I’m sorry rhe music wasn’t as interesting as the other previous projects. Artistically and expression wise it’s to be respected but u can admit that this isn’t his best crafted album out of his whole discography. It’s arguable that his conceptual storytelling here was the most messy out of all his work. That last phrase u said isn’t entirely true. And I am a HUGE KDOT fan too
@@QualityCulture meant more if you went to someone's place around that time and they played rap it was from the damn album, DNA, HUMBLE, ect. I couldn't find the right world for it but along that sense is what people wanted ya know
They wanted Kendrick to go emo again and while he made great art doing so with DAMN, being in that headspace isn’t the best for the individual. Look at all the emo rappers where they’re at now (some of them rip)
@@bizzyrizzy4075 I disagree. This album is just as good as TPAB or GKMC. Songs like Fathertime, We Cry Together, Auntie Diaries, and Mother I Sober is written so beautifully and most needed for the culture.
Kendrick Lamar is one of the few rappers that have given me goosebumps when listening. His words are so pure, so raw, so reflective, its not just party hype music(nothing wrong with its just very common). You can tell his whole spirit goes into everything he touches. He has a rapper's heart and a prophet's soul.
The nuance of his lyrics really capture complex ideas so perfectly it’s hard to even describe
he is what you call authentic
Shit, his newest album made me uncomfortable to the point I had to stop listening.
I think calling someone a prophet is problematic. He's just self reflective and has observations, like anyone else. He's extremely artistic, don't get me wrong, but I feel like calling people prophets idolizes them unnecessarily. They don't know things we don't. Everything he knows, he studied, which means other people know about it as well, and there are even people who knows more than he does.
Well u should listen to more artist
"Hard to deal with the pain when you're sober
By tomorrow, we forget the remains, we start over
That's the problem" Kendrick Lamar
Song ?
@@iaracassama6547 the heart part 5
Sounds like all day BS!
Can you explain the meaning of it?
@@jamesheller9027 We deal with pain/trauma by trying to forget about it rather than dealing with the root of the problem. The next generation then has to deal with the same issues or worst you self destruct.
This man helped pull me out of the hood. Damn. was on repeat, start to finish, while my mind was changing about my potential. He was helping me realize I didn't have to be what my environment and upbringing said I had to be. I got out. A lot of us won't. I get survivors guilt still, from time to time, but I'm so thankful for Kendrick or anyone that's trying to change the minds of low income, traumatized, and institutionally neglected individuals. He's not just an artist, he's a preacher and motivational speaker.
this is such a beautiful comment. i hope that you are still doing well. 💜
I'm so glad you recognized your rope, and held on till you reached solid ground. Getting out is just the 1st part, I'm sending you light to keep thriving, keep building your spiritual maturity, to become a rope for someone else. There's nothing better than feeding the revolution❤
I remember trying to explain the complexity of to pimp a butterfly to my mother and father and they said I was thinking too deeply about it. Now they study it in college lectures and he won a pulitzer prize so I WAS RIGHT
No you weren’t. Your parents were right lol. Go get a life. Your parents want to be proud of you, not proud that you were right about another person smh. This is sad
@@cheeseballs9579the fact that you took time out of your day to try to tear this person down is disheartening. Please, seek healing because something within you is broken. I honestly say this with love ♥️
I am STILL dissecting and analyzing that album. Masterful work and he deserved all the accolades he received for it. I am glad that you are a true thinker and your mind is in a space to even appreciate it’s complexity ♥️
@@cheeseballs9579you literally don't know anything about him 😂😂😂
You're just a born hater huh ?
@@Mannydude96 Kendrick is the biggest hater? He said it himself? If you are the biggest hater, you deserve to be hated on, that’s how shit works.
Kendrick really wrote his albums like books of pure poetry
The reason I would say that his words can be bibled up. Since we are in controversial now
He always says that he's to small to change the system but he changed me
Me too
that’s what he means. he changed you, you’ll change someone else. the ripple effect he creates is beautiful
Same kendrick knows he is already on the one of the best and that's why he is changing to help other change.
and that’s what it is
How did he change you?
Kendrick didn’t give up on the culture, the culture gave up on the people
The culture IS giving up
The culture is trash lol too much street influence I don’t identify with it at all
@@LargeInCharge77 that's a lie
@@assassin8636no is not
@@LargeInCharge77The Culture is made up of the people who have the same belief in the longevity of their customs, that will be handed down to future generations. We are not Americans, and we must never allow ourselves to be swallowed up by Her.
We must maintain our sovereignty by any means necessary.
This is one of THE MOST COHERENT, chronological and PROFOUND INTERPRETATIONS of the Artistry of Kendrick Lamar that I have ever observed on RUclips. For me to witness such a concise commentary in REAL TIME establishing the historical framework of a BLACK ARTIST in such a scholarly, ERUDITE and INTELLECTUAL CONTEXT is literally enchanting. I really appreciate the AMOUNT OF RESEARCH you devoted to this meritorious presentation.
Calm down son, you don’t need to break out the encyclopedia to write a RUclips comment
@@themostdiabolicalhater5986 you 5 months late for this one my hater
I was gonna leave a comment, but screw it, I can't top that, so what he said above I second.
I second that too, better put than the original comment
You REALLY don't have to CAPITALIZE all of the BIG WORDS like THAT
To pimp a butterfly was an absolute and utter masterpiece. Also sing about me is the deepest and most interesting song i've ever heard in my entire life. The gun shots and the song goes silent for a few seconds you don't need words he tells the story perfectly. Also the part near the end were kendrick just keeps spitting and the melody even jeers away trying to end the song but he isn't done and just keeps spitting. Song gives me straight goosebumps every single time I hear it.
“I’ll never fade away, I’ll never fade a…….”
Then she faded away
I wish more people would and could understand the depth of sing about me. It has me riveted every time I listen to it. Even when i try to explain, as best as i can, the meaning of the nuances in the song it feels like im talking to a wall.
@@khirrah4073 I know exactly what you mean. When that happens to me I just tell somebody just listen to it I can't explain lol.
I think sing about me I’m dying of thirst is his best song ever.
samidot is up there as the best storytelling song ever made
"I'll be covering topics I don't fully understand but I hope i can interperet them honesty." Perfectly said. I appreciate you for knowing you're role in hip-hop/Black culture and not overstepping boundaries.
I get where you're coming from but there should be no such thing as overstepping imo. If a person of another race feels strongly about something that is aimed at improving another community then they should feel free. If they lack education on certain topics or have specific blindspots then we should try to educate them. However, this blanket "if you're not black then fuck your opinion" premise is assinine imo.
@@pairadeau But, this video isn't a dialogue. And even if it were no one Black person speaks for all. Ice Cube, for instance. Idk that man.
In the absence of his own perspective from the inside, and through experience, the statement is perfect. We care about his thoughts and appreciate the fact that he recognizes that his perspective can only go so far.
@@bluehalo8604 "No one black person speaks for all" is a tautology. It is always true. However, it leads to nowhere by itself. Mantras like this are dangerous because they don't fit into any beneficial logical framework in terms of producing overall desired outcomes. For example, if people told MLK that no one black person speaks for all I doubt there could have been much progress. Also, if people told the people sitting in at lunch counters that they should stop embarrassing the race then I'm not sure how far we would be today. Please understand the effect that the beliefs you hold (even correct beliefs in most other contexts) can have on the overall strategic picture. Let me be clear, I'm not trying to offend you at all or attack you. I don't even know you. This message is for all who resonate with it. There should not be an added layer of ego to have to engage with when partaking in dialogs as vital as these imo. Much love to you.
@@bluehalo8604 "His perspective can only go so far." Another tautology. These things don't build any kind of argument in the way you might be perceiving.
@@pairadeau maybe we don't won't someone on the outside looking in, trying to give there unwanted opinions on our culture. No one ask for it. just cause u listen to are music, doesn't give you the right to speak on are people. people that do this, don't know what the hell there talking about. Mind your damn business P.S Great video Quality Culture.
people dont talk about kendrick's use of discomfort. the way he makes listeners uncomfortable makes his message stick even more
One of my favorite lines from him is "One protest for you. Three-sixty-five for me"
Damn
Its true
Im sry Im not an American (or a native speaker), can you explain what three-sixty five means? Thx
@@user-oq9jw7hb2g he mean he is doing 365 protest, or 1 protest a day, everyday
@@user-oq9jw7hb2g 365 is the number of days in a year, which means for Kendrick and the Black Community the struggles unique to them are experienced daily compared to a person outside of that struggle who’s only scope is a protest day.
I really didn't get why people didn't immediately fall in love with "i" the single. It seems as if hiphop is associated with everything but wholesome happiness and love. That song was on repeat daily because of its message. It doesn't matter if you have the album for context or not. Self-love is important even in the face of judgement and scrutiny and self-doubts and so on.
Because some people wanna be stuck in everything but happiness and love. It's hard to move on when everyone wants to pull you back down. Self-love is the key, but many don't want to use it.
The album version is so much better sonically its ridiculous
it threw people off because after GKMC and the Control verse, nobody expected a song like that.
The i single is amazing and fell in love with it when i heard it 2014 in 6th grade and i still listen to the song to this day because of self love,depression and the struggle of it,and the use of weed to mask the pain and woes of depression.
@@punszu I second this
Kendrick Lamar has always been an artists who makes conceptual albums that grows on you and the one he dropped this year is no different
His clever and on point wordplay makes you reflect on your personal traumas and vices, Father Time will haunt me forever and I'm glad that he finds the strength to make such singles
All his albums definitely get better with time
True indeed and just maybe you might like some of the albums on the link below as well. Thanks for your time. Live long and prosper.
ruclips.net/channel/UCj_7o5vq72mkeyGIl5kviRA
Kendrick doesn’t have wordplay like that but he has good story telling
@@jfraz1992he definitely does😂
@@PurpleG07 no he doesn’t, he’s mainly a story teller
The way I see it, Kendrick Lamar is the modern Bob Dylan. Both are amazing songwriters, both have been widely acclaimed for their talent in music, and, most importantly, both were voices of a generation. Bob Dylan was the father of the hippie movement, preaching peace, love, and equality in his songs. Kendrick did the same. He constantly talked about the divide between the rich and the poor, the divide between races, and the need for love. Hell, i wouldn't even call either of them singers or rappers, they were poets!
K.Dot dropped important messages through his music but society just ignores it or acts like none of it is true. People don't understand how hard it is to escape black trauma
Kendrick understands that we have to be our own heroes if we ever hope to change the world instead of treating celebrities as Gods/Goddesses when they're flawed like everyone else
Exactly the world changes when each individual learns to heal from within !
It's not that "society ignores it"... it's that a "society" of adults knows that a good portion of it is self imposed... in the last 50 years... 100% of it is self imposed.
When you have to say "important messages" instead of laying out what you got from it and what you think he meant. Then you don't understand you just want to be on the side that says they do
“Who need a hero? You need a hero, look in the mirror, there go your hero.”
Kendrick's message even though it obviously comes from the prism of black experience and history in the US, I dare to say it can apply to anyone who possesses human emotions
As a trans person, I can say Auntie Diaries hit me hard. Instead of feeling uncomfortable or hurt by the words in the song, I came to recognize an image of the feelings of my conservative Mexican family, and of my nieces and nephews, over the news of my transition; and I even got feelings about myself while transitioning: It was difficult for me to come to terms with my own identity. The song has great value, at least for me, because of how honest it is with the process and the feelings Kendrick went through. Kendrick is a great writer and we should listen to him more as a literary voice than as someone who is literal in all of his music.
i totally agree, and my family isn’t even that conservative, they just grew up in the 80s. i’m trans, too, and even tho i’ve come out to my parents, i told them not to use different pronouns cuz i know from introducing them to my trans friends they get weird about it. like they love me, but they’re from another generation. one of these days i’m gonna need them to use my preferred pronouns, but auntie’s diaries reminded me why i haven’t made them yet
Man white culture has so much hate that it's shed to the Mexicans and blacks. You know that Polynesians have a gender called "mahu" who were stereotypically assigned as caregivers and healers with both male and female ties. Look up mahu in Hawaii there's even a cartoon explaining the origins.
@@morganburt2565 bruh im sorry to sh1t on your dreams but if people cant do something as simple as using the correct pronoun it means they dont accept nor recognise you, even if theyve been calling you x or y their whole lives. Get away from people who cant see you as you are, only as they want to see you, for these bastards will continue to make it harder for you to see and be yourself
the meat riding is crazyyyyyyyyyy
Nah
I admire Kendrick's lyricism and I also admire how he mentioned Mac Miller on control. They're both my top favorite rappers. Aslo how Mac mentioned on faces, "if I'm not on your top ten then you're a racist" 😂🤣
I’m an old school hip-hop head. I got into hip-hop 30 years ago as I was becoming a teenager. And like a lot of people my age I can’t say that I love the new generation of artists but I am a big fan of Kendrick Lamar, I know he’s been out for over a decade now but he is still a representative of this generation and Kendrick was the one that kind of opened me up to new artist so long with Kendrick there’s Joyner Lucas, The Horseshoe Gang, DW Flame, Westside Boogie, G Perico …. All artists from this generation that I have grown to respect a lot. But I do think Kendrick is the best of his generation. I’m not talking about the best lyricist or the guy with the most plaques or anything like that I think he’s just overall all-around the best when it comes to making music I want to hear and actually talks about something other than the club and Gang culture. That said I think you did a very good video on Kendrick and that’s really how I felt after listening to his new album. And honestly I don’t blame Kendrick. We live in a world today were people focus more on the things they hate than the things they love, most people without realizing it go through their day and nitpick the people around them and every mistake they make and find it has something to focus in about. In that world it is damn near impossible to try to be the person that people wanted Kendrick to be. None of us are perfect and that includes Kendrick and trying to maintain that and be someone that never makes a mistake it’s just unrealistic. End it would surely drive him crazy trying to be that especially in hip-hop today where I really feel like more people look for things to bitch about then they do things to celebrate. I’ve noticed that hip-hop is the one genre of music that doesn’t respect it’s legends or history, you have artists today that know nothing about the culture before what they experienced themselves. Kendrick has been out for over a decade now and there are teenagers that weren’t listening to hip-hop when he first got on the scene and don’t really care what he has to say.
I remember the week the new album came out and there were people online that couldn’t wait to tell everyone that his album didn’t do good numbers compared to his last album. Like they were happy that Kendrick Lamar might be taking an L. I’m not saying everyone has to like any album at all but what is Kendrick ever done to anyone to deserve a response like that? Everything he tried to do for the culture and at the end of the day there are people still just hoping he fails for the sake of him failing because it makes them feel better about themselves. No that’s not a culture I would want to go out of my way to be the savior for either. America as a country has turned into a country no matter who you are or what group you represent that instead of bettering yourself would rather point the finger and blaming other group on why their life is the way it is. You can’t change the world you can’t do anything about the people in the world that don’t like you. Look what happened on January 6. There was a lot of people that got mad about an election and they tried to do something about it and what did you get them? It does no good to sit here and point the finger and blame other people because at the end of the day whatever happens happens. Just try your best for you and yours, understand that we are all human and that you’re going to make mistakes, learn from those mistakes so you don’t make them again and try to look at things positively because dwelling on the negative sure as hell ain’t going to fix anything. I really respect Kendrick’s message of just trying to better yourself instead of trying to save a world that doesn’t give a fuck. At the end of the day you and yours are all is that really matters. Worrying about people that want to sit there and bitch and cry about every little thing isn’t going to be a winnable fight. It’s America in 2022 people want to be miserable they want to complain and the last thing they want is the responsibility of making their own life better so why even try.
You summarized the current state of hip hop and ppls mindset perfectly, We live in a fucked up times. People don’t even have enough attention spam to breakdown lyrics or anything that has depth to it. If it’s not a dance song or bullshit that glorifies bullshit people don’t pay attention to it.
Best comment I seen in this video.
I could not even begin you summarized the problem and struggles of modern day America, for me I have been committing the sin of hate not towards the government, but the people I can’t stand it after facing a long brutal year of mental struggle, and having my eyes opened about the issues of America. The people are the problem, and I grew to hate the society that’s full of hypocrisy, but I can be better than that I am still struggling to heal and sacrificed a very important part of my life losing a lot of connections and experience’s. I want to spread a message be an influence, but who will take a teenage boy seriously he doesn’t know any better.
i aint readin allat 😹
I'm an old school hiphop fan and I think he mostly theatrics and style. It's artistic but not for me.
An extremely unpopular opinion but one I’m willing to die on: “These Walls” is massively underrated and it should go down as one of if not Kendrick’s best track. And the third verse in that song should go down as one of the greatest verses of all time
@Tack Draas fr? Everyone I’ve talked to says the tracks overhyped. Maybe I’ve just got some wack friends lol. Respect tho I love that track
@@DonnieDaise i thought kendricks fav off tpab was for sale?
@@naqmcord nah it was for free? not for sale?
Whenever someone asks for Kendrick song recommendations that's my first pick. It will always be my first pick. I'm willing to die on the hill that "these walls" is his best song. He had employed every single element of his craft that makes him unique. I'm so excited to be able to listen to his music live!!
@@anais937 🔥🔥 100% agree
I literally cried while listening to Keisha's song.
ADHD was an anthem for a summer for me.
Hiii Power taught me compassion and awareness.
Thank you for this video. Love from the BX.
His ability to tell a story that stays with you for life is his talent.
Rosa parks doesn’t matter while she topping off police
cried?
I’ve been a fan of Kendrick, but when I listened to Savior, Auntie Diaries, and Mother I Sober from Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, I got chills. He touched on so many issues with his lyrics. In my opinion, the man is a lyrical genius. This was a good analysis of Kendrick’s discography.
While listening to this masterpiece album i kept thinking about andre Benjamin's line on Hey Ya..... "yall don't wanna here me, you just wanna dance"
Kendrick wasn't ignoring the protests, he was at the protests
Dot saved the culture by saving himself first.
This video immediately gave me goosebumps, dude.
What an evolution…Especially because we are the same age.. all his work deeply resonates with me, especially this last album where dealing with all trauma, expectations and failures is the only way to get better.
Even though every Kendrick Lamar album is my Favorite Kendrick Lamar's album, I can't but to feel emotionally attached to Mr Morale.
Seems to me that emotionally and psychologically african american communities and latin american communities have issues alike and have been struck in ways alike.
Father time and Mother I Sober speak directly me addressing what should be done in life... but it's tough
So... for me it is an irony that, in accepting who he really is and rejecting the Messiah title, he is becoming an actual Messiah.
Alchemy
As a trans person ,who had come out to myself in the intervening time between Damn and Mr Morale and was a massive Kendrick fan, Auntie Diaries had me ugly sobbing and completely overwhelmed by the love and acceptance he shows.
Fully weeping my eyes out, calling my partner to have someone to talk it through with. It was amazing.
No one asked.
"Brain problems" detected. Opinion disregarded.
@@TheDilden Tell me you don't actually know anything about psychology or neuroscience without saying you don't know anything about psychology or neuroscience.
@@BH-wh2vo science has nothing to do with this societal psychosis
@@BH-wh2vo also, replying with a meme template goes to show how empty minded you are.
@@TheDilden google is free my man, find out what brain sex is and learn to be more exepting.
Only a casual hip hop fan but this is one the best video essays I’ve ever seen, your work is top tier.
I've never clicked so fast on a video. Such an underrated channel. These videos never miss.
For every fan of K.Dot should send this to everyone who ever doubted him and/or never listened to his music. This shit was dope
I actually had the that feeling too that Mr Morale is the final chapter... Even if he don't release no more, ever, what he left us is timeless
I’m a 01 baby and even when I was 14 Kendrick was always the artist who’s music spoke to my soul just instantly. It wasn’t until I turned 19 and listened to his music with a wider intellect that I grew to understand & appreciate his music. I can’t help but to love the very truthful but not straight at you, way he depicts the REAL no one acknowledges & shares his experiences and realizations.
I definitely did a college essay on Kendrick Lamar in a Musical Cultural class. Kendrick really saying more than just music, he's giving a lesson. He's a tenured Professor to the rap game in my eyes.
As I got older, my relationship to Kendricks music has become complex. His acknowledgement of systemic issues and antiblack institutions still sits decently well with me, however the emphasis on "the culture, the culture, the culture" is what gives me pause. The underlying messages about Black culture never seemed to stray too far from Moynihan or even Reagan. In the 70s racism shifted from conversations about biological inferiority to ones about cultural inferiority falling write in line with notions of individual choice. As if it is cultural practices that produce violence and not the violence of poverty and systemic abandonment that shape the "cultural" practices. Kendricks issue has always been to me that he expected to be a savior at all but especially by addressing the culture. As if his music would somehow save people from the violence they experience daily. That alcoholism and drug addiction are spurred from "glorification" and not the isolation, desperation, and depression of poverty. That all thats needed to end teen pregnancy is a stern talking to. His statements on Mike brown that amounted to "instead of organizing black people need to respect ourselves". In this way he was not new. What Lauryn hill said on doo wop that thing accomplished the same thing and that song is without a doubt in my mind antiblack. These are the politics of 90s sitcoms. These are rather black conservative leaning ideas. Yes systemic oppression exists but don't "let" that keep us down as if that's a individual choice or a cultural choice. The DAMN era really began to offset me because of his adoption of asian aesthetics. Feeling scorned by black culture he shedded it as a sign of mastery. Falling into the same flawed notions of wu tang clan. The idea that Asian groups have better cultural practices that produce success. That black people need to practice the smart calculated violence of kung Fu instead our impulsive, chaotic violence. His commentary on the culture seemed very heavily influenced on what he thought he should be saying. What previous rappers and black musicians had said as if a lot of their politics didn't reflect the hyper conservative views of America generally but especially during the 80s and 90s. Him thinking he was gods gift to us and being upset for getting paid dust made me want to ask him who is you? Both as in "who do you think you are?" and "who are you really, what do you really have to say?" This isn't to discount him though. I think very profound things can be found in the stories he tells and I still enjoy his music and find myself resonated in new ways with albums that came out a decade ago. My issue is that his savior complex not only felt inauthentic but inadvertently lead him astray from himself. But I think he has found himself again. And there can be good criticism of culture made. I think father time is a good critique of patriarchy and hegemonic masculinity. There are things that individual action can do. You can find collectivity and universality in an individuals story which is why I think he's at his best when he tells his stories.
I really think that mr morale and the big steppas is really one of the most important albums in Kendrick discography with him realizing his savior complex and how vulnerable we are such in songs like mother I sober and mr morale. And how he was able to point his own misdoings and negatives such as Auntie Dairies. I think Kendrick has taught us a valuable lesson of how fame can cause people to generate a god complex
@@mizukage_josh9125 I agree 100%. I really loved that he took this album to be like actually I need some time for myself. And it seems like a reclamation of self because as fans and the general public we also helped push this on him. Looking to him as the voice of a generation is a lot of pressure. He rose to the throne of hip hop for the last decade but a king is still only a man.
You wrote a lot so forgive me if I've misconstrued some of your talking points, but whether you like it or not, any community of people can be critiqued and should be critiqued thoroughly. That goes for the white community, LGBT community(s), Asian communities, black community etc. Kendrick recognizes these flaws that we as black people have without disregarding the systemic oppression that has influenced most of these flaws. At the end of the day, sure that systemic oppression is still there, but the overlooked effects of it are still actively being perpetuated by black folk, like black people perpetuating white supremacy. There's nothing wrong with pointing these flaws out, they exist, because culture is built by humans and humans are flawed. It might sound cliche, but one of best ways for blacks to try and affect change for ourselves is by first working on and changing ourselves. Also u speak on conservatism, but that tirade about Kendrick and Wu Tang adopting an Asian aesthetic to reject black culture sounds conservative in itself and severely ill informed. Kendrick adopted the moniker Ku-Fung Kenny, but that didn't amount to much, and for the longest black folk have always enjoyed items from asian cultures. Wu Tang watched kung Fu flicks jus like every other black person at that time and chose to implement their love of those movies into their music, constructing a unique identity and a dope sound. I don't know why u would be against the melding of two cultures when that often times creates sumthn beautiful like fusion food or fusion music, and shit at the end of the day, we're all jus humans.
@@wolfsbane7559 First and foremost. I will not be explaining again how the idea of black people needing to work on ourselves without any fundamental and radical changes to our material condition is not only conservative rhetoric, it is also silly. POVERTY CREATES THE SYMPTOMS Kendrick often calls himself "critiquing". I can applaud his critiques of upholding patriarchy and hegemonic masculinity and capitalism but as for discussions of "black on black crime" and addiction and drug trade and police brutality there is no amount of "self respect" that will liberate us. We can not respect ourselves out of poverty and systemic violence. That is scientifically not up for discussion. Basic sociology. A better way to affect change instead of "working on ourselves" (as if this is just some resume building or mid-life crisis) is to disrupt and make it impossible for people to just go on benefiting in peace from our exploitation. Kendrick literally said not to protest and instead focus on respecting ourselves to convince others to respect us. PUSHING RESPECTABILITY POLITICS DECADES AFTER WE SAW HOW QUICK THEY FALL APART. And talk about perpetuating white supremacy, in the humble music videos he says "show me something natural like afro on Richard Pryor" yet shows a fairer skinned woman with a loose hair texture and no afro. He literally contradicted himself in his own art let alone his own bed and perpetuated a eurocentric beauty standard. Lastly the use of asian aesthetics is not simply because they're beautiful. During the damn era his music videos showed black people (men especially) fighting in mobs and then by the end they corrected into disciplined martial arts practices. This is the same imagery from Wu Tang videos. The message here is that black people are uncouth, impulsive, and irrationally violent and that all would be well if we were more like the model minorities and practiced a disciplined, calculated, smart violence. This is quite literally an idea from the reconstruction era antiblackness. It isn't new or creative or woke or thoughtful. It was literally used to leave our ancestors out to die. It wasn't like he was even prominently using Asian music or sharing the spotlight and prominently featuring Asian people in his work as their own autonomous beings with agency. He put black people in Asian aesthetics and framed it as our liberation from ourselves. Not only is that antiblack af but it's also orientalist and frames asia as this mystical eastern land of spiritual awakening and enlightenment for westerners to benefit from. If you can't see that you aren't looking hard enough. I'm not ill informed its right there in the Damn era from Element to his Grammy performance.
I always interpreted his Asian aesthetics co-opt as a lighthearted commentary/observation on globalization and culture and what kind of appropriation/crossover is deemed acceptable. It diverges from the Eurocentric or US centric hegemony, so it is kind of subversive and a clever commentary on the distinction between American culture and Black American culture. But still I saw it much more as a nod to movies and entertainment which impacted him in his life. and regardless, it could be more of a matter of taste than politics.
To Pimp A Butterfly is a top 3 album of all time. It's one of the most important albums to hip hop.
This breakdown got me surprisingly emotional
I think at this point Kendrick isn’t one of the best of the 2010s
He’s one of the best ever and is pretty much the goat at this point
He is the goat nobody was or is better than kdot ( love nas tho )
Bro!!! Some real quality culture right here. Kendricks been one of my top two favourite artists & "rapper" of all time, especially coming 'round to Mr Morale. I take that album very intimately, even in regards to my life right now. I think his music is a lot of the time taken out of context because it for sure is music to be enjoyed still, but with true honesty and reflection, I've been able to see how he speaks for and of me, not relating and ignoring to the happenings around me and my immediate community, the way we often overlook and disregard so much that builds us and in us as we grow. I hope we can all find something in his music that guides us better. Studying the bible, you get a sense of who and what Jesus stood for and preached, but we easily get clouded with pleading his blood and asking for forgiveness without actually following what he's teaching us. Even the prayer at Gethsemane makes me still wonder why but through the apostles and many others, you also see how to live and emulate the teachings and become a better human and not just a christian. I'm some can get a sense of that through your video. Big shoutout!
"Cause that's our job, is to spark somebody else watching us." I never knew that much about Tupac but this really made me respect him
Tupac is the GOAT. I hope in time you get to experience and understand more of why people say that’s the case.
@@ImDaChozenWun ... His "music" doesn't hold up as well as his manufactured rival from NY ;-)
He is not a voice of the generation, he is the voice of a frequency.
I feel that Kendrick suffers from nihlism as a person that suffers from it i know sometimes the world feels pointless but as long as you live you begin seeing that maybe we should love ourselves alot before we do anything as a person that is African i see that most of the things Kendrick talks through his albums aren't only relevant in the states but is very relevant in Africa violance is very rampant corruption is a normal thing etc but anyhows i love this video i hope you talked about Mirror as it's deep and gut renching i love that song alot as i relate to it alot as I at somepoints choose people over me and i don't get anything in return
Real Shit💯💯
Nihlism isn't something you have to "suffer" from. If nothing matters than you can choose what matters to you and enjoy living your life to the fullest without worry about what comes next. ruclips.net/video/MBRqu0YOH14/видео.html
Promoting the message of loving ourselves in a pointless world is a stoic idea not a nihilistic one.
@@oludara5627 i can see what you are saying you do have a point tho
I never knew much of the backstory on any of this stuff, but from the very first track I every heard of Kendrick's I could feel the power and depth of the song and the lyrics. After learning some of the history from this video, my respect for this Kendrick and his crew is just through the roof. It's great to see great people get the recognition they deserve.
kendrick is amazing, such a cemented blessing to our culture. he taught me to believe in myself no matter the circumstances.
Wow, great analysis bro, love your breakdown. Kendrick is truly 'the special one'.
Love from South Africa ✊🏾
Kendrick is a kindred soul. This man has literally written his life mistakes and the man he's grown to be. I love his music.👍👍❤️❤️
MMATBS literally saved my life I was strung out on dope and was suicidal that album resonated with my soul so much..
This was a lovely exploration, exactingly and lovingly carved out. Thanks for deepening my experience and appreciation of Kendrick's work
Whoa I already felt myself falling in love with his songwriting and career before but after watching this I needa dissect his entire catalog for myself
Thank you for putting together such a deeply thoughtful and well researched video. You clearly respect the culture and considered us and our history and experiences in your thoughts. That is a lot more than I can say for some other recent critiques of Kendrick’s work that I’ve watched. This was well worth the time to watch.
This is my first time ever watching your content and you earned my subscription within the 1st 60 seconds. Maaaaaad respect for being transparent enough to explain that this album contains subject matter that not everyone can relate to for obvious reasons. Way too often are videos like this made from people outside the culture who don’t fully understand certain aspects and this give inaccurate reviews. I’m typing this at 57 seconds, and I got faith the rest of this video will be consistent with that. Respect homie ✊🏾✊🏽✊🏻✊🏼✊🏿
Incredibly well put-together analysis. You captured and explained Kendrick's creative journey thoroughly while being honest about where your perspective wouldn't quite hold up. Watching this gave me a deeper appreciation for Kendrick (one of my favorite artists and someone I look up to). Great work!
Well done! Thank you for making the time to create and share this Video Essay with us!!!
I was going to watch 5 min and come back later. I finished the whole video. Very well done it is very easy to tell real time and effort was put into this, I think you hit a lot of marks on the head with this one, and I think Kendrick himself would love this video. Excellent work!
"I'm real and "Keshia pain" CHANGED MY LIFE. I was already reflecting on hiw I was carrying myself and how I really felt about my self thus far. But these songs help me look at the bigger picture. This is why I will look to lol girls and tell them beautiful, stop myself form self destruction behavior and just cry. ❤
You did a great job on this video. Kendrick ish favorite artist and you've displayed his gift and complexity perfectly ❤️ Earned a subbie! Keep it up!
I wish this video had more views tbh. More people need to see this! Such a great video that really digs deep and addresses who Kendrick really is, and his role in our world and in Hip-Hop.
Some of us were ready to dive deep into the intricacies of TPAB when it came out. As a white, female, high schooler at the time, I looked up every reference I could understand (and then used lyric genius for any I missed) because it was CLEAR there were messages Kendrick wanted heard in the music. As a listener, I felt obligated to understand his message. Im sure there’s plenty of messages I’ve missed even to this day, but that album is one of my favourites of all time because of how it wove a story
Great breakdown definitely opened my eyes to some stuff I missed in his work 👏🏾👏🏾
The journey to awakening becomes lonelier, but you never feel lonely, you only begin to realize more with empathy.
This analysis was exceptional.
The track Savior off the new Album makes so much more sense after watching this. Great analysis👏🏿
this is so much to break down dear god. ive appreciated kendricks music since i learned about him when he dropped tpab, but now it feels like my third eye has opened. it all makes sense i was just too dumb to realize it. ive had goosebumps the whole time watching
kendrick lamar and everyone involved with his projects are some of the best artists of our time period
LISTEN, THIS PIECE IS VERY MUCH NEEDED AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN! PLEASE DON'T LET NEGATIVITY BLOCK YOU CREATIVITY! MUCH LOVE! ✊🏼
🗣️ AYE! I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS VIDEO TOGETHER!! 33 MINS PLUS, ALL THE EDITING AND TIME PUT INTO THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK! I'M JUST NOW WATCHING SNOOP SHOUT-OUT K DOT ON STAGE. AS I'M TYPING THIS. THANK YOU AGAIN!
I agree with Kendrick on basically everything I'm an atheist but I understand he is trying to project positivity and to understand his station in life! I wish people would just let him grow!
Learn from him, as opposed to analyzing him (Or attempting to create a civil rights figurehead/prophet out of him) on the spot about a particular situation or issue. He's learning along with all of us... He has beautiful takes on a myriad of issues.
Yet,
wise enough to know to sit on them.
He understands how human beings can be....& how cruel they can be. & the pain we cause one another. He doesn't allow emotion to get in the way... clearly those that helped raise him. Have taught him patience & understanding.
He's an amazing individual,
the artist part... is just the icing on the cake. I wish that people/ journalists random interviewers would stop asking his take on something. If you want his take,
let him understand/comprehend it on his own terms at his own pace. Let him take it all in. Kendrick will no doubt have a pretty good understanding,
or at least a positive way to deal with it. Just give him his time. Maybe he won't.....& that's okay he's not perfect! But he is LOVE!
We're lucky to have him, & as the old adage goes:
"You don't know what you've got, until it's gone".
JMO
Great video and essay! Very well thought out. It brims with a love and passion for music and the culture. Much appreciated it
Great video. Kendrick is one of my all time favorite artists, and I hate most don't listen with the intent of understanding his vision of the album, they listen with the intent of if it is a "bop" or something catchy.
I just saw him at rolling loud it was truly fucking remarkable. He’s an absolute icon.
I was there too! He really made up for the rough start to the festival haha
This is a Polyphonic level, great, informative, and inspiring video. Good stuff fam.
Lamar IS A leader
Thank you so much for this! This was really a great watch and unpacked so much of the themes and context I associate with Kendrick's music and overall importance for the culture. He definitely is one of the great minds of our time and will be remembered by generations to come.
Learning more and more about Kendrick man, Kendrick and Tupac has such great influence and helped so many lives ❤️
TPAB is one of the best albums, period. Every single aspect of it, the story, the history, the production, the mixing- it's one of those albums that are bigger than music and it's pure art. Idk that's what I think lol
Bigger than music bigger than art bigger than rap almost bigger thab life in some aspects
Best album all time
For an individual that prefaced about not totally understanding the topics on hand totally, you did pretty spot on my guy. Great job! Great vid! Great deconstruction for somethings some may have missed!
Dude’s a genius and will possibly never not be among the best imo
amazing video! i've been a diehard kendrick fan for a decade but this video really helped me understand him and his development over his discography. great work!!!!!
Much appreciated! Glad you enjoyed it
this comment might get long, but man. this video was awesome. it’s always amazing to not only revisit one’s discography through videos like this, but hearing someone else share their own analysis and see where our thoughts align or where i may have missed certain details.
you have a way with words, and i commend your challenging yet truthful approach. i already see certain folk get up in arms about how they don’t understand why you put the disclaimer of since you aren’t black you will try hard not to overstep, but i’ll say this: just you saying that shows your heart is in the right place; it’s people like yourself who helps reach others and continue to perpetuate these ideas that kendrick (and pac) have spoken of. like the portion of the video that talks about how people misinterpreted kendrick’s words… it’s people like you that help spell things out for those who need to listen. that is something i will forever be thankful for. much more impactful than inviting somebody to a virtual cookout for rapping a rap verse 😂
Know one care what you think you are a white man with your own culture so stay out of our business
I found Kendrick as a young, bright-eyed college student who was just starting to open her eyes to the societal issues that plagued the community I was raised in. I could no longer look down on the kids I grew up with that I didn't have the privilege I had growing up in a two-parent household, sheltered from the crack cocaine epidemic and the gang wars. What seemed black and white in the beginning became a bit more complex the more I listened. GKMC literally got me through my last two (and toughest) years of college.
Wow this was such an amazing piece of work, definitely felt like this would’ve been an A+ paper if this was truly an essay done for a class.
I remember back in 2011 when I first heard Kendrick’s music, it only took two songs for me to know he was going to be substantial to so much more than just hip hop. I remember preaching damn near to my friends, when putting them onto “Hiiipower” that he was going to be the next Tupac, or at least this generation’s. They were like “ok bro, chill..” but I was instantly moved and was passionate with the vision I saw for him and the type of impact he was going to make with his music.
awesome video dude, kept me paying attention the whole time!
You change the world one person at a time Kendrick changes people on individual level.
What an awesome and in depth view on the journey of what Kendrick Lamar legacy have yet become. Great job!!!
Wow, so much thought and love went into this. Keep up the good work. Amazing!
KDot is definitely the new generational Pac. They both have voices that ppl want to hear. Even listening to Pac now I still remember the 1st time I saw Brenda's got a baby. I was like 11. Kdot Gives me the same feeling when I hear Kesha's song or Sing about me. I heard this was KDot's last album. If so, he deserves to rest and live his life.
I loved Mr. Morale quite a lot more than Damn. It just felt vulnerable and honest, not that Damn was dishonest, but I felt like it was more trapped in the conventions of the genre while Mr. Morale went more into the wackiness of TPAB.
Great video dude. Subscribed.
I love mr morals more than damn but at the same time , depends 😂😂😂I love alll his album even black panther 😂😂
This is so well done. Thanks for bringing so many nuances forward and for knowing when to bring other experts in. So much wisdom in your analysis. The man is a genius and “the culture” needs his voice if it’s ever to change.
This video was incredibly well made. Good job man
Bravo man!!! Bravo!! That was incredibly well done. So elite. You’re gonna be somebody huge one day brother. Keep going
I really appreciated this video, and can hear your respect and appreciation for the music, the story, the culture, you articulated everything very well, and reminded of a lot of perspectives I've stubbornly forgot about. Thanks.
I was going thru some deep shit when I started really really listening to kendrick and everything he said resonated with me in a way that I will never be able to describe, feels like the album was written for you specifically; incredible artist.
Ayyy! I'm glad you shouted out Dissect! I've learned so much from that podcast!
This was soo good, and made me reflect on so much shit I cried ngl
Thank you for this video
I fear most people will never possess the ability to comprehend the messages in this or any other great art, including myself. I fear we can never be saved
its crazy how many times I've listened to TPAB and listening to someone analyze it I always learn new things