Kendrick Lamar and Empire

Today I have music for you off Kendrick Lamar's latest album, To Pimp A Butterfly. Now, one of things that makes Kendrick Lamar one of my favorite rappers of all time, is the fact that he has some of the greatest lyrics I have ever heard. They are clever, witty, powerful, and moving. Each song seems to have a story to tell, whether we understand what that story is or not. This is his most controversial and possibly one of the most controversial songs I have heard, and I absolutely love it. Kendrick Lamar is a rapper who doesn't really care about what the media and press are going to say or criticize him for. He speaks his mind and lets us know what his opinions are through his rhymes. This song in particular is a racially-charged song. And considering a lot of the news we hear, I think he is greatly justified in writing this. Kendrick Lamar tries to tackle hatred, racism, and hypocrisy all at once with this song. I mean, the first few lines talk about him being a hypocrite! This is Kendrick Lamar's greatest song to date. This is also the song where he lets everything go. Normally, Kendrick Lamar has a cool and suave veneer to him. But with this song, we get to hear and feel the rage he feels about many different topics. Every verse starts with the same phrase, trying to get us to understand why he feels society is hypocritical. He does bring up the Trayvon Martin case, but uses it in a way that proves a couple of points. One of those points being what we see on the surface-a classic case of racism. Kendrick Lamar blatantly points out the racism people face day to day and how that racism leads to fatal consequences. Now the other point that Kendrick Lamar brings up is different and honestly a bit shocking when you first think about it. This underlying message is regarding the deaths of many others. Kendrick Lamar points out that people should be upset about racism in society, but he finds the hypocrisy in that. He questions how African Americans can mourn the death of Trayvon Martin without a thought to the lives of other African Americans that were taken away, whether they be upstanding citizens or gang members. Throughout the song we hear the pride Kendrick Lamar feels about being African American. He states it, implies it, and uses the lyrics to celebrate his heritage. But while he celebrates the good, he also uncovers the darker parts that are swept under the rug. When Kendrick Lamar raps this song, each performance is full of passion and emotion and anger. He gets you riled up and the injustices we see in society based on racism and hypocrisy. You feel the anger that he feels toward himself, for being a so-called hypocrite. The beat of this song is kept simple enough to provide a rhythm to work with, but the music does not take over the rap space. Obviously, the objective is to get us to really pay attention to what Kendrick Lamar is trying to tell us. I think this is one of the most brilliant and exquisite songs I have ever heard. This is a song that is here to make a difference, and I sure hope it does. Today's instrumental song is from the television show Empire. While I have yet to watch the show, it has seen some incredible reviews. This is a show that seems like it would get you addicted. I do know for a fact that there is mystery, drama, intrigue, and power hungry people which is always a good combination for an amazing television show. This song does have a standard kind of R&B and rap sound to it with embellishments to create a more dynamic sound. The keyboard adds this weird eeriness to the song, but it isn't a turnoff. I think it enhances what the song is supposed to represent. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!