Kendrick Lamar and 300

Today I have music for you by one of the greatest rappers of all time. Kendrick Lamar is one of the most charismatic, witty, controversial, and real artists out there. What makes Kendrick Lamar one of the greatest is that he is not afraid of saying what he believes and what he sees to be true. One of the better known areas of focus is his perspective on racism in America. I don't know any other rapper or musician in general who takes on an issue as great as that. I mean his rhymes are so intense and full of content, with no thought to censorship or sugar coating. I won't lie, sometimes it seems like a little much, in more extreme songs, but in general, I am so damn glad that he raps like this. We don't have artists like this anymore. We don't have those artists who talk about what is really happening. I mean sometimes I cannot believe the things Kendrick Lamar raps about, but the thing is, he is so real and only describes that which he has seen or experienced. This is a guy who purposefully picks a fight with the problems of society because he wants to bring attention to the things that ail society. And the he does all of this with so much style and swagger. Not that nonsense term "swag", but true swagger. I mean his songs all drip with this incredible swagger, and they all have a little sense of danger and anticipation. But all in all, there is bad assery written all over his music. Aside from Kendrick Lamar's lyrics, he also has sick beats in the background. And what makes it awesome is that he doesn't emphasize the music in the background at all. In this song, and a lot of others, there is a simple and repeated instrumental beat. In this case, it is the same four beats throughout the entire song. And those four beats are pretty damn awesome. It is this dark and heavy kind of sound, one that is almost menacing. While this does add some suspense and anticipation to the song, the simplicity is there because Kendrick Lamar wants us to focus on the words. He wants us to focus on what he trying to tell us, and he wants us to really listen. The combination of dark lyrics, intense beats, and his rapping skills in general, Kendrick Lamar is a force to be reckoned with. He is one of the most underground mainstream artists out there because of his subject matter. However, by being a name everyone knows and keeping more to the hidden corners of the rap world, Kendrick Lamar has been able to give us some real lyrics, holding nothing back. And I sincerely love that about his music. For those of you who don't really listen to Kendrick Lamar, I really hope you start because this is a man who will change your view on the rap world. Today's instrumental song is from the movie 300. This is a movie that was full of a lot of action, but also did have a great storyline. A lot of people like to discredit the story behind characters, but as an Ancient Greek nut myself, I totally appreciated this. It was really well done, and the action left me at the edge of my seat. But the score was so masterfully done. This is a score that has the deep electric guitars and tribal drumbeats to give the score that darker edginess, but also makes sure that the song has some culturally sounding melodies as well. It is a great marriage between the Greek world and war. Intense but still epically beautiful. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!