Micca

Political music - RATM, Public Enemy, Idles, Allflaws

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On 01/03/2024 at 10:44 AM, Yimpa said:

 

Great album. Like this one too. Was about the governments lack of aid and care during the storms and floods in the US. 

 

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Posted (edited)

kendrick here masterfully analyzes the systemic vortex of crime and violence within black culture.

he deconstructs the narratives of successful black people who are looked up to as role models, yet only perpetuate and reinforce the preconditions of their demise. this theme is visually reinforced by him morphing into controversial black celebrities like o.j. simpson, kanye west, and will smith, and is constantly underscored by the marvin gaye sample that forms the musical backdrop of the lyrics. gaye, a hugely successful black musician and prominent social justice activist, was famously shot by his own father over a trivial personal dispute. this "cultural" perpetuation of violence and pain is also viscerally felt in the beating drum loops that relentlessly run throughout the track, culminating and resolving in kendrick speaking from the perspective of the late nipsey hussle, the ultimate tragic hero of black culture, who suffered a similar fate to marvin gaye. kendrick feels indebted to carrying on his legacy, hinting at the perhaps inevitable martyrdom that comes with being a true black leader.

kendrick, in some sense, blames black culture itself for its own shortcomings, presenting a harsh realpolitik reflection on the once-promising civil rights movement of the mid-20th century. while the movement achieved surface-level successes in changing policies and ending segregation, it has, in some sense, failed to change the fate of african americans in a meaningful way.

Edited by Nilsi

“We are most nearly ourselves when we achieve the seriousness of the child at play.” - Heraclitus

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