In the American music industry, record companies stuff the pockets of the lowest common denominator. Celebrity singers drop their integrity at the door as they enter the studio, recording tracks that discourage free, radical thought. In this empty-headed industry, few successful artists have a meaningful message to deliver unto their audience, with one exception—Kendrick Lamar, a young, conscious rapper from Compton, California. In his album, To Pimp a Butterfly, Lamar poignantly delivers a controversial message that most African American hip-hop fans would initially reject. To do so, he deliberately frames all eighteen tracks of the album in such a way that builds his own credibility as a leader on top of a powerful emotional connection with his …show more content…
At the end of the second verse, Lamar lashes himself for his behavior following the shooting of one of his close friend’s younger brother. “You even Facetimed instead of a hospital visit, guess you thought he would recover well / Third surgery, they couldn't stop the bleeding for real / Then he died, God himself will say ‘you fuckin' failed’ / You ain't try” (“u”, Lamar). While reciting this verse, Lamar’s voice cracks and falls weak in desperation. Meanwhile, an emotional saxophone solo rips through the desolate chord progression that drones along beneath it. Combined, this section of the song elicits a heavy emotional response from the audience, who empathizes with Lamar, seeing that despite his status as a celebrity, he too struggles with deep personal flaws. Unlike many other performers that shroud their insecurities behind glamorous, shallow lives, Lamar cleverly puts his vulnerabilities on display for the audience, leaving nothing to hide; and in doing so, he creates common ground with the