Analysis Of The Poem 'U' By Kendrick Lamar

333 Words2 Pages
In the hip hop community, there is a stigma surrounding mental health. To maintain the “tough guy” persona that has become so popular in hip hop, most rappers avoid divulging into such a sensitive topic. However, one person who has been extremely vocal about his mental health struggles is Compton based rapper Kendrick Lamar. In his song “u” off his album To Pimp a Butterfly, he takes an introspective look at himself, addressing his depression, alcohol abuse, and suicidal thoughts. In the first verse, he speaks from the view of his depression, criticizing and shaming his emotions and feelings. His depression tells him “you ain't s**t, I'm convinced your tolerance nothin' special” (u, line 10). His depression is telling