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Who Is 'Socially Conscious Music' By Kendrick Lamar?

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Benjamin Sendrey Professor Moreno English 1 21 April 2023 Socially Conscious Music: Kendrick Lamar For a long time, hip-hop as a genre has been controversial and the impact of rap music has been debated. This music has been criticized for many things such as its explicit language and its emphasis on drugs and violence. However, there is a side of rap with positive aspects including a focus on social change. Known for his poetic and thought-provoking lyrics, American rapper and songwriter Kendrick Lamar is an example of this side of hip-hop. Kendrick uses his music to address important social issues such as poverty and racism, as well as promote social justice. Through his profound lyrics and social criticism, Kendrick Lamar fits the definition …show more content…

In the modern day, the most common example of socially conscious music is hip-hop, even though it is often given a negative reputation. Deigel Leger is the co-founder of the annual symposium on hip-hop culture. He says that “"hip-hop can give out the wrong message, that's for sure…It's important for the new generation that's grown up with commercial hip-hop to really look for its true values -- unity, creativity, respect, love and to have fun” (Socially). Kendrick Lamar is the perfect example of being socially conscious as he uses his lyrics and public image to send a message of social justice to his audience and to the world. His music is enjoyed by a variety of people regardless of their background but more specifically it appeals to people of color who have gone through similar experiences as he has. For this reason, he can be seen as a beacon of hope and a symbol of inspiration to marginalized …show more content…

In this track, he uses storytelling in order to shed light on the issue of violence and highlight the harsh reality of life in urban communities. The first story is about one of Kendrick’s friends that was killed as a result of gang violence. The second story is about a young woman who becomes a prostitute in order to survive. Kendrick raps, “This is the life of another girl damaged by the system / these foster homes, I run away and never do miss 'em.” He is saying that many children in Compton grow up in foster homes. This means they don’t have much parental guidance. What this causes is for the boys to result to the streets and become involved with gangs, leading them to a life of violence. For women, it causes them to become

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The harmony and tones compared to the lyrics and the style of the music clash against each other symbolizing the constant battle. It is stated that, "Music does what thinking cannot do; it emanates from the products, the accretions, of projective identification in reverse" (Blum 142). It shows another perspective and something you have never seen. The articles mention a lot of the rhythm of the songs and how it holds meaning to not only Lamar, but also to everyone else. Hip hop allows for an experience of rhythm, in an

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Kendrick lamar is a very successful music producer. He has made so many hits. Despite his problems in life such as his father being a drug dealer and not being there for his Kendrick still made a good life for himself. Kendrick still showed strength and perseverance through tough times.

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Hip Hop is seen as something inspiring, but most people see it as a way to speak out the truth about a problem. As in “Hip Hop planet” being able say the truth can sometimes worsen any situation because sometimes what we say can promote violence and whatever happens after is not in our control. The essay is about how hip hop has changed into speaking out the issues that need to be taken care of in order to maintain a proper society. McBride talked about how rappers use violent lyrics to degrade women and gays and because of this it shows how the music has evolved into something entirely different that no one would have ever expected to have changed. In James McBride's essay “Hip Hop Planet,” he argues that hip hop has a negative influence on American Culture despite people thinking of it as inspirational and how people live through different experiences in life despite of your race.

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By turning frustration about a social justice issue into a song with clever word play and other language tools, he can effectively reach and educate an audience that might not have done further research by themselves. According to an article, “Music Videos and Political Music” written by Ravi Rao, songs with a political agenda were widely popularized in the 2000’s and have been used ever since then. Songs are like poems and Lil Baby’s “The Bigger Picture” can be compared to the likes of slam poetry.

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He is so popular and listened to he uses his musical creations to tell people what he thinks and speak for minority groups. A large group that Kendrick is heavily involved in is the Black Lives Matter Movement. What this group is attempting to do is to stop oppression on blacks and to be treated that of any other citizen in this country. It was started after a chain of killings of unarmed blacks across the country. Kendrick agrees that this needs to be resolved and wants to be apart of this history of the United States.

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King Kunta: The Rise of a Kid That Had Nothing     The song “King Kunta” by rapper Kendrick Lamar is very catchy song about Kendrick’s rise to the top of the rap game and the his resistance to selling out like many rappers do. He really uses ethos strongly in this song to get people to listen to what he is saying and to get his message across to those people. His audience is mainly young people between the ages of 15 and 30, but his music reaches a very wide spread community of people. The name of the song, “King Kunta”, is an oxymoron - Kendrick thinks he is still being oppressed like a slave, while still being dominant and rich like a king. It contrasts the lowest and the highest levels of society.

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