To Pimp A Butterfly: Analyzing How Kendrick Lamar Gained His Wings (Part 2)

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is simple yet advanced execution and songwriting from Kendrick,
reminiscent of a dribble sequence from Kyrie Earth. Why would
the homeless man address Kendrick ass my son if he
didn't know him personally? Kendrick is able to look at
the beast often associated as the devil in the face
because of his faith in God and his confidence in himself.
This is what art is supposed to do. Challenge thought patterns,

(00:22):
bring forth different perspectives, share world views, and inspire those
who listen. Kendrick Lamar checked all those boxes. After some
tracks that detail Kendrick's internal struggles and temptations, he returns
to more of the soulful, heartfelt, peaceful part of himself,
which what he alludes to throughout Mama, ending every verse
with the idea of coming back home. And what I

(00:42):
instantly thought of is that while this song isn't necessarily
an ode to his mother, as the title might suggest,
it does center around the theme of home, and few
people in our lives resemble home quite like our mothers
or those who raised us with loving, nurturing energy. Additionally,
this song for Me is one one of Kendrick's best displays.
Of his pen on the album as he flexes his

(01:03):
use of internal rhymes. One of my favorite parts in
the first verse was this sequence. Been in it before
Internet had new x mimic and radio's nemesis made me whack.
My innocence limited, the experience lacked ten of us, with
no tentative tactic that cracked the mind of a literate writer.
But I did it. In fact, you admitted it once.
I submitted it wrapped in plastic Remember scribbling, scratching diligent

(01:27):
sentences backwards, visiting freestyle ciphers for your reaction. Whooh ooho
that boy code, the syllability, the rhyme schemes. This is
simple yet advanced execution and songwriting from Kendrick, reminiscent of
a dribble sequence from Kyrie Urvey. I'm telling you it's
that good. But of course, this is the gist of
a verse where Kendrick reflects on his career journey before

(01:49):
eventually revealing that despite the good that a career in
rap has allowed him to see, it did more for him.
It brought him home, or kept him grounded and not
be pimped. Thank God for rap. I would say it
got me a plaque. But what's better than that the
fact that it brought me home. It's great that Kendrick
to this day has understood the bigger picture of what
really matters despite his success. Mama was a great way

(02:12):
to show that it's easy to get lost in the
opportunities fame and success presents, hence the chorus of the
song being a repetition of We've been waiting for you,
waiting for you. Some of this continues in the second verse,
where Kendrick starts off almost every line with I know statements.
He seems to once again nod to his moral compass,
how he knows riches like money, cars, and clothes, but

(02:34):
also acknowledges genuine riches like loyalty and respect. Eventually, by
the end of the verse he expresses humility, mentioning how,
in the midst of everything he does know, home reminds
him that he knows nothing, which many fans have attributed
to how the Bible stresses the importance of relying on
godly wisdom as opposed to worldly wisdom. I know everything,

(02:55):
the highs, the lows, the groupies, the junkies. I know.
If I'm generous at heart, I don't need recognition the
way I'm rewarded. Well, that's God's decision. I know you
know that lines for Compton School District. Just give it
to the kids. Don't gossip about how it was distributed.
I know how people work. I know the price of life.
I'm knowing how much it's worth. I know what I know,

(03:16):
and I know it well not to ever forget until
I realized I didn't know Jack the day I came home. Now.
Another interesting note is that around this time, Kendrick had
went on a trip to South Africa, so there's also
the aspect of how, quite literally, Kendrick went back to
his roots. He went back to Africa and was able
to immerse himself in a part of the world where

(03:36):
his fame and earthly riches didn't matter. Later in verse three,
Kendrick elaborates on his experience in Africa as he tells
the story of meeting a young boy that resembled him
and reminded him of the importance of staying rounded, taking
this experience to heart and even encourage his homies back
in Compton to do the same. But before I highlight that,
there was a part earlier in the verse that stuck

(03:58):
out to me. He looked at me and said, Kendrick,
you do know my language. You just forgot because of
what public schools have painted. I love this because it
points to how the image of Africa is portrayed, and
not just schools, but some TV shows and media as well.
We often hear how Africa is feeled with starving children
and poor living conditions and all these things. But when

(04:18):
you look at people who actually visit or even live
in Africa, you see the joy that exist exists there.
You see the education that exists there, and that they
do actually speak English. And I think even in this song,
Kendrick isn't entirely talking about spoken language. He's referring to
language as in shared values and inheritances. And as I
mentioned previously, the verse ends with the boy encouraging Kendrick

(04:42):
to share his experience with his homies, which, now that
I think about it, phonetically plays on the word home
as well. Right, take it to your homies. Can't spell
homies without home. Right. I can attempt to enlighten you
without frightening you. If you resist, I'll back off quick,
go catch a flight or two. But if you pick

(05:02):
destiny over rest in peace, then be an advocate. Tell
your homies, especially to come back home again. Come back
home serves as a double entendre. Here I see the
meaning of the boy urging Kendrick to encourage his homies
to come to Africa, but I also see it as
a deeper meaning of Now that Kendrick has been grounded,
he can take the knowledge and wisdom he has acquired

(05:23):
back home and educate those that see him as a
person of influence. So, like I said, a nice song
from Kendrick with the theme of humility, But it doesn't
end there. The song gradually transitions into a totally different direction,
featuring a more energetic and less grounded Kendrick Lamar as
he seems to question God. First we hear these lines,
I've been looking for you my whole life and appetite

(05:45):
for the feeling. I can barely describe where you resigne.
Is it in a woman? Is it in money or mankind?
I've been looking for you, my whole life and appetite
for the feeling. I can barely describe where you reside.
Is it in a woman? Is it in money or mankind?
Tell me something. Think I'm losing my mind. We can
sense that This plays on how when we aren't grounded
in our faith, we often try to find God in

(06:07):
other people or things. We seek to find his love
or comfort in a romantic partner. We seek to find
his security and provision and money, and it's an appetite
that can only be felled by him. Kendrick is spiraling,
struggling with these thoughts. Then we hear this outro I
say where you at from the front to the back.
I'm looking for you. I react only when you react.

(06:27):
I thought I found you back in the ghetto when
I was seventeen with the thirty eight Special. Maybe you're
in a dollar bill. Maybe you're not real. Maybe only
the wealthy get to know how you feel. Maybe I'm paranoid.
Maybe I don't need you anyway, don't lie to me
I'm suicidal. Anyway, I can be an advocate. I can
preach for you if you tell me what the matter is. So,
just when Kendrick seemed to be grounded, he's back in

(06:49):
the spiral. That is very reminiscent of what we heard
in You. How he's dealing with suicidal thoughts and wrestling
with the presence of God. What if he's in the
money but what if he's not real? Maybe he's only
for the wealthy because they seem to have everything I
dream of. Maybe I don't need you? Then? How do
I know your word is true? An interesting sudden ending
to a song that seemed to be a turning point

(07:10):
for Kendrick, but as will soon unpack. While Mama details
the wisdom he acquired throughout his upbringing and success, which
eventually inspired him to stay humble, the next track, Hood Politics,
features Kendrick going back to the time where the only
knowledge he had was what took place in his hood.
Given the title hood Politics, Kendrick gives a glimpse into

(07:31):
the values and standards that were held growing up in Compton.
Some examples of this throughout the song are how in
the first verse, Kendrick opens up the song with lines that,
in the grand scheme, reflect the value of life and time.
I don't give a blink about no politics in rap. Homie,
our little Homie Stunn of Deuce ain't never coming back, Homie,
So you better go hard every time you jump on wax,

(07:52):
Homie bump. What they talking about? Your issh is where
it's at, Homie. In honor of his deceased friend, Kendrick
echoes the encourage from whom we can presume are his
other friends, as they motivate him to put his all
into his music and disregard what any hater, what any
critic has to say about it. Later on, in the
second verse, we hear Kendrick, in clever fashion, compare the

(08:13):
famous Blood and Crip gangs to Republicans and Democrats, correlating
their colors of red and blue respectively, and the idea
of hood politics and American politics. They tell me it's
a new gang in town from Compton and Congress set
tripping all around. Ain't nothing new but a flu of
new Demo Crips and Rebluodikins. Red state versus Blue state?
Which one you govern it? They give us guns and drugs,

(08:36):
call us thugs, make it. They promise to mess with
you no condom they get with you, Obama, say what
a do? Notice how Kendrick even refers to Democrats as
Democripts and Republicans to Rebluodikins to further illustrate their commonalities.
Right this way, Kendrick elaborates on the idea that American
politics are no different than what goes on in the

(08:58):
street to Compton, there is a rib between two parties,
power imbalances, promises, and loyalty that often extends to dangerous
lengths within the followers right. Furthermore, Kendrick calls out the
way the government has treated poor neighborhoods, going back to
the crack epidemic. To me, Kendrick is essentially saying, they
give us guns and drugs, yet call us thugs, and

(09:20):
they mess with our heads, profess and hope for a
better future, only to established in the back. And even
with a black president, he is still a part of
that system where he doesn't have as much power as
we are led to believe. So even he despite his
familiarity with the black experience, he can't do much to
change what has been in place for decades. He's not

(09:40):
going to single handedly erase all of this. So we
get a double entendre of hood politics, if you will,
the politics or systems and standards in the hood are
really influenced by the politics of the American government. Kendrick
ends his second verse with the truth bomb, and then
as we heard in verse three, Kendrick turns his focus
to more of the politics scene in hip hop and
rad as he opens the verse with everybody want to

(10:02):
talk about who this and who that? Who the realist
and who whack? Or who white or who black? Critics
want to mention that they missed when hip hop was rapping.
If you did, then Killer Mike be platinum. Y'all priorities
jacked up, put energy and wrong stuff Hennessy and Crown Vic.
My memory been gone since. Kendrick seems to call out
whom we can presume our fans and media who repeatedly

(10:24):
focus on the wrong topics when it comes to the art.
For him, is too much petty back and forth and
meaningless debates questioning who's real versus who's whack. He also
calls out the contradiction that many people miss real hip
hop quote unquote, but struggle to acknowledge the artists who
are keeping that style alive, which to him at this
time was Atlanta MC and one half of the duo

(10:45):
Run the Jewels Killer Mike. One thing about Kendrick is
that he has never been afraid to call it how
he sees it, and he does that throughout hood politics.
Later in the verse, he addresses the East versus West
Coast tension, something that seemed to revive itself once he
dropped his famous control verse in twenty thirteen, where he
proclaimed dominance as an MC, being on top of both

(11:06):
the West and East. However, Kendrick recognized the potential impact
and didn't want history to repeat itself, as he refers
to the beef that ensued around the mid nineties when
Tupac and Biggie were beefing, Kito was up. I heard
they opened up Pandora's box. I box them all in
by a landslide. Now, Homie, we too sensitive. It'll spill
out to the streets. I make the call and get

(11:27):
the coast involved in history repeats. But I resolved inside
that private hall. When sitting down with j he said,
It's funny how one verse can tear up the game.
So rather than putting gas on the fire, Kendrick was
able to settle things down with jay Z, who had
been widely received as the East Coast King much of
his career, so the situation wouldn't escalate. The way Kendrick
handled the situation further reflects him being a one since

(11:49):
day one, as he states in the chorus of the song,
and to me showcased more of the wisdom we heard
in Mama, but once again, the first line of the
chorus is interrupted as the song ends, revealing more of
Kendrick's ongoing poem. Throughout the album, you'll notice that the
added lines continue to line up with the themes and
the content we've heard in the last few tracks. I

(12:09):
remember you was conflicted, misusing your influence. Sometimes I did
the same, abusing my power. Full of resentment, resentment that
turned into a deep depression. Found myself screaming in a
hotel room. I didn't want to self destruct. The evils
of Lucy was all around me, so I went running
for answers until I came home. But that didn't stop
survivor's guilt, going back and forth, trying to convince myself

(12:31):
the stripes I earned, or maybe how a one my
foundation was. But while my loved ones was fighting a
continuous war back in the city, I was entering a
new one. So notice we left off with Kendrick coming home.
Now he mentions that coming home Mama didn't stop his
survivor's guilt. He's reflecting on his roots and the issues
of Compton hood politics while fighting issues of his own.

(12:54):
As he ushers in the next song and another one
that was included in my top three, actually taking the
top spot. How much a Dollar Cost? This is one
of my all time favorite Kendrick Lamar songs. Anytime someone
asked me what my favorite Kendrick songs are, this song
and Want to Be Heard are always the first two
that come in to mind. It's a simple instrumental with
an incredible deep story that is faith based. It checks

(13:17):
all the boxes for me. Yet again, I believe Kendrick
uses the title to pose a deeper question, how much
does greed cost? See Kendrick tells a tale based on
an interaction with a homeless man while he was in Africa,
as the man ends up teaching him a lesson about selfishness.
To Kendrick, a dollar bill didn't mean as much until
it costed him an eternal reward. How much a dollar

(13:40):
really cost? The question is detrimental, paralyzing my thoughts, parasites
in my stomach, keep me with a gut feeling. Y'all
got to see how I'm chilling once I park this
luxury car, hopping out feeling big as Matumbo twenty on
Pump six. Dirty Marcella has called me Dumbo twenty years
ago can't forget now. I lend him an ear to
how to stack these residuals tenfold the liberal concept of

(14:01):
what men will do twenty on six. He didn't hear
me indigenous African only spoke Zulu. So Kendrick arrives at
a gas station ready to fill his luxury car. But
as detailed by the mention of parasites eating away at
his stomach, we can infer that he's wary of the
homeless people that surround him. He's wary of the area
that he's in, getting this gut feeling that something is brewing.

(14:21):
Despite feeling like he's on top of the world driving
a luxury car very successful, even going as far as
saying that, unlike his five foot six stature, he feels
as big as NBA legend to Kimbe Matumbo, a seven
foot are known as one of the greatest interior defenders
of all time. He knows he's bound to run into
one of the homeless individuals. Safe to say, Kendrick's gut
feeling was correct as he details his initial interaction with

(14:45):
the homeless man in the next set of lines. My
American tongue was leary walked out the gas station, A
homeless man with a semi tan complexion asked me for
tim rand stressing about dry land, deep water, powder of
blue skies that crack open, a piece of crack that
he wants. I knew he was smoking. He begged and
pleaded and asked me to feed him twice. I didn't
believe it, told him beat it. So there's quite a

(15:07):
bit to unpack here. I want you to first pay
attention to the ways Kendrick describes the homeless man semi
tan stressing about dry land and blue skies that crack open.
And listening to this. In hindsight, it's easier to observe,
but if you analyze this description, someone might come to
mind semi tan skin. The Bible has plenty of reference

(15:30):
points to the Middle East, where there are a lot
more people of color. Next, God Warren Noah of a
flood that was coming, which is why he urged him
to build the ark despite not knowing when the flood
would come. And lastly, upon the second coming of Jesus,
the Book of Revelations details that Jesus will come from
the heavens on a horse. In other words, the sky
cracking and the trumpet sounding are two of the most

(15:51):
notable things that will happen upon Jesus's return. It would
make sense why the homeless man might be associated with
similar matters, but Kendrick, no strange to these interactions, assumes
the man wants to use his money for drugs and
waves him off. He continues ending the verse, avoiding the
homeless man contributing money just for his pipe. I couldn't
see it, he said, my son. Temptation is one thing

(16:13):
that I've defeated. Listen to me. I want a single
bill from you, nothing less, nothing more. I told him
I an't have it, and I closed my door. Tell
me how much a dollar costs. Another clue is revealed here.
Why would the homeless man address Kendrick as my son
if he didn't know him personally. Secondly, he tells Kendrick
that he's defeated temptation, something we've analyzed over the course

(16:36):
of the show, and he's very specific with Kendrick only
asking for one dollar, no more, no less, but still
Kendrick turns away from the homeless man. We then hear
the first rendition of the chorus from James James Fauntleroy,
who sings It's more to feed your mind water son,
and love the one you love. All you need the

(16:56):
air you breathe. You'll notice that in the midst of
thesness says, money is not mentioned. That brings us to
verse two, where Kendrick struggles to reject the homeless man.
He's staring at me in disbelief. My temper is building.
He's staring at me. I grabbed my key. He's staring
at me. I started the car. Then I tried to leave,
and something told me to keep it in park until

(17:17):
I could see the reason why he was mad at
a stranger, like I was supposed to save him, like
I'm the reason he's homeless and asking me for a favor.
He's staring at me. His eyes followed me with no laser.
He's staring at me. I noticed that his staaring is contagious.
Now I love this part of the song because it
represents the way that God will absolutely get his point
across to us. We can say no to God all

(17:38):
we want to, but at some point we will give
in an attempt to do things his way. If you're
like me, you grew up with a parent that had
the stare in the midst of any disobedience. There was
always something that made me straighten up my acting record time,
my mama stare. The stare is lethal because you realize
a look as firm as a mean mug and as

(17:59):
vicious as a scouta takes the place where words were
once said. It was one thing for my mom to
gather me up with her words, but when a whole
other thing when she didn't have to say anything. That
same stare from the homeless man is what triggers Kendrick Lamar,
yet keeps him around to hear out the homeless man
some more. It triggered him because he's seen that stare before.

(18:20):
He believes the homeless man is arrogant enough to think
that Kendrick owes him. But he'll soon learn that there
is nothing like the relentless stare of a parent, because
now I'm staring back at him, feeling some type of disrespect.
If I could throw a bat at him, I'd be
aiming at his neck. I never understood someone begging for goods,
asking for handouts, taking it if they could, And this
particular person just had a down pat staring at me

(18:43):
for the longest until he finally asked, have you ever
opened up Exodus fourteen, A humble man is all that
we ever need. Tell me how much a dollar costs.
Still annoyed and angry, Kendrick is about sick of this man,
to the point he feels disrespected that the homeless man
has the nerve to eyeball him after rejection. We can
sense kendricks struggle with pride here, which is why the

(19:03):
homeless man asks him if he knew about Exodus fourteen
in the Bible, where God helps Moses part the Red
Sea so the Israelites could overcome the Egyptians and routes
to the Promised Land. A key part of this story, though,
is the idea of one's heart being hardened, something that
is mentioned all throughout the Bible, as the Lord hardened
Pharaoh's heart so the Israelites could successfully continue their journey. Likewise,

(19:25):
in this verse, we hear how Kendrick's heart was hardened
towards the homeless man. His initial dismissive rejection turned into anger,
and reading his anger, the homeless man took the opportunity
to teach him about humility. After another chorus from James Fauntleroy,
we get into the last verse, where we find out
what the interaction leads to, guilt tripping and feeling resentment.

(19:45):
I never met a transient that demanded attention. They got
me frustrated, indecisive, and power tripping. Sour emotions got me
looking at the universe different. I should distance myself. I
should keep it relentless. My selfishness is what got me here.
Who the heck am I kid? So I'm gonna tell
you like I told the last bump crumbs and pennies.
I need all minds and I recognize this type of

(20:05):
panhandling all the time. I got better judgment. I know
when brother's hustling. Keep in mind, when I was struggling,
I did compromise. Now I comprehend. So just as Kendrick
starts to feel sorry for the homeless man and given
to his pride, he snaps out of it and doubles
down on his selfishness, further revealing the greed and tight
grip he has on his wallet, even if it's just

(20:26):
one dollar. He continues to express how he is convinced
the homeless man is gonna use the dollar for drugs
because that's what he saw all the time growing up.
He doesn't want to be fooled by this guy. He
even reflects back to his youth when he didn't have much,
assuming that unlike the homeless man, Kendrick didn't waste the
little money he had on things like drugs. He feels
that if he can overcome his circumstances, the homeless man

(20:48):
should be able to do the same. Now early in
the verse, he'll notice Kendrick raps I never met a
transient that demanded attention. The word transient means a person
who is staying or working somewhere for a short time,
which could be a double entandra One meaning could be
that ideally, homelessness is a temporary circumstance. The other meaning
is that parallel to Jesus that he knew he wasn't

(21:10):
going to be on earth long, reminding his disciples often
that he was here to do the Father's will. It
would eventually be at his right hand. So the fact
that Kendrick refers to the homeless man as a transient
being being is yet another clue that the man is God.
Moving on with the verse, I smell Grandpa's old medicine
reeking from your skin, moonshine and gin homing. You're babbling

(21:31):
your words ain't flattering. I'm imagining Denzel, but looking at
O'Neil Kazam is sad thrills. Your gimmick is mediocre. The
jig is up. I seen you from a mile away,
losing focus. Now. At first I always thought this was
Kendrick finding familiarity with the homeless man, but instead Kendrick
continues to call cap on the homeless man. After smelling

(21:52):
the alcohol on his breath, He's convinced the man is
pretending so that Kendrick will give him the dollar. Kendrick
then compares the man's fronting to the acting chops of
Denzel Washington, opposite of Shaquille O'Neil in the infamous Kazam movie.
Rather than possessing the skill and experience of Denzel, he
sees right through him, revealing that his acting is as
bad as Shak's in that movie. Kendrick gets involved in

(22:13):
for the trap and believes he successfully trusted his gun
until the homeless man ends the verse with the striking
revelation We've been waiting for. And I'm insensitive and I
lack empathy. He looked at me and said, your potential
is bittersweet. I looked at him and said, every nicol
of mine's to keep. He looked at me and said, no,
the truth, it'll set you free. You're looking at the Messiah,
the Son of Jehovah, the Higher Power, the choir that

(22:36):
spoke the Word, the Holy Spirit, the nerve of Nazareth.
And I'll tell you just how much a dollar costs,
the price of having a spot in heaven. Embrace your loss.
I am God. Ooh. So, notice after asking how much
a dollar cost at the end of the first two verses,
the homeless man tells Kendrick exactly how much it costs.
At the end of the third verse, the Kingdom of Heaven.

(22:58):
The homeless man saw potent and Kendrick because of his
influence in the world, but because of his greed, it
limits his impact, so his potential is bittersweet. Furthermore, this
ending to the song reminds me of the parable of
the rich fool in the Bible. In the Book of Luke,
chapter twelve, there is a rich man who made it
a goal to store up his wealth and enjoy it
for himself. But God calls him out, essentially asking him,

(23:19):
what's the point of the wealth if you aren't willing
to share it, especially as his life could end at
any moment. Who would he have to give that to.
Of course, there is also the parable in Matthew twenty five,
where Jesus warns those that are selfish that if they
don't have the heart to serve others, they shouldn't expect
them to maintain the ability to serve him. As it
relates to the song, Kendrick was unable to join the

(23:42):
Kingdom of Heaven simply because he did not give the
homeless man one dollar out of the abundance of money
he possessed, and because of his selfishness, he missed out
on a reward that has much greater value than anything financial.
So for Kendrick, a dollar costed him an eternal life.
This leads to an outro from the legend ron Eisley, who,

(24:02):
with Kendrick's character in mind, presumably offers a prayer for forgiveness.
I washed my hands, I said, my grace, What more
do you want from me? Tears of a clown. Guess
I'm not all what it's meant to be. Shades of
gray will never change. If I condone turn this page,
help me change to right my wrongs. Of course I
see it as a prayer of forgiveness, but Genius contributors
made the connection to Poncha's Pilot in the Bible, who

(24:25):
was the one who sentenced Jesus to death. Like Pilot
towards Jesus, Kendrick was triggered by the homeless man. Despite
making efforts to spare Jesus' life. He washed his hands,
declared Jesus innocent, but left the public to choose what
they wanted to do with him. While he sought to
pass the responsibility to others, he was still ultimately responsible
for being head of the system that ended up killing Jesus. Similarly,

(24:49):
Kendrick may have asked for forgiveness, but still is a
part of a society that overlooks the homeless. I thought
that was an interesting connection from the Genius community. No
matter the takeaway, though, Kendrick delivers yet another the thought
provoking track that challenges himself and us as listeners to
check our morals and make wiser choices. And after tackling
a societal issue like homelessness in this song, he goes

(25:10):
to another one in the next song, Complexion, that addresses colorism.
In track twelve, Complexion features rhapsody and I mean, what
a perfect match we get for this song. Kendrick tags
in Rhapsody for a smooth ballad that stresses the importance
of loving others regardless of skin tone. Of course, this
can go two ways, loving others no matter their race,
and more specifically as black people loving each other regardless

(25:33):
of shade. This is reflected directly in the chorus recited
by legendary producer and DJ Pete Rock, who says, complexion, complexion,
don't mean a thing. Ooh, complexion, it all feels the same.
Kendrick Lamar uses the first line of both his first
and second verses to emphasize the point as well. For
an example, here's how he starts verse one, Uh, dark

(25:55):
as the midnight hour or bright as the morning sun?
Give a blank about your complexion? I know, oh what
the Germans done? We hear how he compares the darkness
of one's skin to the sky at midnight and the
brightness as the morning sky. He also references Nazi Germany's
anti semitism, mentioning that unlike them, he doesn't discriminate. Furthermore,

(26:16):
in his second verse, he references a moment where his
wife gave him a new perspective on colorism. So I'm
gonna say something that's vital and critical for survival of mankind.
A feline color should never rival. Beauty is what you
make it. I used to be so mistaken by different
shades of faces. Then with told me a woman is woman, love,
the creation, it all came from God than you was

(26:36):
my confirmation. Kendrick reveals his past ignorance, maybe for lack
of a better term, regarding his views on colorism, seemingly
putting more value in a woman's skin tone as opposed
to who she was as a person, until his wife
reminded him that women are God's creation, so the creation
should have higher value than something like skin tone. Of course,
we can only infer that this moment happened. Maybe his

(26:57):
wife said it in a totally different conversation, but Kendrick
applied that listen to colorism either way. Kendrick details a
wake up called courtesy of his wife and encourages us
to see the world the same way. Soon after this verse,
we get the last one from Rhapsody, who poetically details
her first hand experience with colorism while affirming other black
women and men that they're black is beautiful. Twelve years

(27:19):
of age, thinking my shade too dark. I love myself.
I no longer need Cupid enforcing my dark side like
a young George Lucas, Light don't mean you smart. Being
dark don't make you stupid. Talk to him, Rap, talk
to him. Rhapsody reflects on how, as a youth, she
felt she was too dark due to the beauty standards
that have existed for decades. This is why she also

(27:40):
emphasizes that complexion doesn't dictate intelligence, and might I add,
Rhapsody has plenty of clever bars in her verse. Obviously,
here she references George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, which
nods to the concept of the dark side. Even then,
that carries a deeper meaning for Rap, who once dropped
Thank her now her twenty eleven project that featured a

(28:00):
Star Wars themes cover and a track called black Girl Jedi,
so that bar carry even more depth for her. Another
bar she had was like two Todd's l L you
lose two times if you don't see you beautiful in
your complexion. If you listen to this podcast, you definitely
caught that. This is a play on L. L. Cool
J's real name, James Todd Smith, But she also makes

(28:22):
the point that the world already looks down on black people,
and if you're darker skin, you will even get looked
down upon by lighter skin black folks. Two l's or
two losses. J Cole actually had a similar line on
the more recent single Blow for Blow with T Grizzly.
He was like taking L after L I got to laugh.

(28:43):
Y'all looked like James Todd Smith ought to grab. So
Rhapsody did a similar thing years back. A few lines down,
Rhapsody delivered an even better punch line, ain't no stress
jigaboos wanna be I ain't talking Jay, I ain't talking
b I'm talking days we got school watching movie screens
in spite your self esteem. That first part I caught instantly.

(29:03):
She plays on the derogatory phrase jigaboo by mentioning jay
Z also known as Jigga, who is Jigga's boo Beyonce nos.
Yet she clarifies saying it's not even about that surface
level punchline. She's addressing how she can shrug off the
jigaboo slur because black people are often emulated. But what
I didn't catch was the second half, where she references

(29:26):
Spike Lee's film School Days, a movie that addresses colorism.
The film features the Jigaboos versus the Wanna Bees, the
dark skinned girls versus light skinned girls, and Rhapsody nods
to that impact of how certain portrayals can impact one
self esteem. Then she ends her verse in a way
only Rhapsody can end it. Black is brown, hazel nuts, cinnamon,
black tea, and it's all beautiful to me. Call your

(29:48):
brother's magnificent, Call all the sisters, queens. We all on
the same team, blues and pirus. No colors ain't a thing.
She compares different shades of black people to subjects associated
with cuisine like hazel nut, cinnamon, black tea, and after
encouraging a call to action for us to affirm fellow
black men and women, she reminds us that we are
all on the same team, similar to crips and bloods.

(30:11):
There's no need for war when we are essentially fighting
for the same causes. So of course this is a
great This is great connection from Rhapsody because the gangs
are known by their colors, right, extending the colorism theme
to the streets, and it even serves as a perfect
segue into the next track, The Black of the Barry,
the song that features Kendrick Lamar vncing about his thoughts

(30:31):
on black on Black crime. The Black of the Barry
the sweet of the Juice is an expression dating back
to nineteen twenty nine, where Wallace Thurman released his novel
The Black of the Berry that addressed colorism. It was
meant to combat colorism with positivity. Fast forward to circa
nineteen ninety three, where Tupac Jacors started off keep your
Head Up with the same phrase, as he used that
song to voice similar empowerment towards black women. While these

(30:54):
themes exist a lot more in complexion, this time, Kendrick
Lamar uses the phrase to address the roots of black
on Black crime, saying, the black of the berry the
sweet of the juice, as in juice or respect on
the streets. At least that's how I thought of it.
While Kendrick mentions black on black crime, he's very vocal
about how black on Black crime has been influenced by
the government, most notably wants to crack epidemic hit with

(31:16):
that in mind. Other theories suggests the idea that the
juice represents blood, so the sweet of the juice part
represents the increased odds of black folks being targeted either way.
The pre chorus of the song is where these ideas
might come to mind. The black of the berry, the
sweet of the juice, the black of the berry, the
sweet of the Jews, the black of the berry, the
sweet of the juice, the black of the berry, the

(31:37):
bigger I shoot. But before this, the song starts with
an intro followed by a bridge, and then Kendrick's first verse.
The intro seems to reflect double mindedness between black people
in America, as it features back and forth statements everything black,
I don't want black, I want everything black, I ain't
need black, some white something black. I ain't mean black.
I hate everything black black, I want all things black.

(32:00):
I don't need black, I want everything black. I don't
need black. Our eyes ain't black. I own black. I
own everything black. So the first half seems to go
from pro black to division, and the second half seems
to go from division to acceptance back to division again.
For black people, it's easy to profess pro black ideologies,
but then when we're faced with the reality of how

(32:21):
we're treated in the real world, it's like a back
and forth cycle of I'm valued, then I'm not. And really,
if we're thinking about this from the lens of Black
on Black crime, it's the same thing. One minute, it's
love my brothers and sisters, but the streets reflect otherwise.
In the second half, it's the opposite. America seems to
disregard us until they see we can bring the nation money,
and I think that's why the last line stresses the

(32:43):
idea of ownership. Additionally, if you connect the parts in
parentheses delivered by Layla Hathaway, it reads, they want us
to bow down to our needs and pray to the
God we don't believe, and it immediately reminded me of
the unfortunate belief that many black folks have received that
God doesn't care for them because of their environment. And
this has come up on the show before I understand it.

(33:07):
You hear statements like Christianity is the white man's religion
and it's meant to keep black people in struggle. God
isn't real because if he was, we wouldn't be in
this situation all those things. Kendrick subtly voices that perspective
in the midst of this song as well. Intensifying the
internal struggles black people experience in America. And while that's
just the intro, Kendrick goes into a bridge where he

(33:29):
seems to once again wrap with black on Black crime
and America in mind. But given the mention of fire
in the street associated with protest riots, it's likely a
response to police brutality. But you'll notice that he ends
with the bridge with black do on crack, nodding to
the adage that highlights black people's ability to maintain smooth,

(33:49):
youthful skin into older ages, but in this song, Kendrick
uses the phrase to say that black people won't fold
under the circumstances stacked against them. As for the verses,
Kendrick starts all three of his with the phrase I'm
the biggest hypocrite of twenty fifteen as he raps with
anger over the violence that occurs in rougher neighborhoods before
eventually revealing his hypocritical ways by the end of the song.

(34:12):
In verse one, Kendrick acknowledges how America tends to look
at black people while understanding that the same hate expressed
from them is the same hate that fuels black on
Black crime. I believe this is reflected in lines like
you hate me, don't you? You hate my people, your
plan is to terminate my culture. Throughout the verse, Kendrick
claims the same stereotypes and slurs associated with black people,

(34:33):
pointing out his complexion, his nose, his hair, and even
proclaims himself as a proud monkey. Think of how Eminem's
character on eight Mile did a similar thing in his
final battle versus Papa Doc, right, claiming the statements used
against him with the spirit of empowerment, so Papa Doc
had nothing to say in return. Eventually, at the end,
Kendrick raps, I'm guarding my feelings. I know that you

(34:54):
feel it. You sabotage my community, making me a killer.
You made me a killer. Emancipation of of a real
never ignorant, getting goals accomplished. So again we hear Kendrick
calling out America for ruining his community, his environment, and
influencing him to make the damage worse through black on
black crime, gang violence, drug abuse, those kind of issues.
And I love how we ended it with the emancipation

(35:16):
of a real ninja, because he's saying, since I'm now
a killer of my community, no longer in my real one.
The system America put in place influenced me to be
free or emancipated from my true purpose and identity within
my community. I love how he articulated that some passionate
lyrics from Kendrick though right, like, we get every emotion

(35:36):
in this album, the joy, the depression, the anger, the ignorance,
the positivity, just everything. Now after the pre chorus we
went over earlier, there's the chorus from Assassin, who worked
with artists like Royster five nine, Kanye West, and Freddie Gibbs.
And in Jamaican Patois, he says, I said they treat
me like a slave because I'm Black. We feel a
whole heap of pain because we black. And man, I say,

(35:57):
they put me in chains because we Blackine now big
gold chains full of rocks. How you not see the
whip left scars upon my back, But now we have
a big whit parked upon the block. All of them
say we doomed from the start because we black. Remember this,
every race start from the black. Just remember that. Similarly,
Assassin expresses the black experience in America, but in a

(36:19):
more hopeful way. He uses the classic rock and chains
When we used to be in them theme heard and
hip hop as I literally quote blue from below the heavens.
The phrase is commonly used to express black folks ability
to overcome, most notably from slavery to freedom. We hear
this as he says, they put me in chains because
we black. Imagine now big gold chains full of rocks. Likewise,

(36:40):
he follows that up with how you not see the
whip left scars on my back? Now we have a
big whip parked on the block, see, before ending it
with a drop of wisdom and hope, reminding us that
while it's often said we've been doomed from the start,
the first humans originated in Africa, so it could be
that we're not doomed after all. Certainly make you think

(37:00):
right like I love the depth of this song. But
next up is Kendrick's second verse, where he challenges America's
systems and beliefs that aren't one hundred percent true nor
helpful for black people, like the prison system and freedom.
He details this in the following lines, I mean it's
evident that I'm a relevant to society. That's what you're
telling me. Penitentiary would only hire me, curse me till

(37:22):
I'm dead church me, which your faith prophesies it that
I'm gonna be just another slave in my head, institutionalize
manipulation and lies. Reciprocation of freedom only living your eyes.
Kendrick confronts the ways America has tried to convince Black
people that they are more likely to end up incarcerated,
so which is another method of slavery. It aligns with
the theme of black on black crime because again, if

(37:43):
the world can influence black people to destroy their own
communities from the inside out, it will also bring more
of them to prison, essentially killing two birds with one stone,
ensuring the poor communities don't improve and the business side
of prison is thriving. This is why Kendrick says that
the reciprocation of freedom only lives in the eyes of
those who are naive, because while yes, black people have

(38:03):
been physically free, on a deeper systemic level, it is
hard to say that's true. Then, Kendrick brings back the
question of you hate me, don't you, before ending the
verse expressing how his success makes him a threat, which
again could fit both ideas behind this song. Other black
folks jealous of his success may be out to get him,
while America gets intimidated by his success. Either way, He

(38:25):
ends this verse similar to the verse verse, how can
I tell you I'm making a killing? You made me
a killer? The Emancipation of a real Ninja. After another
rendition of the pre chorus and chorus, we get to
Kendrick's final verse, where his foreshadow hypocrisy is finally revealed
thanks to some extremely memorable lines. In the beginning, he
hints towards the idea of black on black crime by saying,

(38:45):
I'm the biggest hypocrite of twenty fifteen. When I finish this,
if you listen, then sure you will agree. The plot
is bigger than me. Is generational hatred. Gang violence is
generational hatred because of its revenge field nature. Sadly, the
rivalries revenge extends so long it spans generations. Kendrick continues
to follow the same structure as the previous verses, proclaiming

(39:06):
his blackness, and this time with more certainty, assuming that
not just he has hated, but that black people in
general are hated. Then Kendrick eventually gets to the climax
of the verse, comparing the conflict between the South African
Chosa and Zulu tribes to the rivalry between the bloods
and cribs. It's funny how Zulu and Chosa might go
to war. Two tribal armies that want to build and

(39:26):
destroy remind me of these Compton Crip gangs that live
next door beefing with Piru's only death settle the score.
Notice how Kendrick says that both tribes want to build
and destroy, which is the same objective gangs have. See,
the tribes are meant to live in peace. Similarly, gangs
were initially meant to be police for their own communities. However,
similar to how drugs and poverty influenced negative impact, apartheid

(39:51):
had been believed to fuel the tension between the Zulu
and Chosa tribes. So while they may have initially wanted
to destroy the circumstances placed on them, the destruction turned
inward instead. This sets the scene for Kendrick to reveal
his hypocrisy. So don't matter how much I say, I'd
like to preach with the panthers, or tell Georgia State
Marcus Garvey got all the answers, Or try to celebrate

(40:13):
February like it's my b Day. Or eat watermelon, chicken
and kool aid on weekdays, or jump high enough to
get Michael Jordan endorsements, or watch bet because urban support
it's important. So why did I weep when Trayvon Martin
was in the street when gangbanging? Make me kill a
never ignorant, getting goals accomplished blacker than me? Hypocrite? So
you'll notice Kendrick mentions how he can do all these

(40:36):
positive things in the black community. Take the baton that
was once held by the Black Panther Party, endorse the
ideologies of Marcus Garvey, celebrate Black History Month with enthusiasm,
enjoy stereotypical foods consumed by black folks, excel in athletics
like one of the most recognizable in Michael Jordan, and
watch bet to support black media and entertainment. But then

(40:57):
he ultimately questions his own hypocrisy. How could it be
possible for him to show remorse for the murder of
Trayvon Martin, who was a victim of racial profile and
in twenty twelve, when he is also involved in scenarios
that kill other black men, how could he weep for
one black person only to take a life in similar fashion?

(41:18):
And thus he labels himself as the hypocrite. He told
us all song long that he was. This is certainly
one of Kendrick's more thought provoking and among the more
memorable songs in his discography. It reminds me a lot
of institutionalized where it really makes you think and process
the messages in your own way, and hopefully I was
able to help influence you to do the same. As

(41:38):
we get closer to the end of the album, it
brings us to the fourteenth track, You Ain't Gotta Lie.
Mama said this song might be up there among my
favorite beats off the entire album. It comes off very
soothing and easy going, yet soulful still. Moreover, the primary
theme of You Ain't Got a Lie is authenticity. Once again,
Kendrick Lamar calls out individuals who feel like they got

(41:59):
a lie or display performative character in order to be
accepted on a much deeper level. I couldn't help but
personify this simple message to the album title, being that
butterflies don't go out of their way to look like another,
nor do they tend to draw attention to themselves. Speaking
of which, Kendrick uses the first verse to wrap from
the perspective of his mother, where the adage of mother

(42:21):
knows best comes to light. I could spot you a
mile away. I could see your insecurities written all on
your face, so predictable your words. I know what you're
gonna say. Who you fooling? Or you assuming you can
just come and hang with the homies. But your level
of realness ain't the same. Circus acts only attract those
that entertain small talk. We know that it's all talk.
We live in the laugh factory. Every time they mention

(42:42):
your name, whoo. The truth right there, Truth hurts sometimes.
Kendrick's mom sees right through her son. She understands that,
due to his change in lifestyle, he is tempted to
come back to Compton, trying to fit in, as if
him not being around as much doesn't matter. We can
presume that he calls him out for coming back as
Kendrick Lamar and not just Kendrick. The last three lines

(43:06):
seem to allude to this, as she compares his performative
ways to a circus act, which ties into that last line,
saying that they laugh every time they hear his name
because they know he isn't being his true self. Of course,
Kendrick also references the laugh Factory, a popular comedy club
in Hollywood, to illustrate the humor that ensues at the
sight of Kendrick putting up a front. Then Kendrick uses

(43:28):
the refrain throughout the song to address the similar front
people tend to put up with him. Ask him where
the girl's at to impress me? Ask him where the
money bags to impress me? Say you got the bernustache
to impress me? It's all in your head, homie. Ask
him where the plug at to impress me? Ask him
where the jug at to impress me? Asking where it's

(43:48):
at only upsets me. He sounded like the fans homie.
So funny enough, Kendrick compares his homie to the federal
government because of the high volume of questions he asks,
and since all the questions start where, it carries that
similar investigative undertone. But more importantly, Kendrick sees right through him,
understanding that his homie is associating him with different elements

(44:09):
that stereotypically fit with rappers. Right ask him where the
girl's at, where's the money, where the drug's at? And
so Kendrick stresses the point that his homie has developed
an image in his mind that isn't even real, and
that he shouldn't have to act differently just to impress him.
This is further reflected in the chorus You ain't gotta
lie to kick it, Homie, You ain't gotta lie. You
ain't gotta lie. You ain't gotta lie to kick it, Homie,

(44:32):
you ain't gotta try so hard. Kendrick's theme of authenticity
continues in the second verse as he seemingly calls out
other rappers who generate a certain image in order to
be accepted by the culture and the world. Don't respect you,
and the culture don't accept you. But you think it's
all love, and the girl's going neglect you once your
parody is done. Reputation can't protect you if you never

(44:53):
had one. Jealousy complex, emotional complex, self pity complex, under
oh complex, the loudest one in the room. That's a complex.
Despite the fans, women, and fame that can come from
being in the limelight, Kendrick declares that it's not true
respect and love because they aren't being authentic. The reputation

(45:14):
that they've built isn't a firm foundation for their career.
He even calls out specific patterns that tend to manifest
in negative ways or complexes like jealousy or emotional complexes.
Since he references these two along with self pity and
being under oath, Kendrick addresses the outcomes of putting up
a facade. It exposes deep rooted envy or covetousness of

(45:34):
what someone else has, mixed emotions, causes them to dwell
on their own misfortunes, and of course lies. Kendrick then
adds that being the loudest in the room is a
complex within itself, as he points to the old adage
that the loudest in the room is usually the weakest,
or in this case, the most insecure. Eventually, in the
third verse, Kendrick raps about that insecurity as well, as

(45:55):
he says, see loud rich suckers got low money and
loud broke suckers God no money. The irony behind it
is so funny. The irony is that oftentimes those who
boast about their finances are trying to convince themselves and
others that they have more money than they actually do,
and that because of what their bank account looks like,
they are better than others. They feel like they have

(46:16):
to prove their value, not just financially either, and by
mentioning that loud broke people have no money, Kendrick implies
that these two groups are really in the same boat.
So it's also ironic because in reality, the folks who
flaunt their money aren't that much different from who they
want to show they're better than. Ultimately, for Kendrick, the
same way his mom was able to see through him

(46:37):
in the first verse is the same way he's able
to see others who put up similar fronts with him
as I use some other lines from his third verse
to summarize the song as a whole. You can never
persuade me. You can never relate me to him, to her,
or that to them, or you the truth you love
to bend. Kendrick's own authenticity allows him to easily spot
out those who aren't as authentic, and Kendrick's authenticity is

(46:59):
first elaborated on the next song, I, the self love
anthem opposite of the aforementioned song you Now. The thing
about I is that the single version and the album
version are performed differently. Of course, we will be going
over the album version because there are elements not included
in the single version. In particular, the album version features
an intro, a different variation of the chorus, and an

(47:20):
extended outro from Kendrick. The single version is a more
polished and modified version of what is heard on the album.
Kendrick Lamar looks at I as one of his best
songs in his discography because of its expression and positive
influence directed towards his Compton community. While the song is
more about the self love he has developed, he also
delivers a message of unity to his community as he

(47:42):
reflects on the negativity that surrounds it. He empathizes with
his people and encourages them to embrace a more loving
environment rather than one of hatred and on the album,
the song resembles a live performance before Kendrick eventually stops
the show to address his audience Compton. After being introduced
to the stage, Kendrick's intro features a theme of overcoming obstacles.

(48:02):
I'dn't been through a whole lot trial tribulation, but I
know God the devil want to put me in a
bow tie, pray that the holy water don't go dry.
Yeah yeah. As I look around me, so many other
suckers want to down me. But and Amigo never drown
me in front of a dirty double mirror. They found me. Okay,
so this is really dope because Kendrick mentions that despite

(48:23):
undergoing different trials and tribulations, he knows that he has
God on his side, so his faith is intact. This
thought continues into the next lines as he says the
devil wants to put him in a bow tie, which
I associated with death, as sometimes people make gestures emulating
death by cutting off or wrapping the neck, alluding to
beheading or suffocation, and since a bow tie sits closer

(48:46):
to the neck area and the syllables align with go
dry in the next line, it made sense to me.
Knowing the devil is after him, Kendrick prays that holy
water won't dry up, or that God's favor is still
upon him. Kendrick then compares the devil's yearning to steal, kill,
and destroy to what goes on in his hood. But
still Kendrick maintains his faith, saying that an amigo never

(49:09):
drowned me, which is perfect delivery when Kendrick does it,
because an amigo is Spanish for enemy, but Kendrick wraps
it in a way that sounds like an amegon never
drowned me. So it still sounds like English, right. That's
a good catch there. Yet one may also hear it
as an amigo A friend never drowned me, which sounds

(49:32):
like Kendrick saying a friend wouldn't be out to get him.
A fun line from Kendrick Lamar for sure, yet again
displaying his elite pen. But either way, Kendrick has faith
that he won't be put down by anyone before ending
it with transparency, literally transparency, referencing the transparency of a
double mirror as he admits that his life hasn't been
mistake free, as we've heard throughout the album. We know

(49:54):
this because double mirrors allow those on the outside to
see what's going on in the inside without the individual
on that other side knowing that they're being watched. While
typically used in interrogation rooms, double mirrors have also been
suspected to be used in some hotel rooms and even
retail fitting rooms, while on more rare occasions, Kendrick adds
that the mirror is in fact dirty, alluding to the

(50:16):
fact that what people see is not clean. Brilliant work
from Kendrick Lamar again, but as the intro ushers in
the chorus, now and I love myself. Huh. When you're
looking at me, tell me what do you see? I
put a bullet in the back of the back of
the head of the pole Lee illuminated by the hand
of God. Boy, don't seem shy. I love myself one

(50:37):
day at a time. Uh. Given that this song is
about self love, there are some connections here, even if
it doesn't seem like it on the surface. First, Kendrick
asks when you look at me, what do you see,
which to us is rhetorical, and the singer saying I
love myself implies that no matter what the answer is,
Kendrick loves who he is and that's all that matters. Then,

(50:57):
Kendrick displays a bit of the revenge filled anger that's
from police brutality. While it is a harsh statement what
he says, I believe the message is less about him
actually wanting to kill the police and more about the
love he has for himself and his people, given that
in his grief for the ways black people are treated,
he wants to fight back. And again I have to

(51:18):
stress that for those who tend to take hip hop
lyrics too literal, I really do think that's where Kendrick
Lamar's heart was. And lastly, he stresses the importance of
the importance of maintaining your confidence knowing God's light is
shown upon you. Reflected in various verses in the Bible,
but of course the one that comes to mind for
me is John A twelve. I am the light of

(51:38):
the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life. This verse actually
also fits with the bigger theme of Kendrick's self love,
as it reflects why he's able to channel that faith
he has in himself, knowing it ultimately comes from God.
After presumably addressing the negative images rappers themselves or rap
media often portrays, and pointing out how easy it can

(52:00):
be to get high and run from one's circumstances, Kendrick's
boldness and faith is shown again to end verse one,
dreams of Reality's peace. Blow steam in the face of
the beast, sky could fall down, win could cry. Now
look at me, I smile. So Kendrick is able to
look at the beast, often associated as the devil in
the face because of his faith in God and his

(52:21):
confidence in himself. This self love allows him to look
at his surroundings and still smile with optimism, comparing his
circumstances to worst case scenarios like the sky falling or
wind crying, which are signs that are often associated with
the end of the world and sadness. After another rendition
of the hook, we get into verse two, where Kendrick
Lamar emphasizes his confidence to express his emotions to what

(52:43):
I believe is in his music and his spirit. Lift
up your head and keep moving. Turn the mic up,
peace to fashion police. I wear my heart on my sleeve.
Let the runways start. You know what a miserable do
love company? What do you want from me and my scars?
Everybody lack confidence? Everybody lack confidence. Many times my potential
was anonymous. How many times the city making me promises?

(53:04):
So I promised this homie. I thought that middle section
about wearing his heart on his sleeve and reiterating that
misery loves company was interesting because he seems to point
out how since he's a musician that isn't shy to
express his emotions in music. He wonders how it affects
his listeners. If his fans are drawn to him because

(53:24):
of his emotions, what do they expect to take from
him bearing those feelings on record. Maybe he notices the
ways that associating with a musician's misery in particular can
reflect a lack of confidence to express one's own, which
is why people often see the therapeutical value of music.
I could be reaching, I could be a little bit
all over the place. I'm not entirely sure, but those

(53:46):
were just some of my first thoughts and the passing
thoughts that came to mind as I revisited the song.
But furthermore, Kendrick seems to reflect on his once anonymous
or hidden potential as an MC and how Compton offers
a false sense of hope because of its Nikota me
if you will, between its poor environment and the proximity
to the fame associated with Hollywood. Nonetheless, Kendrick once again

(54:08):
promises to love himself and remain confident despite the emotions
and situations he deals with, and after the Hook and
a Bridge, he starts verse three, where the track hits
a turning point. I went to war last night with
an automatic weapon. Don't nobody call a medic. I'm gonna
do it till I get it right. I went to
war last night. I've been dealing with depression ever since
an adolescent, ducking every other blessing. I can never see

(54:31):
the message. I can never take the lead. I can
never bob and weave from a negative and letting them
annihilate me. And it's evident I'm moving at a meteor speed.
Fin a run into a build and lay my body
and then it cuts off. So he starts the verse
discussing his struggle with depression and what I took at
self sabotage, comparing depression to a war and its relentlessness

(54:52):
to an automatic weapon as it constantly fires or attacks him.
The self sabotage may come in when he mentions that
because of his depression, it forced him to duck or
evade blessings, and then he builds on this idea of
ducking as he then mentions how he struggled to evade
the impact of depression, comparing it to the bobbin and
we even defense tactic in boxing. He continues on this subject,

(55:14):
comparing the intensity of his struggles to the speed of
a meteor and implies that he is due to crash
because of that speed. But the thing is, this is
the part of the song where he is interrupted by
commotion and the crowd, and it leads to a spoken
words segment where he urges the crowd to calm down
and choose peace. He urges them to make good use
of the time that they have, noting that they have

(55:36):
lost too many people that they were close with to
escalate a situation that could have similar consequences. You'll notice
how Kendrick settles the situation by expressing the same love
he's alluded to throughout the song. And I say this
because I love you ninjas man, I love all my ninjas.
Bro enough said, Enough said. And when we get back,
and we're gonna get back to the show and move
on because that's petty, right. So, after the crowd settles,

(55:59):
he takes the moment to educate his people on the
history of the N word, a lesson he was able
to learn from his father. While the word has controversially
evolved from a derogatory slur to casual language, more so
in the form of empowerment or endearment amongst black people,
Kendrick highlights its origin the word negus, which translates to royalty. Right.

(56:21):
So Kendrick then accuses America of keeping this knowledge away
from black people and encourages his audience to apply the
knowledge and help change the way the true N word
is perceived. He even addresses Oprah Winfrey with this in mind,
as she had been known to blame hip hop culture
for why the word became more acceptable in society, even
to those who aren't black. Let's look at this sequence

(56:43):
from Kendrick as he ends the song in a powerful way,
acknowledging that this new knowledge of the N word actually
represents the more positive, self loving origin as opposed to
the negativity often associated with it. My pops gave me
some game and real person retrace my steps on what
they never talked, did my homework fast before government caught me.
So I'm gonna dedicate this one verse to Oprah on

(57:05):
how the infamous sensitive N word control us So many
artists gave her an explanation to hold us well. This
is my explanation straight from Ethiopia. N e g us
definition royalty king royalty wait listen n e g us
description Black emperor king ruler. Now let me finish the
history books, overlook the word and hide it. America tried

(57:26):
to make it into a house divided. The homies don't
recognize we've been using it wrong. So I'm gonna break
it down and put my game in a song. N
e g Us say it with me or say it
no more. Black stars can come and get me. Take
it from Oprah Winfrey, tell her she writ on time.
Kendrick Lamar by far the realist Nigas Alive. And what
I love about this is that it includes the exact

(57:48):
education and depth that some people swear doesn't exist in
hip hop. We've often heard the phrase, originally uttered by
Malcolm X, if you want to hide something from a
black man, put it in a book, as it points
to several different factors, like most notably flaws in the
American education system. Some I think, even black folks disinterest
in reading books for education purposes. I think more so

(58:10):
in the age of technology and just the fight to
learn the parts of our history that fly under the radar,
both intentionally and unintentionally. Kendrick takes this further and says,
I bet since they hide it in books and we
either don't have access to or interest in, I'm gonna
put it in a hip hop song so we can
reach us in an arguably faster and greater way. Of course,

(58:31):
I could also even mention how as time and technology
have advanced, it became easier to receive education from other
mediums like YouTube and Google, and I could even include
that that same technology is what kind of distracts us,
as we tend to seek entertainment more than education. So
point being, I just think Kendrick recognized the importance of

(58:52):
including a lesson like this in a song and on
an album like this, especially with the greater influence he
as in pop culture. Another reason I I appreciated it
is because it reminded me of where I was when
I first learned of the origins of the N word.
The only time I ever got the knowledge was as
a freshman in high school taken African American history. This
was one of the most eye opening lessons of my

(59:13):
life to this day, and I think it points back
to the fact that the Black experience did not start
with tragedy and struggle. You could say we were pimped right.
Our story started with a sense of pride and self
love that was eventually robbed and then had to be reignited.
Kendrick Lamar used Eye to not just proclaim it for
himself and allow us to put ourselves in the lyrics,

(59:35):
but learn where it came from as well, another example
of an artist who understands what hip hop is supposed
to do and last, but certainly not the least. After
ending Ie as a torch bearer for Compton and black
people all over the world, he ends the album with
the track that reiterates his goal to bring a positive
impact through his music while challenging us as fans to

(59:55):
not just support what he's doing, but participate as well.
It's time for the final track, Mortal Man. Kendrick Lamar
draws inspiration from many leaders in this song, mainly Nelson
Mandela and eventually is hip hop hero Tupac Shakur, where
he finally finishes the poem teased throughout the album to
usher in a dreamlike conversation between him and Pac, using

(01:00:15):
one of Tupac's interviews to orchestrate the back and forth dialogue.
Before that, though, Kendrick tips off the song, alternating between
the chorus and the refrain, aware of his leadership position
and responsibility to make a legacy lasting impact with his platform.
After this, he challenges fans to evaluate their loyalty and
endurance and their support, understanding that leaders are often betrayed

(01:00:37):
by their followers. At some point the ghost of Mendela.
Hope my flows stay propelling. Let these words be your
Earth and moon. You consume every message as I leave
this army, make room for mistakes and depression. And with
that being said, Mahomie, let me ask this question. When
Ish hit the fan? Is you still a fan? When
Ish hit the fan? Huh? When Ish hit the fan,

(01:00:58):
is you still a fan? When it is hit the fan?
Is you still a fan? We hear Kendrick draw inspiration
from Nelson Mandela's mission to fight for racial equality in
South Africa, as he fought against apartheid from the nineteen
forties to the late nineteen nineties. Kendrick hopes his music
brings about a similar devotion to his purpose and impact.
Of course, Kendrick acknowledges that he is imperfect and is

(01:01:20):
due to experience, mistakes and shortcomings. So he asks us,
when Ish hits the fan, will we still remain fans?
As he plays on a fan used for cooling and
a fan as in fanatic. Listening to this in twenty
twenty five, I think, especially in our era where cancel
culture seems to be at an all time high. Kendrick
wanted to know whether or not his supporters will be

(01:01:41):
loyal in support of his mission, Knowing that his mistakes
shouldn't define who he is. Kendrick uses the first verse
to elaborate on this. Do you believe in me? Are
you deceiving me? Could I let you down easily? Is
your heart where it needs to be? Is your smile
on permanent? Is your vow on lifetime? Would you know
where the sermon is? If I died in this next line,
if I'm tried in a court of law, if the

(01:02:01):
industry cut me off, if the government want me dead,
plant cocaine in my car? Would you judge me a
drughead or see me as Kay Lamar? Or question my
character and degrade me on every blog. Now, let's be clear.
I do think we have to be mindful of idolatry, right.
It's a dangerous thing when it comes to celebrities and
public figures and things of that nature. But I think

(01:02:23):
at the end of the day, the point isn't to
worship Kendrick Lamar. In fact, we know that he ended
up detailing that side of his influence on Savior in
the Mister Morale album. But because he has led us
in on his values, morals, inspirations, and lessons he's learned.
We can experience some of his authenticity and accountability. So
as he essentially asks will you ride for me if

(01:02:43):
they ever try to bring me down? It challenges us
to pick a side. Will we trust that Kendrick is
who he says he is or side with those who
seek to damage his impact. He then ends the verse
drawing more inspiration from the life of Nelson Mandela. Want
you to love me like Nelson. Want you to hug
me like Nelson. I freed you from being a slave
in your mind. You're very welcome you tell me my
song is more than a song. It's surely a blessing.

(01:03:06):
But a prophet ain't a profit till they ask you
this question. Kendrick wants to be appreciated and reachable, like
Nelson Mandela, who was incredibly revered for his efforts bringing
peace to South Africa. Kendrick's music has had the tendency
to resonate deeply with fans, and his conscious subject matters
have inspired many of us to seek to let go
of certain mindsets and behaviors, much like we've heard in

(01:03:26):
this album Kendrick acknowledges that the impact his music has
on people, but still questions how loyal his fans are, because,
like a prophet who foresees future events, Kendrick knows how
the world likes to bring down people with his influence.
After the refrain and chorus, he starts verse two with
more questions directed towards his fans. Do you believe in me?

(01:03:47):
How much you believe in her? You think she gonna
stick around if them twenty five years occur? You think
he can hold you down when you down behind bars hurt?
You think y'all on common ground if you promised to
be the first here? Kendrick rhetorically asked if his now
wife would be able to stay loyal in the event
that he would be sentenced to twenty five years in jail,
which happens to be two less years than the time

(01:04:07):
nilson Mandela's wife Winifred had to wait for him to
return from prison. These lines pretty much help Kendrick transition
into more questions centered around family. Can you be immortalized
without your life being expired even though y'all share the
same blood? Is it worth the time? Like? Who got
your best interest? Like how much are you dependent? How
clutch are to people that say they love you? And

(01:04:28):
who pretended? I thought the first question from Kendrick was
a really good one, because it sure seems like oftentimes
people have higher influence received their flowers when they aren't
present to smell them. Furthermore, I believe he questions if
being this kind of person of influence is worth it
as he struggles with even the family aspect of it all,
who really has his best interest at heart? Who's pretending

(01:04:48):
to do so? Kendrick is certainly asking the tough questions here,
and still he goes on, how tough your skin when
they turn you in? Do you show forgiveness? What brush
do you bend when dust and your shoulders from being
and offended? What kind of den did they put you
in when the lions start hissing? What kind of bridge
did they burn? Revenge on your mind? When it's mentioned
first off, Kendrick alludes to the aspect of forgiveness once

(01:05:10):
again indirectly referencing how even when Nelson Mandela was thrown
in prison for his political work, he sought unity and forgiveness.
There's a quote for quote from him that reads, as
I walked out the door toward the gate that would
lead to my freedom. I knew if I didn't leave
my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.
Nelson Mandela made sure to embody the same characteristics he

(01:05:30):
was fighting for, forgiveness and unity in his hardest moment.
Kendrick asks, if one is real enough to have a
similar spirit, then Kendrick questions how one would respond to offense,
references the idea of Daniel being thrown in the lions
den in the Bible and essentially asks how our loyalty
might be tested and calls out how we may want
a love like Mandela, yet we have revenge on our

(01:05:52):
minds unlike he did. You want to love like Nelson.
You want to be like Nelson. You want to walk
in his shoes with your peace, make and seldom. You
want to be remembered that delivered the message that considered
the blessing of everyone. This is your lesson for everyone, say,
Kendrick essentially calls us out for talking big but acting small.
Pretty much, it's important to walk the walk, especially as

(01:06:12):
a person of influence, knowing people are watching your every move.
That said in the third verse, Kendrick admits his own
shortcomings in that regard with the first lines as follows,
I've been rolled off before. I got abandonment issues. I
hold grudges like bad judges. Don't let me resent you.
That's not Nelson, like want you to love me like Nelson.
I went to Robins Island, Analyzon, That's where his cell is,

(01:06:35):
so I could find clarity like how much you cherish me?
Kendrick confesses his abandonment issues and the fact that he
had a tendency to hold grudges against people, and I
think you understanding that it didn't mirror the character of
his inspiration in Nelson Mandela. He reveals that he even
went to Nelson Mandela's prison cell when he visited Africa
to get greater clarity. And I think it shows how

(01:06:56):
devoted Kendrick was to display the same characteristics one of
his inspirations by visiting the place they spend a large
amount of time, especially a lot of time isolated, yet
eager to continue their mission creatively. Though Kendrick kind of
pronounces the word sell like soul, so there's kind of
two different meanings there. To further stress the idea that

(01:07:17):
he didn't just want to study Mandela. He wanted to
be where he was. It reminds me of how people
like to visit Bethelehem and Jerusalem, where Jesus was born
and crucified. Knowing that Jesus walked the same past that
they're on tends to strengthen people's faith and provide an intimate,
surreal experience. I think Kendrick was after the same thing. Next,

(01:07:38):
Kendrick doesn't just question if his relationship with us is real,
but now he's questioning if anything is real? Is this
relationship of fake or real? As the heavens be see?
I got a question at all family, friends, fans, cats, dogs, trees, plants, grass,
how to wind blow? Murphy's Law? Generation X? Will I
ever be an X? This eventually builds up to the

(01:07:58):
point where Kendrick recognizes the relationship might not be real
because of how other leaders and public figures were treated.
Flaws of a babystep maull by the mouth of pitbulls,
put me under, stressed, crawled under rocks, duck and y'all
dis respect, but then tomorrow put my back against the wall.
How many leaders you say you need it then left
them for dead? Is it? Moses? Is it Huey Newton

(01:08:19):
or Detroit Red. Is it Martin Luther JFK? Shooter you assassin?
Is it Jackie? Is it Jesse? Oh? I know it's
Michael Jackson. Oh Kendrick adds that the stress that comes
with being a public figure makes him want to avoid
the public. He then acknowledges the hot and cold nature
of the game and that this world that's turned against
leaders since the beginning of time, even referencing Moses in

(01:08:39):
the Bible, who was in charge of leading the Israelites
to the Promised Land, but he didn't get to step
foot in the Promised Land. He didn't get to enjoy
it because he had doubt of God. He also references
Huey Newton, co founder of the Black Panther Party, who
was assassinated by the Black Gorilla Family that featured former
Black Panthers Malcolm X aka Detroit Red, who was assassinated
by members of the Nation of Islam, which he had

(01:09:01):
been affiliated with. He then references Martin Luther King Junior,
who was controversially assassinated despite promoting unity between black and
white people. JFK's assassination, which has also been met with controversy,
and then he ends with Jackie presumably Jackie Robinson, where
I didn't quite catch why he would mention Jackie in
this same kind of betrayal category, Maybe just because of

(01:09:25):
the simple fact that because of the racism he encountered
despite making history as the MLB player that broke the
color barrier. And then of course presumably Jesse Jackson, who
fell short trying to become the first African American US president,
and then Michael Jackson, who faced controversy after his child
molestation accusation. So point being, Kendrick drops all these names

(01:09:47):
to further emphasize if ish hiss the fan, are you
sure you'll stick around for me? But even after that
rendition and another chorus, the song isn't over. As Kendrick
finally finishes the poem, we've heard snippets of all album law.
I remember you was conflicted, misusing your influence. Sometimes I
did the same, abusing my power. Full of resentment, resentment

(01:10:09):
that turned into deep depression. Found myself screaming in the
hotel room. I didn't want to self destruct. The evils
of Lucy was all around me, so I went running
for answers until I came home. But that didn't stop
survivor's guilt, going back and forth trying to convince myself
the stripes I earned, or maybe how a one my
foundation was. But while my loved ones was fighting the
continuous war back in the city, I was entering a

(01:10:30):
new one, a war that was based on apartheid and discrimination.
Maybe want to go back to the city and tell
the homies what I learned. The word was respect. Just
because you wore a different gang color than Minds doesn't
mean I can't respect you as a black man forgetting
all the pain and hurt we caused each other in
these streets. If I respect you, we unify and stop
the enemy from killing us. But I do know I'm

(01:10:52):
no mortal man. Maybe I'm just another never ignorant getting
goals accomplished. M m m h. We realize this whole time.
Kendrick's poem was directed to Tupac. He compares Pock's influence
to his own, finding common ground in their humanity. They
both expressed the depression that came from their upbringings, the

(01:11:14):
ups and downs of fame, the desire to impact the
world in a greater positive way, and the desire to
change their communities for the better. Funny enough, Kendrick ends
the poem claiming that he is an immortal man, implying
that his impact will stand the test of time, before
retracting and wondering if he's just another dude or in
fact a mortal man. Here, Kendrick admits to Tupac that

(01:11:36):
he wrote this, hoping that it was something that Poc
could relate to, before initiating further conversation with him, who
ends up telling Kendrick that he believes the ground would
cave in and swallow those who are evil, a metaphor
for the poor overcoming the rich. Furthermore, Kendrick continues to
pick Pock's brain, asking him if he felt like he
was one of the rich or someone who made the

(01:11:57):
best of their opportunities. Of course, if you know Pac,
you wouldn't be surprised that he responded by saying that
he's a natural born hustler. He went with the latter,
and as the dialogue continues, Pac continues to share similar
ideologies that Kendrick shared throughout this album, like how his
faith in God kept him saying how he felt like
staying true to himself was his superpower, and after Kendrick

(01:12:18):
continues to converse with Pack. He eventually brings the concept
of to pimp a butterfly full circle and shares the
theory with Pack, only to end with a cliffhanger. The
caterpillar is a prisoner to the streets that conceived it.
Its only job is to eat or consume everything around
it in order to protect itself from this mad city.
While consuming its environment, the caterpillar begins to notice ways

(01:12:39):
to survive. One thing that notice is how much the
world shuns him but praises the butterfly. The butterfly represents
the talent, the thoughtfulness, and the beauty within the caterpillar,
but having a harsh outlook on life. The caterpillar sees
the butterfly as weak and figures out a way to
pimp it to its own benefits. Already surrounded by this
mad city, the caterpillar goes to work on the concoon,

(01:13:00):
which institutionalizes him. He can no longer see passes own thoughts.
He's trapped. When trapped inside these walls, certain ideas take root,
such as going home and bringing back new concepts to
this mad city. The result, wings begin to emerge, breaking
the cycle of feeling stagnant. Finally free. The Butterfly sheds
light on situations that the caterpillar never considered and in

(01:13:22):
the internal struggle. Although the butterfly and caterpillar are completely different,
they are one and the same. What's your perspective on that?
Pot pac pot man? Crazy? Right? Crazy? Notice how Kendrick
connects the two albums, this one and his previous Good

(01:13:42):
Kid Mad City. He depicts the different stages of life
between the caterpillar and the butterfly. One has to go
through the grind, the other gets to enjoy the fruit
of that journey. Of course, the caterpillar seems to be
offended by that, right, why do I have to be
the one trapped in this mad city? But the thing is,
what it sees as unfair is the environment that actually
ends up fostering the lessons needed to become the butterfly.

(01:14:04):
The way I see Kendrick's analogy is this, the caterpillar
is what you see, but the butterfly is who you are.
Ooh ooh, Kendrick cooked with this whole concept, man, So
it does kind of reflect what I mentioned in the intro, right,
how everyone likes to marvel at the butterfly yet didn't
get to see the part of the cycle where they
were a caterpillar, and with Kendrick flipping the word pimp

(01:14:26):
to carry a positive connotation, he highlights how the caterpillar
was able to use his differences to become what it
was always destined to become. And of course, with that,
we have finally made it to the end of this
album breakdown. Man, I had to break this in two parts, man,
and I really appreciate you sticking around like, and I'm
sure you can tell, like my voice is horse like.

(01:14:49):
I kind of overdid it and really took it to
the limit here. But what a journey this was. Would
you believe me if I told you that? Well, I'm
sure you would now, But would you believe me if
I told you we just went through sixty pages of
notes for this album breakdown, all for the love of
hip hop, man. Final thoughts for me, Kendrick Lamar Duckworth

(01:15:10):
is incredible. So Pimper Butterfly is the definition of an album.
Notice how each song connected to the next, and even
the songs later in the track list connected to songs
that were earlier in the first half. And not even
just the concepts either, but the titles right institutionalized kind
of connects with these walls, complexion connects with the black
of the Barry. I mean, Kendrick put every bit of

(01:15:32):
detail into this masterpiece. This is what art is supposed
to do, challenge thought patterns, bring forth different perspectives, share worldviews,
and inspire those who listen. Kendrick Lamar checked all those boxes.
As always, I genuinely hope you give this album a listen,
whether it's for the first time or the a million time.
I certainly hope that I was able to help you
understand the themes of growth, unity, impact, knowledge, vulnerability, self love,

(01:15:57):
and so many more that showed up across this album.
I sincerely appreciate you giving my review of all the
ones that are likely out there or listen, and taking
time out of your day to hear my thoughts, my
lengthy thoughts on some of hip hop's finest work. Again,
I do put a lot of time into these album breakdown,
so please, I encourage you to share any thoughts, different perspectives,
or even constructive criticism for me, as I simply just

(01:16:20):
want to share the love of hip hop with you.
I'm always around for further discussion on Twitter or ig
at Desmond Pile Underscore or of course at Hip to
the Games if you want to talk some more. But
in the meantime, here's to another reflection of the god
gifted brilliance of hip hop's past and present. Shout out
to Kendrick Lamar for letting us in on his journey
from the Mad City to the hip Hop Icon, giving

(01:16:40):
us education, introspection, inspiration and affirmation that still stands ten
years later, and for encouraging us to embrace the caterpillar
so we can thrive as butterflies. And of course here's
a huge shout out to you for being Hip to
the Games and I thank you so much for sticking
around for another jam packed episode off of the love
of the best combo are peace Out and God Bless.

(01:17:03):
I hope you enjoyed this episode of Hip to the
Games and if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to
hit up the socials at Desmond Powell Underscore and at
Hip to the Games on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok so
you don't miss out on the fund and please follow
or subscribe to the show and leave a review on
the podcast platform and you're on right now as your
support is greatly to appreciated,

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