The way I look at it, in this time and age if some white people still have preconceived notion on how all blacks act in a negative manner than they are a lost cause. Harping on how they think of us and trying to fix it, is a waste of time we saw this just last year, our people were killed anyways...
Kendrick Lamar - The Blacker The Berry (Prod. by Boi-1da)
- Thread starter JordanWearinThe45
- Start date
bigdikkbandit
Rookie
They aren't making the same point breh. Are yall listening to the song or just one line? He's not blaming anything on black people, the first verse is about the racist system that destroys ghettos
The system that necessitates gangs and bangers, the system that encourages black people to kill Black people, and he's pointing at the criminals, victims/creations of said system, and calling them hypocritics for fulfulling the role the system cast them as.
What solutions does he have for the hypocritical gang bangers besides "yall need to stop killing each other"?
Nothing can or will change until the system itself changes, the system is the diseases and the crime is a symptom, condemning the symptoms of a disease does NOTHING to cure the disease.
How is that c00nish behavior
Yes, killed because of how they think of us, if we disregard how they think of us, we can easily end up in a situation that can get us killed by them. This doesn't mean we should obsess over what white people might be thinking of us but we must be aware at all times. The young man killed in Walmart for carrying a toy gun wasn't concerned with what white people might be thinking or how they might perceive his behaviors or he would have never been carrying it in the first place, his lack of awareness played a large role in him losing his life.
smARTmouf
Ascended Member
Damn...that shyt is like surviving in the wilderness...such a shame
Kenny West
Veteran
nikka...
look..do whatever mental gymnastics you need to do to make shyt like the bold check out in your head, do you. But you wouldn't have to if it wasn't hypocrite you wouldn't need to. Gangbanger's violence effects more than just other gangbangers
I hope Kendricks music continues to make folks mad and force africans to challenge a lot of these beliefs they accept.
Piff Perkins
Veteran
To move this beyond music let me get this straight...you don't agree with any form of push back against gang violence, if it is aimed at gangs/community? Your view is the focus should solely be on the institution that creates them, right? So...gang outreach programs, stop the violence marches, guns for toys campaigns, etc...all that shyt is a waste of time to you right?
I have no problem with directly appealing to the community. Yes the system deserves blame. But there are things we as a community can do to address gang violence, teenage pregnancy, drug use, etc. Whether it's after school programs or job programs, we have options. I've never heard someone take your position on this subject. I have no problem with criticizing gang culture and combating it on a community level. Institutional change requires macro solutions - government policies, changes in the justice system, etc. Community change requires micro solutions.
That's how I took it too. He even says, I'M going to be the biggest hypocrite of 2015. i think people are assuming he's using a broad narrative voice to make a bigger message (i.e., black on black crime), I don't think that's the case. Kendrick already told y'all before he caught a body before. I guess y'all didn't believe him.
black on black crime is a very sensitive issue for us. kendrick is very aware of the dichotomy of black on black crime being fueled by oppressive race/class based actions on one side while also challenging our own to take more responsibility for reducing it on the other. i don't mind the discussion at all because each side of that discussion is mutually exclusive. i don't take it as him passing blame.
it's one of those topics that get strong opinions every time, but the reactions in this thread are interesting since the personal responsibility angle is made by pretty much every artist, usually as a "what if" type statement. pe did it, run dmc did it, krs did it, rakim, dre, cube, kast, etc, etc. anyway it's dope track and hope there's more like it on the album.
it's one of those topics that get strong opinions every time, but the reactions in this thread are interesting since the personal responsibility angle is made by pretty much every artist, usually as a "what if" type statement. pe did it, run dmc did it, krs did it, rakim, dre, cube, kast, etc, etc. anyway it's dope track and hope there's more like it on the album.
That's exactly what it's like which is why I only put myself in environments where I plan to do something constructive, I never just hang out to bullshyt and pass the time, if I'm out in public, my antennas are up and assessing everything around me so I can plan my moves accordingly even if that planning is only a few minutes ahead at a time, if you get caught lacking, there's no reset button.
It's not mental gymnastics
you are the one doing that, that's why you have no answer for me, because what I say is the fact of the matter
and also where all those gang bangers who were outraged over Trayvon martin, I just say a bunch of law abiding citizens
the gangs like GD's were criticized for not giving a fukk and not giving George Zimmerman that work like they should have
Kenny West
Veteran
do you think he's criticizing gang violence or law abiding citizens?