A DAMN. Good Album

Through hundreds and hundreds of genres and artists, good music speaks to people through emotions, thoughts, or ideas. Today, one artist executes this task with perfect precision. Kendrick Lamar Duckworth began his musical career as a teenager in Compton, California. Today he is known as a rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Three years ago today Lamar released his fourth studio album, DAMN.

Love.

DAMN. portrays a message that society was unaware it needed. It is labeled under the genre of political hip hop because it speaks to the people as a call to action, regarding social activism. Lamar successfully portrays multiple social issues in the world today: the human's internal struggle between love and lust, racism, individual values, and religion. For example, in the song “LOVE (FEAT. ZACARI.),” Lamar questions whether or not his wife’s love is unconditional with the lines “If I didn't ride blade on curb, would you still love me? If I minimized my net-worth, would you still love me? Keep it a hundred, I’d rather you trust me than to love me.” This addresses the issue of loving someone for their personality versus their net-worth (money) or expensive belongings. Which, in my opinion, is a very prevalent issue in today's society. That feeling is often put on a pedestal, enforced even. To follow the money at all costs.

Racism.

In “PRIDE,” Lamar describes to the listeners what a perfect world would be like in his eyes. He references this topic with the lines “Sick venom in men and women overcome with pride” and “Race barriers make inferior you and I.” These lyrics tell the readers that pride does two things: plagues our society, and fuels racism. He goes on to say that pride leading to segregation between races is what often tears down the African-American/Black community. As many of us may know, this is proven through America's history of redlining, which stripped many minorities of vital opportunities and abilities and was never 'put down' until the early 70s. But of course, they were already so harshly affected making it harder to get out than it was before.

Individual values are questioned in “LOYALTY (FEAT. RIHANNA.).” Rihanna says “Tell me who you loyal to. Do it start with your woman or your man? Do it end with your family and friends? How you loyal to yourself in advance?” - SELFISHNESS- Sorry it had to be said. She ends by saying “Is it anybody you would die for?” while Lamar quickly answers with “That's what God for.” These lyrics make the audience question who they give their loyalty to, giving their answer and then comparing it with Lamar's.

The multiple social issues addressed in the album; the album’s awareness leaves the audience with profound questions enhancing it’s quality. For example: what kind of world are we living in?

Whether the answer is positive or negative answer, is this the way we want to live?

Lamar goes against the status quo of rap music by incorporating intricate and detailed language within every song. For example, he begins the album with the song “BLOOD” where he is shot by a blind woman in the street. As noticed by Patrick Lyon in his review of the album, Lamar being shot in the beginning of the album could be referencing that the rest of the album is a compilation of his own thoughts and reflections from purgatory.

The True Top Dog.

DAMN. has proven to be his best album because of its many awards. It won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album in 2018, which has been given out since 1990 to many prestigious artists like Whitney Houston. It has also won many common awards like BET Hip Hop Award for Best Album of the Year, Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, BET Award for Album of the Year, American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album, Billboard Music Award for Top Rap Album, and more.

Among all the titles Lamar has earned with his work, the Pulitzer Prize for Music definitely takes the cake. These awards have been given annually since 1943. This award made Lamar the first non-classical or jazz artist to earn the prize.

Happy birthday DAMN.!

- Carley

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Lamar, Kendrick. DAMN. Top Dog Entertainment. 2017. CD.

Bratton, Grace. “Review: 'DAMN.' addresses racial, political issues.” The Daily Gamecock. April 16, 2017.

Graham, Nadine. “Kendrick Lamar: The West Coast Got Somethin’ To Say.” HIPHOPDX, January 6, 2011.

Lyons, Patrick. “A Track-By-Track Analysis Of Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN."” HNHH. April 18, 2017.