I have two songs in mind one being Kendrick Lamar’s “The Blacker the Berry” and the other being J. Cole’s “Be Free”.
The first song “The Blacker the Berry” addresses issues of racial identity, discrimination, and self-reflection. He explores themes of black pride, anger, and the complexities of being a black man in America. The title itself, “The Blacker the Berry,” plays on the idea that the more someone embraces their racial identity and heritage, the more they may face prejudice and adversity. The song’s lyrics and intense delivery make it a thought-provoking commentary on race and inequality in the United States. What intrigues me about this song is the transparency and bluntness he evokes. Moreover, I want to dive deep into his personal battles with his identity and perhaps uncover some information from his personal life.
The other song ” Be Free” J. Cole gives a powerful and heartfelt response to the death of Michael Brown. Michael Brown was an unarmed black teen whom a police officer killed. His expression and somber tone throughout the song are highly passionate and his voice is filled with frustration, because of the the racial injustice and police brutality that continues to occur so frequently. even back in 2014. He goes, more in-depth about topics that go beyond just this incident, which I want to delve deeper into. Also, I’m curious to know if J. Cole did more than just use his platform to shed light on this topic.
September 16, 2023 at 10:35 am
Denzel,
These are two great songs to consider, though I know another student is probably already working on “Be Free.” You can still work on it, but it will be good to know that so you are not duplicating work.
“The Blacker the Berry” is the more challenging of the two songs, which is also a reason to choose it. The thing about Kendrick Lamar is that the lyrics are so dense that the biggest challenge will be trying to narrow down the subject of the song. The most interesting part of it is the whole self-reflection in here, coming through the idea that the protagonist is a hypocrite. I’m crurios to learn more about that.
Looking forward to your project.
Bill