“DAMN by Kendrick Lamar. A virtuosic song collection, unified by its vernacular authenticity that offers affecting vignettes, capturing the complexity of modern African American life. Congratulations Kendrick Lamar.” These are the words spoken by the Pulizter committee, on the day Kendrick Lamar accepted the Pulitzer Prize. The first rapper to win the prize, the first ever musician outside of the classical or jazz genre. This recognition was groundbreaking to the music industry, yet far from surprising. In a world where language unites people, lyrics in music are an effective and powerful way to evoke human emotions. Music has the ability to form connections and foster empowerment. Lamar is the most talented and powerful lyricist of this generation, and his achievements in the music industry prove it. The extraordinary artist has earned 12 Grammy awards including best rap album for his albums “To Pimp a Butterfly” as well as “DAMN.” He has also won other awards including BET Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and many more.
Lamar’s songs are deeper than catchy beats and words that rhyme. They are a powerful outlook on issues that plague today’s society. He grew up in Compton, an area notorious for gang violence in poverty. At the age of 5, he witnessed a murder during a drug deal in front of his apartment. It was moments like these that led Lamar to foster a remarkable ability to create emotional stories through his music that have the power to influence generations of people. In his song, “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst,” Lamar raps a verse about his late friend Dave who he had promised to write a song about. “You ran outside/ when you heard/ my brother cry for help/ Held him like a newborn baby/ and made him feel like everything was alright, and he tried to/ put up a fight/ But the type of bullet that stuck/ Had went against his will, as blood/ spilled on your hands” “First verse is speaking from my partner talkin’ to me, speakin’ on a story of how I was there when his brother passed,” he explained.The way in which he writes about his own life experiences and connections with past friends creates a strong image of the compassionate person he is.
In his latest and most moving album, “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers,” Lamar uncovers his darkest thoughts. He opens up about his past personal struggles, trauma and current societal issues. It is a double album, one half being on the more upbeat side; Big steppers and the other half coming from Mr. Morale is more emotional as he communicates his traumatizing family experiences of abuse, addiction and gang violence.
Lamar uses alliteration often in various songs in every album. The use of the device not only creates an appealing sound but empowers the meaning of the point he intends to get across. “Father Time” contains many examples of this tactic, incorporating alliteration with different letters.“Egotistic, zero given f*cks and to be specific, need assistance with the way I was brought up” The repetition of the consonant sound S contributes to the smooth rhythm of the line, emphasizing the words and drawing special attention to each one. Another example of alliteration is, “Looking for ‘I love you,’ rarely empathizing for my relief, a child that grew accustomed, jumping up when I scraped my knee.” Here Lamar uses alliteration with the repetition of the letter L across the sentence. He uses this to connect the words “Looking” “Love” “Rarely” and “Relief” which strengthens the connotation of each word, emphasizing aspects of his life that were lacking simultaneously.
Another device seen often in Lamar’s lyrics is the repetitive use of anaphora. In the song “FEEL.” from the album “DAMN,” he creates a song that is one big anaphora using the one phrase “I feel like” at the beginning of each line. The song sings,
“I feel like friends been overrated
I feel like the family been fakin
I feel like the feelings are changin’
Feel like my thought of compromised is jaded
Feel like you want to scrutinize how I made it”
Not only is anaphora present, but there are also examples of external rhyme, and more alliteration of the letter F. The whole song is highly calculated, and the repetition of the word feel emphasizes his emotions in addressing his family life and social life. The repetition of this phrase helps Lamar validate his own thoughts and connect to others who may be feeling the same way.
Lamar’s technical and intentional use of specific literary devices in his stories add to the already empowering message that he sends with each song. His articulate language and views on society are extremely influential, as they have such great impacts on citizens of America. His music is a gift and his talent deserves to be recognized.
