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"The Blacker the Berry" Breakdown

From the Kendrick Lamar Album, 'To Pimp A Butterfly'

By PHILLY THE AFRICANAPublished 7 years ago 12 min read
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Ok before you say, "But this album came out 2015!" or "You're a little bit too late on this song."

First off, shut the fuck up! I didn't do freelance writing back then, damn!

Get off my dick.

Second, this song is so important I truly believe it will stand the test of time. You can never be too late with greatness.

Anyway! Lets get started beautiful people (that I just told to STFU & get off my dick... I'm a mess).

In the song “The Blacker the Berry,” Kendrick Lamar expresses a pain and degree of fear that a lot of black adults, especially in America, share due to incidents in recent years. These incidents include the killings of black folks like Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Renisha McBride, Eric Garner etc. Also included are the riots on the streets of places such as New York and Ferguson and the most (somehow, I don't know how) controversial topic discussed on social media that is “Black Lives Matter.” Despite its vulgarities (which I appreciate), Lamar tries to send a message (that a lot of black people can relate to) across to white/non black people and express the feelings of a lot of black folks in America. The album To Pimp a Butterfly from which the song came from, is very invested in black culture and the idea revolution as is portrays the different spectrums of social living and mental cognitions that black people share. I think Kendrick Lamar did a very good job portraying the thoughts of the black American demographic as it truly displays the cognitions, self-concept and self-esteem that stigmatized blacks Americans have be taught and have shared, from the period of slavery till the year 2015. I want to discuss the depth of this song, how it reflects the struggles in Adulthood of black people and how it can affect self-understanding within the race.

Lamar starts off the song describing a very unhealthy environment and a sense of unrest/chaos. This unrest is one that a lot of black people (and some allies) are very familiar with as part of their daily life when he says,

“Six in the mornin', fire in the street Burn, baby burn, that's all I wanna see…”

This refers to the riots that have taken place for a long time (even before 2015) and how they happen so often. The racial chaos/discrimination is so frequent, it almost seems like black people are accustomed to the daily routine of rioting for their lives. As black people are now accustomed to the chaos and fight for their lives, Kendrick quickly reminds us of mental health issues in the black community (caused by the racism) alongside giving a shout out to the famous (and racist) Black-on-black crime argument as he says,

“And sometimes I get off watchin' you die in vain It's such a shame they may call me crazy, They may say I suffer from schizophrenia or somethin' But homie you made me Black don't crack my nigga.”

This quote (above) reflects the false and manipulative messaging a lot of black people receive from White America: Black people are the architects of their own problem. It refers to the Crab mentality (Crabs in a barrel) where (apparently) black people don't like to see other black people rise. But the questions that everybody seems to never ask are, who created the Barrel in the first place? And who put the crabs in there after that? Kendrick answers these questions by saying, "But Homie you made me." "Homie" refers to White Supremacy/America that instituted racist policies, systems, institutions and laws (e.g. segregation, Jim Crow laws etc) that restructured the lives of Black America for the worse till date. Kendrick Lamar continues with a (bold and common) statement that defiantly proclaims black resilience over time and white supremacy, when he says to white America, “Black don't crack my nigga.” I find it interesting that Lamar starts off his verses by saying,

“I'm the biggest hypocrite of 2015 Once I finish this, witnesses will convey just what I mean...”

At first it stuns me because Kendrick Lamar is bae, but later you realize that he is rightly not claiming objectivity nor innocence, confessing his internalized racism, and pointing out the hypocrisy in the black community. He is accepting the fact that he has made mistakes based on what he has been taught in America for a long time. This is so because he says,

“Been feeling this way since I was 16, came to my senses, you (Racist White people) never liked us anyway, fuck your friendship, I meant it...”

This is one of my favorite lines of the song as he refuses the exploitation of black people (in various forms) under the guise of "friendship" that white people offer (to black folks). Fuck that shit. It also sounds like he has learnt a lesson from his ancestors in Africa who were tricked, beaten raped, killed, and forced into slavery by European colonizers, who at first came under the banner of peace and friendship. Lamar does one final thing in this line, he fully claims his independence from white people and white manipulation of the black community. This is the same thing as finally becoming "WOKE" and understanding more about social injustice in reality (not the whitewashed version of reality).

“I'm African-American, I'm African I'm black as the moon, heritage of a small village Pardon my residence, Came from the bottom of mankind, My hair is nappy, my dick is big, my nose is round and wide, you hate me don’t you…”

Kendrick Lamar does what a lot of black people do when they are finally woke, he proudly claims his ancestry (being both African American and African) and proudly accepts his negro features, despite the fact that such pride in one's blackness is not comforting nor acceptable to White America and its system. He even plays with common stereotypes about black people, successfully disarming the weapon of attacks (racist stereotypes) that white people use against black folks. He also reminds white people that by coming from the bottom of mankind, black people were scientifically the first humans on earth and white people are a mutation of black people. Kendrick openly says what a lot of black people know and what a lot of white people feel/are as he says (below),

“You (White man) hate my people (black people), your plan is to terminate my culture, You're fuckin' evil, I want you to recognize that I'm a proud monkey, You vandalize my perception but can't take style from me, And this is more than confession..”

This quote (above) portrays the raw and unfiltered anger of a lot of frustrated black people whose culture has been exploited and copied since forever. The quote also reminds us that racism is still alive and well, especially for those who want to deny the existence racism. Amanda Sternberg once asked the question, "what if America loved black people as much as they loved black culture?" This raises awareness of the difference between how America treats black culture vs how it treats black people. White people copy a lot of our style (Cornrows, hip hop music, dance, success etc.) but condemn us black people for being the originators or practicing black culture. When Kendrick says, "You can't take style from me" I believe he is unifying black culture with black people. This unification defies the idea that black people are bad but black culture is good (for the stealing...I mean exploiting...I mean taking). If you want black culture, it comes with black bodies, there is no separation nigga.

“Im guardin' my feelins, I know that you feel it, You sabotage my community, makin' a killin', You made me a killer, emancipation of a real nigga.”

With this quote (above), he declares that he does not care for white opinions or feelings (but of his ownindependent black feelings and body) even though systematic racism and white supremacy have broken him down and once separated him from his ancestry. He also mentions how this newfound independence is a big problem for White America to continue sabotaging Black America. You may ask what I mean by White America sabotaging black America. Remember when I said Crabs in a barrel earlier? Remember what I said about white people building the barrel in the first place? Thats what I mean. Lamar refers to this new found independence/wokeness as the "emancipation of a real nigga,” of black men and black people who are woke and proud of their blackness in general.

Hook- “I said they treat me like a slave, cah' me black Woi, we feel a whole heap of pain, cah' we black, And man a say they put me in a chain, cah' we black Imagine now, big gold chain full of rocks, How you no see the whip, left scars pon' me back But now we have a big whip, parked pon' the block, All them say we doomed from the start, cah' we black, Remember this, every race start from the block, just remember that.”

The rawness or Negro-ness of the hook sounds like it came from an inner part of him that seems crushed. The hook sounds like... if his blackness had a voice that could speak for itself, that was untainted by westernization, beaten down by white supremacy, untamed and truly a part of him that was normally silenced because it made White America uncomfortable. The tone and the lyrics of the hook (above) also shows that the voice comes from the wealth of wisdom (like from black ancestors) either already taught or truly felt by the artist due to its (what whites/ westerners would call) "primitive" voice.

In the article, “Black Boys Viewed as Older, Less Innocent Than Whites,” the researcher affirms that Police are probable to use force against black children when officers "dehumanize" blacks. This means that at the tender age of 10 years old, police are likely to treat black youth as if they were criminal adults. Officers even use aggression towards very young black boys because they are black and assumed older or/and more dangerous compared to white men. Examples of young black men in the last two years who have been killed and assaulted by the police are countless (both known and unknown). This continuous trend has a cultural effect on the young black males in America and elsewhere. This research is reaffirmed as the Lamar raps,

“…I mean, it's evident that I'm irrelevant to society, That's what you're telling me, penitentiary would only hire me, Curse me till I'm dead…”

Lamar points out the fear black men feel just for being black and one could only imagine what this does to their self-concept and how it can diminish self-esteem in young black men. In the same article, the study was carried out by the researchers with participants (264 mostly white females) rating how innocent and old different photographs of men, blacks, whites, or unidentified race looked. The results showed that black males looked significantly less innocent and older compared to other men. This goes to show that this is a real social problem that justifies the attack of young black men in America, which ties in perfectly with Lamar saying,

"Church me with your fake prophesizing that I'mma be another slave in my head, Institutionalize manipulation and lies, Reciprocation of freedom only live in your eyes..."

Kendrick calls out religion (specifically Christianity) that has been whitewashed and taught to black people. He asserts that Christianity and white churches have been used as a tool to brainwash black people into believing they are inferior. He also states that white institutions like the church have also been used as tools to spread lies and to manipulate the narrative of black people and their experiences.

In America, the constant racism black men specifically experience is all a product of anti-black racism practiced by whites. Another study that agrees with this point is the article, “Empirical Study of Attitudes towards Black people,” which says and I quote,

“Black identity in Europe will be influenced by a continuing struggle with White notions of Blackness and both open and hidden discrimination and racism. To look into this interplay requires examining White stereotypes and images as well as other attitudes towards Black people”(2015).

I find this quote essential, as it reaffirms the point that discrimination against black people is not just in America but in Europe or anywhere there are white people or white influence (I just wanted to make that important point). According to, “Recent unobtrusive studies of Black and White discrimination and prejudice,” in areas of behavior, aggression, and nonverbal communication, data suggest that anti-Black sentiments are much more prevalent among Whites which means that people who dislike blacks are mostly whites which leads to segregation and constant discrimination towards black men/people. Like Munro Bergdorf said, racism is coming from white culture. This being the case, a new change has occurred in the new years as the black youths are aware of this anti-black racism and majority now believe in not feeling inferior because of it but rather be woke. Kendrick Lamar provides evidence for the new mindset being adopted by black people with the quote below. Lamar points out a new way of thinking and a stride towards increasing black self-esteem and change of black self-concept as he says,

“You hate me don't you? I know you hate me just as much as you hate yourself, Jealous of my wisdom and cards I dealt… Black and successful, this black man meant to be special.”

In conclusion, I think "The Blacker The Berry" is an amazing expression of the many emotions and self-understanding of majority of black people (except Omarosa and Paris Dennard, yuck!). It is difficult for a black person to express themselves without getting shot down and being accused of anger or made to battle racist stereotypes. Kendrick Lamar has taken a bold step to speak on this injustice using his own art that is relatable to black people and send a clear message for anyone who cares to listen (most especially white people).

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About the Creator

PHILLY THE AFRICANA

Hello,

welcome to my page where i write about my experiences, Grab a coffee and enjoy the reads. XOXO

My music link on Spotify (please listen): https://open.spotify.com/album/56wUvwb7vsvBenVNiCFpma

follow me on instagram "@howtobephilipa"

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