Protest Song Analysis

Blacker the Berry Analysis Speech
This year 35,000 African Americans will be imprisoned and 1.4 million will
continue their sentences. This is compared to 15,000 white Americans beginning
sentences and 1.1 million continuing theirs. The unfair treatment of African
Americans in society has often led to both peaceful and violent protests in order
to raise awareness and work to eliminate racial discrimination. Music and songs
are often linked with certain protest movements as they allow people to raise
their voice in unison against issues, bringing together communities by using
powerful lyrics with a message that instigates change. An example is Strange
Fruit by Abel Meeropol, which helped bring about change to the lynching of
African Americans in the 20th century.
Good (morning/afternoon/evening) everyone. Today, I will discuss the role that

protests songs play and have played in society throughout history. I will also
analyse the song: Blacker the Berry. Blacker the Berry by Kendrick Lamar and
Assassin is a psychodynamic song fuelled by hatred, oppression and frustration.
Kendrick Lamar is an African American male rapper who grew up in the ghettos
of Compton, experiencing racism first hand. The song was written during the
recent Ferguson riots, where peaceful protests turned violent. This was sparked
by the death of Michael Brown, an African American teenager, in another case of
police brutality against black youth. Kendrick sings out of frustration at white
and black society for various reasons. Kendrick is mad at the prevalence of
racism in modern society; the marginalization and stereotypes associated with
African Americans; and the hypocrisy of African Americans, venting his anger at
his communitys involvement with gang violence and drugs. Kendricks purpose
moves away from the common form of black empowerment and white hate.
Instead, through the song, Kendrick explores the problems that need to be
addressed by all Americans, regardless of race or creed, in order to bring an end
to racial discrimination.
Kendrick raises awareness of the prevalence of racism in society by targeting the

belief of freedom in America and the justification of racism. Kendrick starts by
taking a shot at the American dream of freedom and how it is a concept only
achievable for white Americans. Kendrick states that the reciprocation of
freedom only lives in [Caucasians] eyes, despite people [institutionalizing]
him with manipulation and lies. Kendrick Lamar does this to point out people
who say that there is no racism in modern society by calling them manipulators
and liars. The prevalence of racism is further explored in the line You never
liked us anyway, [screw] your friendship I meant it. This disputes the politics of
racism in America. Screw your friendship, suggests that Caucasians pretend not
to be racist just for political correctness, when they never actually liked African
Americans. Kendrick continues with the belief that racism is still prominent,
condemning people who try to church [him] with [their] fake prophesizing and
that [hell] just be another slave in [his] head. Kendrick is comparing those who
try and defend their racist beliefs to people who defended slavery by quoting the
bible. In the end, the plot is bigger than [him], its about a generational hatred.
Its genocism, its grimy, little justification. Lamar states these lines because
there never has, or will be, a reason to treat somebody differently because of the
colour of their skin. He continues to compare modern racism to slavery, by
referring to the mass genocide of African Americans throughout history. This is
because no one tries to justify slavery as we know how wrong it is now. Lamar
positions the audience to question how they can accept racism when it is just
another form of slavery.. In Blacker the Berry, Kendrick Lamar completely
eliminates the belief that racism is not prevalent and can be justified, allowing
him to further emphasise his message of the problems that need to be resolved
to end racial discrimination.
Kendrick Lamar continues by outlining the marginalisation, stereotypes and

unacceptable treatment of African Americans in American society. To Kendrick,
its evident that [African Americans] are irrelevant to society and that they
[come] from the bottom of mankind. By using hyperbole, he is emphasising the
unfair treatment of black people, especially by law enforcement, because of their
low socioeconomic status. This also positions the audience to see how the police
treat African Americans. The sociocultural context makes this particularly
powerful as the song was released after the Ferguson riots, where a policeman
shot Michael Brown when he was supposedly posing no threat, just because he
was African American. Kendrick continues to identify some of the racist
stereotypes associated with African Americans such as eating watermelon,
chicken and Kool-Aid and their love [of] the desert eagle, a symbol of violence.
He also mentions that the penitentiary would only hire [them] referring to the
fact that African Americans are more likely to go to jail than any other race,
further highlighting their disadvantage and mistreatment. These stereotypes are
effective because they position the listener to think about their own actions and
whether they believe or enforce the stereotypes too. Throughout the song
Kendrick continues to repeatedly refer to slavery, in that despite the
abolishment of slavery a long time ago, African Americans are still slaves to a
white society. In the chorus, Assassin targets this treatment: They treat [them]
like a slave, call them black. [They] feel a whole heap of pain [because theyre]
black. He is indicating that African Americans are disadvantaged from birth
purely because of the colour of their skin. They are more likely to face hardships
during their life because of their slave ancestors and subsequent treatment by
society. This links back to Kendricks purpose for writing the song, by expressing
how African Americans are disregarded by society, negatively stereotyped and
treated unfairly. By identifying the problems faced by African Americans,
Kendrick reinforces the need for them to be solved before there can be any hope
for a truly equal society.
The final key idea explored in the song is the hypocrisy of African Americans and
how it hinders the progress to achieve true equality. Every verse in the song
starts with Im the biggest hypocrite of 2015. However, it isnt revealed as to
why Kendrick is a hypocrite until the last line of the song, which also reveals a
deeper meaning to the song: So why did I weep when Travyon Martin was in the
street? When gang banging make me kill a [person] blacker than me? Hypocrite!
Kendrick Lamar applies a powerful rhetoric device to have the audience rethink
the entire song with the very last line. Kendrick starts by comparing the Michael
Brown riots to that of Travyon Martin, another African American teen shot dead
by a police officer when posing no threat. The reason Kendrick is weeping, is not
the death of Travyon Martin or Michael Brown, its for what followed. Kendrick
believes that by rioting, African Americans are condoning violence and helping
white Americans justify their racist views. Thus, stopping African American
society from progressing past this prejudice. This is further accentuated in other
parts of the song: Its funny how Zulu and Xhosa might go to war, two tribal
armies that wanna build and destroy. Remind me of these Compton Crip gangs
that live next door, beefing with Pirus only death settle the score. Zulu and
Xhosa are two tribes in South Africa who despise each other for having different
ideals but manage to live in harmony. By comparing these tribes to Crip and Piru
gangs, Kendrick targets his African American audience into thinking why they
cant also live in harmony despite their opposing beliefs. This theme plays a
quintessential role in the purpose of the song. Kendrick uses it to highlight the
need to stop black on black crime for two reasons: it helps racists justify their
stereotypical beliefs and it distracts African Americans from ending racial
discrimination, instead causing internal feuds and worsening the situation. Thus,
pushing African Americans further and further into poverty and other issues.
Blacker the Berry by Kendrick Lamar is one of the most powerful songs of 2015,
discussing the internal problems of racism in American society. Kendrick
explores three key ideas throughout his song to try and change the ongoing
racial discrimination he sees on the streets everyday. The song explores
prevalence of racism in modern society; the marginalization and stereotypes
experienced by African Americans; and the hypocrisy of African Americans,
ultimately calling for the change of attitudes, beliefs and actions. Kendrick Lamar
effectively explains the problems that need to be solved in order to end racial
discrimination and usher in a new era of equality.

Protest Song Analysis

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Protest Song Analysis

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Blacker the Berry Analysis Speech

Good (morning/afternoon/evening) everyone. Today, I will discuss the role that

Kendrick raises awareness of the prevalence of racism in society by targeting the

Kendrick Lamar continues by outlining the marginalisation, stereotypes and

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