Music
As seen earlier, the roles music plays in society goes beyond the traditional functions such as entertainment and recreation. A critical analysis into some of the music available reveals other deep and sensitive roles music plays. The most common, especially among rappers, is an avenue to speak out their hearts and the only way to reveal their emotions and feelings, especially when you consider the misconceptions surrounding rappers and emotions.
Kendrick Lamar, for me, remains one of the most lyrical and musical genii in the world today and one of the most influential artists in this generation. His music remains a unique, classic, and good piece of both work and art. His presentations are also special, and whenever he releases Albums and songs, one is always left in suspense and imagination. You have no idea what to expect. The only thing clear is you will enjoy the music from the artistic point, musical point, and poetic point of view. Additionally, Lamar provides thematic songs that are as timeless as they are enjoyable and deep.
U & I is not an exception. The tone for the song is sad, and Lamar is seemingly mourning or in a state of deep pain. This can be shown by him holding alcohol throughout the song and uses this as a way to express his pain. Additionally, he is intoxicated and notably sobbing while performing this song, indicating his misery and pain. Kendrick is blaming himself for certain things. He is accusing himself using the voice of a second person. The 2nd person is asking him if he is feeling anything, and the truth is he is feeling pain and is disappointed in himself:-“confidence in yourself breakin’ on marble floors’, ‘what’s your intentions, where is the influence you speak of’ and ‘you preached in front of 100,000 but never reached her.’ It is also in the 1st verse that we get to know how Lamar views himself. The video does a good job of helping us in this case. The bar with a mirror help in showing this message. He views himself as a failure, ‘you fuckin’ failure, you ain’t no leader’ does not like the person he is, and he generally thinks the world does not need him. He hates his pride, which seemingly made him more complacent.
The chorus is not as complicated but quite deep. He repeats the phrase ‘Loving you is complicated’ eight times, and it is in the chorus that he reveals he is ashamed and hates himself for his failures.
In the 2nd verse, Kendrick talks about losing someone close. He expresses his disappointment in not being there for the brother, and he genuinely feels he deserted him when he was needed the most. Lamar feels he was irresponsible and selfish and shows this with the questions, where was your presence, where was your support that you pretend?’
The person in question eventually died from bleeding, and surgery could not save him. In the wake of his death, Kendrick goes down memory lane and questions his priorities. He was on tour and was busy drinking and on the road. He feels he could have called this off to visit his brother. He feels he should have made the time to visit. Notably, he had established contact via phone, but this to him was not enough. Moreover, he also feels that God would judge him harshly and would consider him a failure where family, faith, and friendship are concerned.
In the 3rd stanza, Kendrick goes all out and talks about his mental state. He acknowledges the world and all his success are unable to stop the suicidal tendencies and thoughts that are frequent in his mind. He acknowledges he is depressed and reveals the reasons for his depression. To add to his misery, he also talks about his poor relationships with some of the people he should be freely relating to. It is astonishing that he blames himself for everything bad that is happening and has happened to him and those around him. He blames himself for failed friendships, ‘I know you and a couple block boys ain’t been speakin’ nigga’, admits he has been battling depression for a while ‘You just can’t get right, I think your heart made of bulletproof’ and then finalizes by expressing his suicidal thoughts. Additionally, the thought of taking his life is not something new, and he regrets not having done it the last time the thoughts engulfed his brain.
Lyrics aside, the song was quite loud for me, and understanding the lyrics from the music is quite challenging. The themes are well delivered and are timely, considering the majority of people are facing the same challenges Lamar is facing. My highlight of this song remains the unconventional way in which the song is presented. There are clear indications of grammatical errors, which have been purposefully ignored. He predominantly uses ebonics, which is known as the ‘black speech,’ to deliver the song. He values better sounds compared to the right wordings. This explains why the spelling and speeches, at times, sound wrong and out of context. The idea is to bring out rhyme, which is well produced in the song. Additional use of vulgar language enhances the quality of the message. It helps in complementing the themes present within the song. In this case, the use of ‘ I fuckin hate you’ over ‘I hate you’ helps in bringing out a clear message.
It is easy for outsiders to love someone compared to family members and people who are generally close to them. After knowing the things he has done, Lamar knows it is hard to love himself. At times, the temptation to think that success and achievements can help one appreciate themselves is a myth. Instead, success brings out wounds, scars, and memories that expose our weakest moments. These are moments we failed and would, at times, like to forget. The chorus of the song brings out this message.
Moreover, the vulnerability Kendrick shows through this song is unlike anything that has been done before. I cannot remember the last time a mainstream rapper was as open as Lamar has been in this song. If anything, it is after this song that individuals opened up about their struggles. It is a compelling endnote, and it raises more questions than answers. The song gives an opportunity to individuals and society to reciprocate the love and care they have received from rappers. He is in pain, and instead of allowing the pain to swallow Lamar, society can decide to be there for him and help ease his pain.