From a Peasant to a Prince to a King Kunta_Kendrick Lamar’s Music as a Medium for Publicizing the Struggles Faced by Contemporary African-Americans in Everyday Life

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Malcolm Charles

Dr. Charles McKinney

History 242

4 May 2015

From a Peasant to a Prince to a King Kunta: Kendric !amar"s To Pimp a Butterfly as a Medium

#or Pu$lici%ing the &truggles Faced $y Contem'orary (#rican)(mericans in the *nited &tates

Pledged:

+ord Count: 2,01-



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eing ignored is not anything ne/ or sur'rising to (#rican)(mericans in #act, it has $een

ha''ening #or uite some time, and, as a result, (#rican)(mericans hae deelo'ed arious

aenues through /hich they can mae certain grieances no/n to the nation as a /hole. 3oday,

music is one such outlet through /hich the issues 'ertaining to contem'orary (#rican)(mericans

are $rought to light #or the /hole country to see. t is im'ortant to note that, #or the 'ur'oses o#

this 'a'er, contemporary is de#ined as the #irst 15 years o# the t/enty)#irst century that is, #rom

the year 2000 to the 'resent.

3hat $eing said, arious music artistsa signi#icant num$er o# /hich $elong to the hi')

ho'6ra' genre attempt to use their #ortunate 'osition o# in#luence to $ring attention to issues

concerning contem'orary (#rican)(mericans and their communities through a #e/ socially

motiated songs ho/eer, hi')ho'6ra' artist, Kendric !amar 7$orn Kendric !amar

Duc/orth8, utili%es an entire album To Pimp a Butterfly1 to $ring attention to the struggles

#aced $y contem'orary (#rican)(mericans in their eeryday lies, including $ut not limited to

$lac)on)$lac iolence, 'olice $rutality, negatie stereoty'es, and a lac o# money management

taught to young $lac talent ho'ing to achiee success.

3he #irst trac on Kendric !amar"s 2015 al$um, To Pimp a Butterfly, is entitled

9+esley"s 3heory2, and it is re#erencing +esley &ni'es 7$orn +esley 3rent &ni'es8, an (#rican)

(merican actor /ho is in#amous #or running into trou$le /ith the nternal ;eenue &erice due

to discre'ancies /ith his ta<es. n Fe$ruary o# 200-, +esley &ni'es /as conicted o# 9/ill#ully

1 Kendric !amar, To Pimp a Butterfly 720158.

2 Kendric !amar, To Pimp a Butterfly 720158.



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#ailing to #ile ta< returns=, and &ni'es /as su$seuently sentenced to three years in 'rison #or

his transgressions. t is signi#icant to note that in 9+esley"s 3heory, Kendric !amar is not

sim'ly ra''ing a$out +esley &ni'es indiidually, $ut rather any and all (#rican)(mericans /ho

hae reached stardom and hae $ecome /ealthy. For the longest time, (#rican)(mericans /ho

oercame the odds and achieed success, hae o#tentimes run into 'ro$lems /ith their #inances,

and managing their ne/#ound money and stardom. ( /ell)no/n e<am'le is #ormer >(

$aset$all star (llen erson 7$orn (llen ?%ail erson8. (llen erson is, as o# Fe$ruary o# 2012,

9$roe $y all accounts $ut his o/n4. (dditionally, (llen erson"s $anru'tcy, lie the #inancial

trou$les o# numerous other success#ul (#rican (mericans /as attri$uted to his 9lac o# #inancial

education and the desire to 'ursue it5.

Furthermore, Kendric !amar recogni%es that @ust $ecause (#rican)(mericans such as

+esley &ni'es and (llen erson are cele$rities, does not mean that only e<tremely /ealthy

(#rican)(mericans lac #inancial education. Kendric !amar uses the chorus o# 9?ery nigga is

a starA in 9+esley"s 3heory to signi#y that not @ust cele$rities, $ut every African-American is in

danger o# $eing 'oerty)stricen as a result o# neer receiing 'ro'er 'ersonal #inancial

= 3he >e/ Bor 3imes, 9+esley &ni'es ets = Bears #or >ot Filing 3a< ;eturns, in The New

York Times 7200-8.

4 ames Marshall Crotty, 9(llen erson ?arned Eer 200 Million n His >( Career. >o/

He"s ;e'ortedly roe. &ay, +hatG Forbes Maa!ine "nline 720128.

5 ames Marshall Crotty, 9(llen erson.

A Kendric !amar, 9+esley"s 3heory, To Pimp a Butterfly 720158.



=

management. ?ery 9nigga can $e a 9star in the same sense that (llen erson and +esley

&ni'es /ere 9stars, and they $oth had #inancial trou$le $ecause they did not no/ ho/ to

handle their money.

3hen, one arries at the third trac on To Pimp a Butterfly, called 9King Kunta. +ith

this title, Kendric !amar re#erences Kunta Kinte, a /idely)no/n slae, the main su$@ect o#

(le< Haley"s monumental $oo entitled, #oots. Kendric !amar utili%es 9King Kunta as /ell as

the thirteenth trac titled, 93he lacer the erry-, as a means to $ring the negatie stereoty'es

that all contem'orary (#rican)(mericans hae to co'e /ith in their lies to the #ore#ront.

For instance, there is a relatiely /ell)no/n stereoty'e that 'oor, inner)city $lac

children rarely 9mae it, meaning, literally, survive 'ast the age o# t/enty)#ie Kendric !amar

addresses this, al$eit su$tly, /ith a erse in 9King Kunta saying, 9 made it 'ast t/enty)#ie,

and there /as, a little na''y)headed nigga /ith the /orld $ehind him I. 3his is meant to sho/

not only, that $lac 'eo'le can mae it 'ast the #irst t/enty)#ie years o# their li#e, $ut also, that

there are 'eo'le out there in the /orld that want them to succeed in li#e, /hich a large ma@ority

o# young $lac men and /omen are taughteither $y their 'arents /ho are $lac, $ut gre/ u' in

a di##erent time, or $y moies, or other #orms o# medianot to $e the case.

(s mentioned earlier, Kendric !amar also uses the thirteenth trac o# To Pimp a

Butterfly called, 93he lacer the erry in order to address some o# the negatie stereoty'es

Kendric !amar, To Pimp a Butterfly.

- Kendric !amar, To Pimp a Butterfly.

I Kendric !amar, 9King Kunta, To Pimp a Butterfly 720158.



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that are un#ortunately ascri$ed to contem'orary (#rican)(mericans #or instance, Kendric

!amar addresses the long)held racial stereoty'e that all $lac 'eo'le loe #ried chicen and

/atermelon, and Kool)(id10 /ith the lines, 9(s much as "d lie toJeat /atermelon, chicen,

and Kool)(id on /eedays.11 3his is Kendric !amar telling the /orld at large that @ust $ecause

some $lac 'eo'le do indeed lie #ried chicen and Kool)(id, does not mean that eating chicen

and drining Kool)(id should $e a stereoty'e o# the (#rican)(merican race, and is not , in #act,

accurate either.

Kendric !amar uses 93he lacer the erry #or more than @ust the 'ur'ose o# e<'osing

negatie stereoty'es associated /ith contem'orary (#rican)(mericans he Kendric !amarL

also utili%ed 93he lacer the erry to address t/o additional highly releant issues #or

contem'orary (#rican)(mericans: $lac)on)$lac iolence and 'olice $rutality.

First, $lac)on)$lac iolence is indeed a ery signi#icant issue that not only $oes

concern (#rican)(mericans $ut also shoul$ concern all (mericans. (round I0 'ercent o# $lac

ictims o# murders are murdered $y $lac o##enders as o# 201=,12

according to the *nited &tates

Federal ureau o# nestigation, /hich is uite a recent statistic. Kendric decides to use his

'ersonal no/ledge o# and e<'erience /ith $lac)on)$lac iolence to $ring it to light in this

song, and since he gre/ u' in Com'ton, Cali#ornia, the /ay that he /as e<'osed to $lac)on)

$lac iolence /as in the #orm o# gang /ar#are hence, the lines, 9t"s #unny ho/ ulu and

10 Mary Kosut, %ncyclope$ia of &en$er in Me$ia 73housand Eas, C(: &(? Pu$lications nc,

20128 ==.

11 Kendric !amar, 93he lacer the erry, To Pimp a Butterfly 720158.

12 Federal ureau o# nestigation. 201=. 'rime in the (nite$ )tates *+1,.



5

Nhosa might go to /ar, t/o tri$al armies that /anna $uild and destroy, remind me o# these

Com'ton Cri' gangs that lie ne<t door, $ee#in" /ith Pirus only death settle the score,1= /hich

indicate the t/o main gangs o# the Com'ton areathe Cri's and the Pirus$oth o# /hich

resole their dis'utes9settle the score$y illing mem$ers o# the rial gang. Furthermore,

since the oer/helming ma@ority o# mem$ers o# $oth o# these t/o gangs are $lac, this is ho/

Kendric !amar chose to shed greater light on the $ig 'ro$lem in contem'orary (#rican)

(merican communities that is $lac)on)$lac iolence. (lso, as a side note, the allusion that he

Kendric !amarL maes to the ulu and Nhosa (#rican tri$es could ery /ell $e meant to

coney the idea that the more that $lac 'eo'le ill other $lac 'eo'le, the more they 'roe true

the old $elie# 'reiously held $y /hite 'eo'le, es'ecially in the (merican &outh, that they

+hite (merican &outhernersL used to @usti#y slaerythat $lac 'eo'le desere to $e enslaed

$ecause they are saages that are dangerous to themseles and others.

&econdly, Kendric !amar, ends 93he lacer the erry /ith the #ollo/ing line: 9&o

/hy did /ee' /hen 3rayon Martin /as in the street, /hen gang$anging mae me ill a nigga

$lacer than me, hy'ocriteO 3his is ho/ Kendric !amar highlights the issue o# 'olice $rutality

on contem'orary (#rican)(mericans in the *nited &tates /hile, simultaneously reconnecting to

his 'reious 'oint a$out $lac)on)$lac iolence. 3he year o# 2014 contained seeral incidents

o# 'olice $rutality to/ards (#rican)(mericans that garnered national attention, including $ut not

limited to: the Ferguson, Missouri 'olice shooting o# unarmed $lac teenager, Michael ro/n,14

as /ell as the choehold death o# unarmed $lac man, ?ric arner, at the hands o# >e/ Bor

1= Kendric !amar, 93he lacer the erry.

14 Chuc, ?li%a$eth. 2014. The illin of an (narme$ Teen. /hat /e now About Brown0s

eath.



A

City 'olice.15 Kendric !amar decides to re#erence a di##erent incident, ho/eer, to address this

issue using the #inal line o# 93he lacer the erry the shooting and illing o# unarmed $lac

1)year)old, 3rayon Martin, $y a neigh$orhood /atch olunteer named eorge immerman on

Fe$ruary 2A, 2012.1A (s mentioned 'reiously, he Kendric !amarL ends 93he lacer the

erry /ith these as the last /ords o# the #inal erse, 9J/hen gang$anging mae me ill a

nigga $lacer than me, hy'ocriteO t is /ith these last /ords that Kendric !amar ties the t/o

#ocuses o# the a#orementioned erse, in its entirety, together he Kendric !amarL maes his

listeners'articularly his (#rican)(merican listenerstae a second to sto' and seriously thin

a$out themseles $y 'ointing out ho/ hy'ocritical it is to $e angry a$out the death o# 3rayon

Martin at the hands o# the Caucasian eorge immerman, /hen, eery day, black gang)mem$ers

ruthlessly ill other black mem$ers o# rial gangs.

3o reca', the eeryday li#e o# the contem'orary (#rican)(mericande#ined as the

(#rican (merican liing #rom the year 2000 to the 'resent$oth indiidually and those liing in

(#rican)(merican communities, is #illed /ith hardshi's that are relatiely unnoticed, so music

has $een deelo'ed in such a /ay that it seres as a method #or $ringing increased attention to

the struggles and challenges that 'lague contem'orary (#rican)(merican communities and

indiidual (#rican)(mericans in the *nited &tates moreoer, hi')ho'6ra' artist, Kendric

15 Murray, Ken, Kerry ure, Chelsia ;ose Marcius, and Parascandola ;occo. 2014. 9&taten

sland Man Dies (#ter >BPD Co' Puts Him in Choehold&?? 3H? D?E. New York aily

News.

1A otelho, reg, and Michael Pearson. 201=. 2 Thins to now About the &eore 3immerman-

Trayvon Martin )aa.



!amar, uses his ne/est al$um the whole album titled, To Pimp a Butterfly, to do @ust that

shed some light on a #e/ o# the issues #aced $y contem'orary (#rican)(mericans.

i$liogra'hy

otelho, reg, and Michael Pearson. 201=. 2 Thins to now About the &eore 3immerman-

Trayvon Martin )aa4 Fe$ruary 2A. (ccessed ('ril 22, 2015.

htt':66///.cnn.com6201=6026256@ustice6#lorida)%immerman)5)things6inde<.htmlG

iidQarticleRside$ar.



-

Chuc, ?li%a$eth. 2014. The illin of an (narme$ Teen. /hat /e now About Brown0s eath4

(ugust 1=. (ccessed ('ril 22, 2015. htt':66///.n$cne/s.com6storyline6michael)$ro/n)

shooting6illing)unarmed)teen)/hat)/e)no/)a$out)$ro/ns)death)n1-AIA.

Crotty, ames Marshall. 2012. Forbes4 Fe$ruary 21. (ccessed ('ril 22, 2015.

htt':66///.#or$es.com6sites6@amesmarshallcrotty620126026216allen)ierson)earned)oer)

200)million)in)his)n$a)career)hes)no/)$roe)say)/hat6.

Federal ureau o# nestigation. 201=. 'rime in the (nite$ )tates *+1,4 (ccessed ('ril 22,

2015. htt':66///.#$i.go6a$out)us6c@is6ucr6crime)in)the)u.s6201=6crime)in)the)u.s.)

201=6o##enses)no/n)to)la/)en#orcement6e<'anded)

homicide6e<'andedRhomicideRdataRta$leRARmurderRraceRandRse<Ro#RicitmR$yRraceRa

ndRse<Ro#Ro##enderR201=.<ls.

Kosut, Mary. 2012. %ncyclope$ia of &en$er in Me$ia4 3housand Eas, Cali#ornia: &(?

Pu$lications, nc.

!amar, Kendric. 2015. To Pimp a Butterfly4 MP=.

!amar, Kendric. 2015. SKing Kunta.S To Pimp a Butterfly4 MP=.

!amar, Kendric. 2015. S3he lacer the erry.S To Pimp a Butterfly4 MP=.

!amar, Kendric. 2015. S+esleyTs 3heory.S To Pimp a Butterfly4 MP=.

Murray, Ken, Kerry ure, Chelsia ;ose Marcius, and Parascandola ;occo. 2014. New York

aily News4 uly 1. (ccessed ('ril 22, 2015. htt':66///.nydailyne/s.com6ne/)

yor6staten)island)man)dies)'uts)choe)hold)article)1.1-14-A.



I

3he >e/ Bor 3mes. 200-. S+esley &ni'es ets = Bears #or >ot Filing 3a< ;eturns.S The New

York Times 73he >e/ Bor 3imes8. (ccessed ('ril 22, 2015.

htt':66///.nytimes.com6200-6046256$usiness625sni'es.htmlGRrQ0.

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Documents

From a Peasant to a Prince to a King Kunta_Kendrick Lamar’s Music as a Medium for Publicizing the Struggles Faced by Contemporary African-Americans in Everyday Life