Single Awareness: Kendrick Lamar – “Alright” (2015)

Throughout history, there have been few things as essential as music to define a moment. When we think about The Vietnam War, we think of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.” For The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, there is this image of people joined in arms chanting “We shall overcome.” No matter how much you try, you can’t separate the moment from the song, and it helps to define it as timeless, as having just as much meaning as the situation to which it’s being used for. 

That is why it’s difficult to think of any song more appropriate for this moment than Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright.” There are a handful of other songs worthy of discussion, such as Childish Gambino’s “This is America,” Beyoncé’s “Formation,” or go even further back with N.W.A.’s “Fuck the Police.” All of them have gained traction in light of The George Floyd Protests, where tensions are so high that protests have gone on for over a week, leaving many wishing for police reform as they point out great disparities not only in how Black Americans are treated, but how easily funded law enforcement is compared to other institutions.

But Lamar’s album “To Pimp A Butterfly” has had strong longevity in the five years since its release. The album reflected the duality of being Black in America, reflecting divides both socially and personally. The album has returned to the music charts, but more importantly, it brings out another chance to find crowds marching down the streets while yelling “We gonna be alright!” It’s the closest that Black Lives Matter has gotten to a quick, accessible message, and one that has unified the group better than any other song.

It’s not just because of the simple phrasing. It’s what those words mean in the greater context of the song. Along with the rest of his 2015 album, it’s a struggle of the self to keep moving forward, to find a reason to wake up in the morning and live a virtuous life. What’s to stop the paranoia, the temptations, from winning you over? In the case of “Alright,” it’s one that goes back over 400 years, reflecting the power of music in a more direct way. 

As Lamar noted in an interview with Rick Rubin the significance of the song:

"Four hundred years ago, as slaves, we prayed and sung joyful songs to keep our heads level-headed with what was going on. Four hundred years later, we still need that music to heal. And I think that 'Alright' is definitely one of those records that makes you feel good no matter what the times are."

It’s ultimately an empowering one that doesn’t ignore the terrible situation around them. Lamar raps about certain clashes of perspectives. This includes imagery such as bringing a gun to church doorsteps, symbolizing how peaceful protests clash with the human instinct to incite violence when the pain becomes too much. It’s the type of belief that there is as much value in the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. as there is Malcolm X. That there is no convenient picture when the world just wants to beat you down. But, as the chorus says, no matter what happens “we gonna be alright." We will continue to live beyond this tragedy, staying strong while forming a deeper bond in the community.

Of course, to appreciate this song one must go back to the origin of its intent. When collaborating with producer Pharrell Williams, he was presented with a beat that he liked but had no significant use for. He would sit on it for six months until things started happening in his community. This included the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Tamir Rice. They were three among many young black men who were murdered by police officers, leading to the rise of Black Lives Matter. Feeling the need to comment, he wrote “Alright” as a song that would respond to the conflict while reflecting an underlying sense of optimism in the black community that they’ll get through this.

The pre-chorus gets to the heart of matters as Lamar provides a moment of respite among all of the chaos swirling in his head. As he sings about police brutality, the temptation of consumerism, and personal faith he finds one unifying message*:

Wouldn't you know

We been hurt, been down before

When our pride was low

Lookin' at the world like, "Where do we go?"

And we hate po-po

Wanna kill us dead in the street fo sho'

I'm at the preacher's door

My knees gettin' weak, and my gun might blow

But we gon' be alright

*NOTE: Any use of the n-word in Lamar’s lyrics has been removed, as it seems inappropriate for me to use these words as a white man since this also doesn't change intent.

With this passage, he captured the moment with such clarity and intensity that it transcended time. In nine bars, he summarizes the struggle for optimism in these dark times so powerfully that nobody has done it better. It’s the ability to feel uncertain in these times, where anger can be presented to the wrong individuals, or that it hurts the community. 

At the center is a reference to police, or “po-po,” which has struck conservative pundits as offensive, using it as a chance to ignore Lamar’s bigger message. One particular case is Geraldo Rivera, whose criticism of Lamar’s attitude as ugly ended up informing Lamar’s next album “DAMN.” It was evident that even when Lamar’s anger was direct and presented a message for change, it was misconstrued by those who saw it more as an attack on police than the communities they were supposed to protect. That would continue as he performed the song at awards ceremonies, but for now, it was a sign that while the message was well-received by Black Lives Matters activists, it would take much more effort for the other side to understand the bigger picture.

This isn’t to discredit the other songs on “To Pimp A Butterfly” as a form of self-expression. From the point of its release, it was considered a modern masterpiece, reflecting the anger and complexity of the black identity in America. Songs like “I,” “King Kunta,” and “The Blacker the Berry,” continued to show Lamar’s desire to have a bigger conversation about race, hoping to find breakthroughs in the community that lead to positive change. It’s because of this he has become considered one of the best and most essential rappers of his generation, finding ways to reinvent the album into mini-movies, narratives building on characters.

That may be the one confusing thing for those listening to “Alright” out of context. Even if it works as a standalone song, references to Lucy can be lost on those who don’t see it as a metaphor for Lucifer/the devil, or how the closing passage (“I remember you was conflicted/Misusing your influence…”) is a recurring motif throughout the album to symbolize how the ideas expressed in his songs are one unified vision of self. “Alright” is just one piece in a bigger picture, and it’s important for everyone to view the bigger picture.

With that said, “Alright” is one of Lamar’s most significant pieces of the picture because of the optimism it asks for. It’s an accessible radio hit, serving as a message that can be repeated by protestors no matter where they are. The younger crowd helped to bring the phrase “we gonna be alright” to the movement, serving as an optimistic phrase of unity. It wasn’t ignoring the darkness, but showing that even as they simultaneously chanted “I can’t breathe” in protest of Eric Garner’s death (those were his last words) that they were working for something better, where the unity that society promised them would actually come.

Knowing what power his words had on the bigger conversation, Lamar’s biggest accomplishment was the “Alright” music video, directed by Colin Tilley. Through a back and white cinematography, he explores a society in its most complicated form. There are white cops assaulting black men as Lamar screams in pain. It quotes Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” when saying “Alls my life I had to fight,” as it shows the brutality before cutting to Lamar, playing his alter ego Kung Fu Kenny as he raps in his car before cutting to a wide shot where it’s revealed that his car is being carried by cops.

The imagery that follows takes turns showing the darkness of brutality, of police shooting guns at unarmed men, with images of black people in a state of joy. There is a unity that shows that their spirits cannot be broken. Lamar narrates from atop a lamppost, reflecting on the life below him, serving as a voice for the entire city. His rallying of “we gonna be alright” shows this optimism that things can move forward. That is until he is shot down by a white cop. As he falls to the ground, he recites his poem:

I remembered you was conflicted

Misusing your influence, sometimes I did the same

Abusing my power, full of resentment

Resentment that turned into a deep depression

Found myself screamin' in the hotel room

I didn't wanna self-destruct

The evils of Lucy was all around me

So I went runnin' for answers

As his body hits the ground, there is the expectation that he is dead. After a cut to black, it returns to him where Lamar smiles back. Whether or not he is actually dead, the image implies that this action will live on, leading people to protest and work towards a brighter future where police brutality doesn’t threaten communities for another generation. It’s a song that comments on the injustice, but its ultimate message is that they cannot break the spirit of everyone who saw and knows about this moment. They will continue to fight for justice no matter how hard you try to hold them back.

The song’s significance was not ignored. In America, the single sold over a million copies and received four Grammy Award nominations for the song alone (“To Pimp a Butterfly” would have 11 nominations total), and won two including for Best Rap Song. 

Kendrick Lamar performing at Grammy Awards in 2016

While that was triumphant enough, the most memorable thing to involve “Aright” and “Grammy” in the same sentence came with his performance that included a medley with “The Blacker the Berry.” It was here that he performed alongside imprisoned Black Men. His message was clear, serving as the most memorable moment of the night. But, once again, those pro-cop commentators refused to engage with the symbolism and message, choosing to write off Lamar as irresponsible, suggesting that he did more to harm the black community than cops did.

Despite any controversy or backlash, the song never went away and in fact, feels just as crucial now as it did in 2015. This wasn’t prodding people for the sake of attention. This wasn’t just music meant to entertain the masses. Lamar was going to use his platform to make a difference, and that involved speaking out about injustice. As a result, he has made rap music feel more important than ever, proving that it can be more than braggadocio, used for change and discussion. “Alright” remains his highest mark to date, though everything else is not without equal importance in getting the word out.

As The George Floyd Protests continue, it becomes clear how this song is likely going to define the moment in history books. Much like “Fortunate Son” with The Vietnam War, I imagine that documentaries will use “Alright” when discussing Black Lives Matter, and the push for better Civil Rights. It isn’t just some random fad that the song has become popular again. It’s a genuine anthem that must be heard right now, reflecting the frustrating background that Black America has had to deal with for centuries now. 

But as he would be the first to say, no matter what happens and how terrible the world is going to seem, as long as the community works together, we gonna be alright. The only hope is that the world hears this and has enough compassion to listen and make enough of a difference to make that a reality. 

On a final note, if you’re interested in studying “To Pimp a Butterfly” more, I highly encourage you to check out Dissect, a podcast that explores the album song by song and does a better job of exploring its cultural significance.