Kendrick versus J.Cole
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar an American raper, songwriter, and record producer created the album to pimp a butter fly. He was known as one of the most influential artist of our generation as well as one of the greatest rappers and lyricists of all times. This Album to pimp a butterfly sold 324,000 copies in the US in the first week of release, debuted as number one on US billboard 200, and was eventually certified Platinum. By 2017, the album has sold 1 million copies. Lamar won two Grammys for best rap album and album of the year.
Key Songs & Character Comparisons
Key song 1
Wesley’s Theory : Wesley’s Theory is the first song of the To Pimp a Butterfly album, giving an introduction to the views and tone of the whole album. The song’s title is referencing a situation that occurred with Wesley Snipes. Mr. Snipes Committed fraued throughout the 2000’s and was sentenced to three years in jail. There is a metaphor about how successful black artists are “pimped” by the entertainment in today industry, especially while having descended historically by slaves. In the first verse Kendrick explains the new mentality of artists and how they no longer worry about where they came from and the people that are struggling in the hood, while doing so he even uses hisself as an example. The second verse is from a different perspective, the perspective of a capitalist American . He described the many ideologies that created a slave master like attitude towards Artist. Kendrick was not just an artist but an advocate for the black community in and outside of the music industry.
To me in this song Kendrick was like Kilmonger he wants people to see the capitalist in the world and how money and fame changes people. He wanted everyone to share that power and he felt like Wakanda should not have it all.
Key song 2
I : In this song everyone stops talking to listen to him. This is the peak for Lamar as this is when he finally steps into his leaderships position. This album as a whole shows his role toward leadership and he’s becoming a better and better leader. Throughout the album, Lamar voices his struggle with his own problems with self image and the ghosts of his past while still trying to inspire black people. His penultimate song on the album pulls together his major themes of self image and fighting against all the institutions in America. “I” deeply contrast the earlier song on the album you “U”.
Kendrick Lamar is looked as a leader while being a influential artist. He set examples for the younger generation and make sure they are aware of their surroundings in the world. He speaks the truth. Just like him J. Cole does the thing with his lyrics.
J. Cole
Jermaine Cole, stage name J. Cole, was born January 28, 1985. He started his career in 2007 with his first album The Come Up. His most influential album is 4 Your Eyez Only. J. Coles develops his leadership role throughout his album 4 Your Eyez Only by addressing the systematic imbalance and tensions within communities of color in our nation. This album was written for his friend’s daughter in an attempt to give her a sense of hope and understanding in a world full of social injustice and wrongdoings. In this sense, he is playing the role of a “mentor” and his listeners are the “mentees”. J. Cole is showing them how in the systematic imbalance there could be change, good doing, and hope.
Key Songs and Character Comparison
4 Your Eyez Only
The song 4 Your Eyez Only is the one of the main songs on J. Cole’s album, it’s actually the title of the album. This song is about how the world is hard and people are doing felonies from his friend point of view. This song was for J.cole friend daughter. J.Cole pointed out the violence in the world, the police brutality among other things in this 8 minute song. He showed leadership of being a leader to his friend daughter while her dad is gone. He is passing on his message.This Song wasn’t only about showing his friend daughter the real world it was also giving her a life lesson about what a real man should be. He wanted her to know a real man isn’t anyone in the street but a real man is someone who loves her for her. J.Cole is speaking values to her telling her how the world is crazy and making her aware of the corruptness.
When listening to 4 Your Eyez Only the song he remind me of Killmonger from Black Panther. They both are trying to show people the world from a different view. Killmonger wanted Wakanda to see the world from his point of view how they could help better the world. J.Cole friend wanted his daughter to the world from his point a view. They both was trying to guide people to the right direction in being leaders. The difference is that Killmonger went about it the wrong way. The way Killmonger went about trying to show the world from his view, he tried taking over a kingdom and exposing it. Wakanda wasn’t known for their technology or vibranium and Killmonger tried exposing it and giving away all their resources. While in the song 4 Your Eyez Only J.Cole told a story for children can see the world from older eyes and understand the truth of how the world is prejudice and corrupt. Also that where everyone lives is not the best. The place he describe is very similar to place Killmonger grew up. There was drugs and violence, men with guns, and people being locked up incarceration.
Folding Clothes
Being the 8th song on this track of 4 Your Eyes only, J Cole takes a much lighter spin in this songs message. J.Cole is talking about his wife, Melissa Heholt, who was 9 months pregnant at the time. J. Cole adds a layer of love and appreciation onto what seems to be chores like washing the dishes and folding the clothes. He demonstrates leadership by advocating and supporting her anyway that he can no matter how little, doing so without any thought of personal gain or advantage over her. By acknowledging her situation and not forgetting or taking granted what she has done for him.In the last verse of this song J Cole has a more darker tone that corresponds with the theme of the album. He exposes a reality that he goes through of code switching to seem “professional” and too assimilate to the toxic masculinity of never wanting to be “soft” that is a part of his culture.
Class Discussion
Just like any J.Cole or Kendrick Lamar fan you would compare the two. You not only compare their lyrics and they way they relate to you and the world around you but the way they are great leaders to the youth. J.Cole and Kendrick are two great artists who speaks to my generation letting us know about the real world. They know that younger generations won’t sit and listen to a boring conversation but would learn the lyrics to a song. They give examples of violence, rape, police brutatilty, love, drugs, and abuse. They discuss politcs and just open the eyes of the youth. They give our generation the information that they weren’t given when they were our age. They weren’t given it in a way they would recieve and retain.
