Kendrick Lamar has often been seen as Hip-Hop\u2019s moral guide, almost like a \u201cprophet,\u201d dealing with the pressures of fame, faith and what people expect from him.<\/p>\n
But as everyone picks apart his lyrics and actions, the real question is: Is Kendrick really the voice of what\u2019s right, or is he just another person trying to figure out life\u2019s tough choices like the rest of us?<\/p>\n
Expecting any artist\u2014or anyone, really\u2014to be completely perfect is an impossible standard. Kendrick\u2019s music shows that morality isn\u2019t something set in stone but something that changes based on what he\u2019s been through and learned, even from his mistakes. Maybe the most real thing about Kendrick is that he\u2019s not pretending to be perfect; he\u2019s honest about still figuring things out, just like everyone else.<\/p>\n
Throughout Kendrick\u2019s discography, he has never shied away from speaking on the moral battles he faces, in addition to the other topics he discusses. On his third studio album,\u00a0To Pimp a Butterfly<\/em>, he goes through an introspective journey that touches on his struggles with fame, temptation and the responsibility to be a voice for the Black community on tracks like \u201cu,\u201d where he beats himself up for not doing enough for the Black community, and \u201cThese Walls,\u201d which explores how cycles of revenge and lust can distort personal and collective morality.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Blacker the Berry\u201d is perhaps the most direct confrontation of his moral paradox, where he fiercely denounces racial injustice while acknowledging his own contradictions\u2014hence the meaning behind the album title: how something beautiful (the butterfly) can be manipulated, exploited or \u201cpimped\u201d by the forces around it.<\/p>\n Even before\u00a0To Pimp a Butterfly<\/em>, Kendrick poses this moral dilemma in\u00a0good kid, m.A.A.d city<\/em>, an album that provides a look into a young Kendrick caught at a crossroads between the streets and salvation, survival and righteousness, where gang culture, peer pressure and violence threaten to pull him into the very cycles he hopes to escape.<\/p>\n So, where did the shift in the narrative about Kendrick occur? I would say it was with the release of\u00a0Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers<\/em>. People were upset with Kendrick\u2019s use of the f-slur, as well as the inclusion of Kodak Black on the album\u2014someone known to have numerous allegations of abuse.<\/p>\n Although I don\u2019t agree with the use of the slur or the inclusion of Kodak Black, I believe their presence adds another layer to the moral complexities of Kendrick Lamar as a human being who grapples with contradictions, accountability and the reality that human growth is not linear and is often filled with imperfections.<\/p>\n The album itself breaks down the \u201cmorally right\u201d Kendrick and instead presents us with a Kendrick who is flawed\u2014battling internal biases, toxic behaviors and the generational cycles of trauma he has both suffered and perpetuated.<\/p>\n The big rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake last year got a lot of attention, with many people viewing Kendrick as the morally righteous one, calling out Drake over serious allegations involving underaged women.<\/p>\n Now, with Drake suing Universal Music Group over the beef, it\u2019s reigniting the conversation around Kendrick Lamar\u2019s moral compass, especially considering how he himself was criticized not too long ago.<\/p>\n The moral spotlight continues to shine on Kendrick as people question his choices, like his feature on Playboi Carti\u2019s MUSIC<\/em>, despite Carti also having troubling allegations. These contradictions show how tricky the idea of morality is in the music world, reminding us that no artist is perfect or free from critique. Even someone like Kendrick\u2014seen by many as a voice of reason\u2014is still just a human dealing with the same tough moral issues as anyone else.<\/p>\n Through it all, Kendrick Lamar shows us that being human is complicated, and our sense of right and wrong isn\u2019t always clear-cut. He\u2019s not the perfect role model some people make him out to be, nor is he a completely lost cause as others would claim.<\/p>\n Instead, Kendrick reflects the struggles we all face\u2014dealing with contradictions, flaws, and the ongoing evolution of who we are. His music and life serve as a reminder that growing as a person is messy and imperfect.<\/p>\n By accepting his own flaws and moral confusion, Kendrick encourages us to do the same, showing that, like everyone else, he\u2019s still learning and figuring things out. I think it\u2019s important that we show him grace\u2014just like we\u2019d want grace shown to ourselves.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i.pinimg.com\/originals\/2c\/ae\/7d\/2cae7d9f69d40f3646e24c189ac428d3.gif\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i.gifer.com\/embedded\/download\/4M8q.gif\")
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/i.gifer.com\/4T0f.gif\")
<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/i.gifer.com\/4T0g.gif\")
<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i.redd.it\/rk77kxw9lnfa1.gif\")
<\/figure>\nRelated<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n