Visual and Stylistic Approach of Kendrick Lamar's Grammy Perfromance

Kendrick Lamar planned visually his Grammy performance accordingly to give his audience a lasting impression on his view of racial divides and police brutality. It introduce his audience in to his realm of thought, he likes to call "Kendrick" was to march out on to the stage as a chain gang with his background performers and rap his first part of his show. Clearly he approaches racial issue as a evident issue, therefore he referred to his internal bondage as like a chain gang member. This visual tie hits the heart, especially elderly members of the African American community because they have parents that have experienced, heard about it, or experienced it themselves. While bold, it also proves that Kendrick's  mood might be set at taking aim at the evils of the racial tensions, referring back the days of pure cruelty. Kendrick's transitions his tactical schema into more of remembrance of the beauty rather than the bleak picture of African American history. As he goes into rapping his song "Alright" the scene is of an campfire setting, maybe referring to how slaves would gather around singing spirituals. His wisdom of pairing the song and comparing to a Negro spiritual is rather correct because "Alright" has garnered so much attention over the past year that it has become the chant for the young BLM movement. He ends it of with the picture of Compton in the middle of the continent of Africa which symbolizes that he and those that agree with his message have not forgotten who they are, and it is not possible for him and supporters of the BLM movement to back down cause  the work of those that have paved the way for the present generation will not go in vain.

Visual and Stylistic Elements of Nina Simone "I Wish I Knew"

Knowing she had to capture the full attention of her audience, Nina Simone elevated the meanings of her lyrics, painting the picture of how to be trapped while still envisioning what true freedom might be like. Her picture begins when she states "I wish I knew how it would feel to be free, I wish I could break all the chains holdin' me." She wants to start the song of bleak in that way she transitions the picture into, but with her in captivity can already make the audience feel for her because she can't not possibly be happy with her situation. Pulling their heart strings even more,  she goes on "I wish I could share all the love that's in my heart, remove all the bars that keep us apart." She now took her despair and turned it into hope, which lightens the rather dim picture slightly. Her audience, if still compelled to read more, they will read " I wish I could live like I'm longing to live, I wish I could do all the things that I can do."  This couple of lines build for the highlight of her image she is creating because now she connects her "chains" as a hindrance or blockage placed on her by another force. This gives the audience even more reason to continue to listen to her song because the suspense for shinning moment. And then she sings " I'd know how it feels, I'd know how it feels to be free." SO  the image explains that if only this force that put a hold on Nina was ridden of, she would then know what it was like to be free. And the motion of the her lyrics as a forward progress of what was and what she hopes becomes resembles a similar movement of message during her day: The Civil Rights Movement. For this reason, Nina Simone exemplified great authorial style to enhance her claim for just and equality for all minorities.  

Logos: Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar appeals to people's logic as he performs in the 2016 Grammy Awards. Lamar's entire performance showcases certain things associated with the black minority. Lamar first coming out in chains, and his band being in cells, not only makes people think of mass incarceration, but also slavery. I believe it can also make people question whether slavery is really over, today.  It's important that he did this because mass incarceration is such a big deal in the black community and slavery is such an important part of our history.
Lamar's next sequence is him performing his song, "Alright" in front of a fire with people doing what appears to be African traditional dances. This makes the audience think about their roots and also makes non-minorities think of where the African Americans came from as well.
Ending his performance with the map of Africa and "Compton" written inside is done I believe to bring all African Americans together. I believe it reminds people that even if you're a first generation African or a African American with family from the U.S., we are all seen as black in the eyes of non-minorities. This makes people think that we as a black community need to stand together and fight for each other, not divide ourselves.
-Kumam B. Khasar

Logos of Nina Simone “I Wish I Knew”

The arguments that “all men are created equal” ad are therefore endowed with certain “unalienable rights,” comes from the most famous and influential text in the United States history, the Declaration of Independence. The interpretation the most famous line “all men are created equal,” has changed over years. The discussion being, whether the founding fathers meant only white men with property were all created equally or all men spanning all races. The Civil Rights movement uses the phrase to mean all races. Nina Simone incorporates this argument in “I Wish I Knew.”

“I wish I could share

All the love that's in my heart

Remove all the bars

That keep us apart

I wish you could know

What it means to be me

Then you'd see and agree

That every man should be free”

This verse reasons that if everyone knew what it was like to not be free, if white men went through the same suffrages as black Americans, then they would see that all men should be free. Those who opposed the Civil Rights movement had not walked a mile in her shoes. They did not understand the pain of having restricted rights and freedoms. The way Simone presents her argument that all people should know what it’s like to be free is not direct. She does it through talking about dreams and by saying that if she was free could give so much more to society. This method of logos is the strongest one. If someone wants to be free only to make the world a better place and contribute, then why would they deny them their freedom. Creative stifling by the government was often a large issue for Simone, one of her songs even banned from being played on the radio. 

Simone’s plea to feel free seems like a simple request. One that not only follows in line with the Declaration of Independence but seems morally correct. Despite all this, many lawmakers did not see the truth in her argument. It was easy for them to plug their ears and shut off their minds in order to ignore the validity of arguments presented to them in defense of the Civil Rights Movement.

-Shannon

Pathos in I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free

This lovely song by Nina Simone expresses the freedom desired by the the African American Race. It wasn't that people didn't have rights or were enslaved, but it's that there was discrimination and unequal rights. The use of wish instead of something such as want shows that this wish is something that may be hard to attain. This is very representative of how African Americans felt in their pursuit of being treated equally. It is the same way that Martin Luther King used the phrase "I have a dream" in his speech of his dream to have equal rights for all people. Today, I feel as though people speak about the different minority issues. It seems as though instead of issues coming to a halt, they seem to be increasing. This pushes the desire to be equal further away.  If the song was listened to, today, I believe it would have the same effect it did in the past. It would make people feel saddened and maybe even raise confusion of why it is so difficult for everyone to be treated equally. That feeling would push people even harder towards their goal of actually ttaining equal treatment.
-Kumam B. Khasar

Pathos & Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar gave the performance of the year with his Grammy performance of his two hits, "The Blacker the Berry" and "Alright". His performance evoked many emotions from the audience especially pride and a sense of belonging/connection.  He touched on different issues such as mass incarceration, coming out handcuffs and having the jail cells in the background. This opening and him breaking his handcuffs reminds people of the unfairness we face with the criminal justice system. Also, the breaking of his handcuffs could be seen as him showing the freedom desired from his fellow black brothers. The next setting has shows a fire and people dancing in what seemed to me, an African traditional dance. This gesture reminds the African American people of their roots. To end his performance, a map of Africa is shown with 'Compton' written on it (seen in our post on Ethos). I believe this showed that we all, come from Africa and we are all united and there's no difference whether you're, let's say, a first generation African or an African American. 

You can also feel the passion he feels about the different issues we have in the black society.  I believe that Lamar wanted to not only display issues we face as an African American in society, but also make people feel a sense of pride. 

One thing that was really interesting is that one of his lines from his song was muted. I believe the line was: And we hate Popo, wanna kill us dead in the street for sure. This was a shocker, because usually things are muted if there's explicit language, and clearly there was none in this line. Silence shows that there is something to hide. This makes me, personally, makes me a bit irritated. What are the Grammy producers trying to hide? Lamar shows no shame in his lyrics nor his performance, he wasn't scared, but proud. They should also should let him be himself, uncensored and unapologetic. 

-Kumam B. Khasar

Ethos in Nina Simone "I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free)"

In Nina Simone's ballad, she wanted her audience to feel a deeper connection to the feeling of the struggles of many blacks of her time. In order to do this, she had to exude both a great deal of external and internal ethos to establish a great connection with her audience. Her internal ethos as an artist is one of deep concern and humanistic motivator. You can tell this by the lyrics in her song, such as " I wish I could share, All the love in my heart." She also states "I wish I could break, All the chains holdin' me." which alludes to her more sincere, thoughtful personality that although not aggressive in nature, is concern about something. This lures the audience to listen more to the song as it goes because they want to know what could be making her upset. The build up of her ethos finally climax's at the point where she says "Then I'd sing cause I'd know yeah, And I'd sing cause I'd know yeah". The audience at this point must realize that both her internal and external ethos is agreement with fighting for some change that has not yet received yet because she would have declared it already. If the audience goes ahead to read more about her story after the song they might get a better understanding of what she is fighting for based on her race and the time period alone: equal and just laws for African Americans. Nina Simone did a great job and thinking out how she wanted to be represented in front of her audience. Someone with motives but not critical in her delivery, which elevated her performance that much greater.

-Okeze

Ethos of Kendrick Lamar’s 2016 Grammy Performance

Many rappers come from rough and tumble backgrounds, whether that’s gang affiliations or coming from broken homes. Kendrick Lamar grew up in an area that was influenced by gangs and he dealt with violence from a very young age. He grew up in Compton, California, a city currently very publicized in the U.S. after the movie Straight Outta Compton.     When rapping about the streets he grew up on, he gives himself credibility, because he knows what the Black Community is going through. For him to say that he knows what it’s like to have to fight against the black stereotypes, gives those who are experiencing the same fight a reason to listen. “Alls my life I has to fight.” If he’s alright, they can be alright too.

Kendrick Lamar raps often about his Christian faith, which is prevalent in the song “Alright.” He raps “I’m at the Preachers door.” Spiritual people gain credibility from other spiritual people, simply by stating their faith in God. This does not mean it is an improper Ethos technique, but rather it provides a strong and soulful Ethos that can also double as Pathos. (whether religion is being considered as fact or feeling) Christians have a history of being considered credible in the United States by society. Almost all of our presidents were Christian with a few unaffiliated. In “Alright,” Lamar also often mentions “Lucy” which is his nickname for Lucifer and admits that at a time “Lucy” had power over him and is still around him. Much of Christianity deals with the idea of Salvation, that you can choose to be saved by God. Kendrick Lamar embodies that idea, having also openly spoken out against drugs and alcohol referring to them as reprehensible, especially the ones that people loose their lives over.This speaks to Kendrick Lamar’s character. He was honored by the California State Senate as the “Senate District's Generational Icon” for his charity.  

The previous support from the Black Lives Matter movement of this song also charged his performance at the Grammy’s. There was already talk that the performance would be controversial, like his previous performance at the BET awards. People knew he was going to take this opportunity to make a statement.  Lamar’s good moral character and biography made him the perfect performer to deliver his message and his popularity made his statement even more compelling.

-Shannon

Stasis Theory: Kendrick Lamar Grammys

No one knew it, until Kendrick Lamar made it clear. The coming of a generation seemed to boil up and spew out of the Grammy evening that Kendrick Lamar felt empowered to perform a piece in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement. Kendrick only knows Kendrick himself, but his stylistic and lyrical approach he brought to his show proved that he wanted to let it be clear that no matter how mistreated and falsely accused African Americans will be, everything is alright. Now this can be assumed ironic just because the countless tales that are reported almost daily about black brutality is neither seamless nor okay at all. In fact, Kendrick's aggressive demeanor and body language throughout the performance further enhanced his rather more clearer stasis: we will not wilt to injustice, actions must be taking place to diffuse such situations from occurring in the future. In the beginning of the performance Kendrick's walk out in formation with his other African American male performers, chain-gang style affirming the idea of how many African Americans feel like in American society today, trapped and misunderstood by the typical stereotypes that come by Blacks. He alludes to his stasis on Black Lives Matter through his next transition in his performance into what the American Society actual sees of those of color. He talks about pain killers and gangs, as the way of life that over saturates the black community which further deepens the gap between minorities and whites. Kendrick ends the performance in hope that his stasis for the BLM movement to take another step in controlling injustice by posing in front of a symbol of the African continent with the words Compton in it as a sign that he chooses to continue the fight and hopes others will too. 

-Okeze Nwofor

Stasis Theory: I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free

"I Wish I Knew How to Be Free" written by Billy Taylor, was made famous by Nina Simone at the height of the civil rights movement. There was much discrimination and prejudice against blacks and other minorities and all they wanted is what Simone addresses in the song: freedom. Why did the white majority see the black minority as inferior even after their enslaved days were over? The blacks were just as human as they were, but because of the color of their skin and their ancestral past, they were treated differently. This led to much violence upon the African American community, which is something that is still being experienced today. Even though there has been much progress since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, it seems as though there are still some people that hold the discriminatory views of the past.

This is why the Black Lives Matter movement is unfortunately needed in today's world. I believe what Simone says in her song, "Say 'em loud say 'em clear/ For the whole world to hear," goes right along with the BLM movement telling people "Say her/his name". In both scenarios, they're saying staying quiet is not helping the situation, but is almost a sign on condonation. These kinds of songs, movements, and sayings push us as individuals to wrestle with our conscience a bit on these issues. It also makes us realize what actions we're taking that supports or prevents the justice that is being sought. We should not be silent and learn to address these issues when they come about, so that others around us may not be ignorant to it. Maybe it will also cause them to think twice about their views and hopefully cause a positive change in them, then in our society.
-Kumam B. Khasar

Kairos of "I Wish I Knew"

The Civil Rights movement was well publicized by 1967 when Nina Simone recorded “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free.” Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is already four years old and the movement is gaining more momentum. The song comes at a time also of success for the movement; in a supreme court, Loving v. Virginia, laws are overturned that ban interracial marriage. 

Similarly to Kendrick Lamar’s song “Alright,” “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free,” was used as an anthem for the Civil Rights movement. The song is said to have been one of Martin Luther King’s favorites. Simone’s music was empowering and hopeful that one day she would live in a world without segregation and racism, and she would be able to express herself freely through music without the fear of being silenced. Simone believed that to be free was “no fear.” The Civil Rights protestors feared violence from police and organizations like the Klu Klux Klan. The chains Simone references likely referred to the Jim Crow Laws.

In the 1960’s, religion is what many protestors looked to for support and answers. “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free” sounds like gospel music and Nina Simone often played in churches. She was very spiritual and had a lot of faith in God, often writing song about her faith. Whenever, Simone performed “I Wish I Knew” at jazz clubs, the audience would “erupt into applause.” They knew that it was time to feel what its like to be free. In 1976 Simone's wish in this song, has come true, and performs it as such.
-Shannon Connell

Kairos: Kendrick Lamar's 2016 Grammy Performance

Kendrick Lamar’s performance at the 2016 Grammy’s comes at a time of great turmoil in the United States, not between races, but between an abused culture and a corrupt justice system. Currently, in the United States, there is a massive movement called “Black Lives Matter,” this movement is “a call to action and a response to the virulent anti-Black racism that permeates our society.” Kendrick Lamar’s performance is meant to not only raise awareness for this movement but get society to question what has become the societal norm. In the performance, Lamar sings “The Blacker the Berry” “Alright,” and a third untitled song.

“The Blacker the Berry” and the untitled song both addressed the incident that spawned the creation of the Black Lives Movement, the murder of Trayvon Martin. Lamar raps

Twenty Twelve was taped for the world to see

Set us back another four-hundred years

This is modern day slavery

Referencing the year Trayvon Martin was killed and setting it up as the moment that everything changed.

Black Lives Matter adopted Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” as an anthem for their cause, often chanting the lyrics at protests.  Kendrick Lamar said that the song is about hope, not hatred when he heard allegations about the song, that it intended to incite violence.

The United States is plagued with an epidemic known as mass/hyper-incarceration. Lamar addresses this at the start of his performance by putting his band in cages and he is walking in a chained line. Then he addresses the hate in society in the line

 You hate me don’t you?

 You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture.

You’re fuckin’ evil, I want you to recognize that I’m a proud monkey.

  In recent years, society has changed in a way that it recognizes the deep-seated hatred of Black Americans despite all the social advancements that came from the Civil Rights movement. Kendrick Lamar, for unknown reasons, removed the line "We hate the Popo" from the performance, which addresses the most publicized social injustice that Black Lives Matter movement aims to reconcile.   

Where Kendrick Lamar performed this piece is very important to it’s moment. The Grammy Awards Show is the biggest music award show of the year and attracted 24.95 million viewers. Kendrick Lamar’s performance reached these households and resurrected discussions about hyper-incarceration as well other aspects of the Black Lives Matter movement.

 In the days following the performance, Kendrick Lamar has been criticized as well as renowned for his performance. It has done what Kendrick Lamar hoped, spark a discussion and reflection on social injustice. After winning five Grammys for “To Pimp a Butterfly,” it is clear that this album has made its mark on society and to anyone who listens, it will provide insight into the emotions and tribulations of Black America. 
-Shannon Connell