Have you followed the recent Drake-Kendrick Lamar rap feud? It’s been interesting… read this if you don’t know what I’m talking about.
When Kendrick Lamar came up in my World History class this week, my students at least knew who I was talking about! Wondering how Kendrick fits into world history?
Well… this week we did a deep dive into a case of post-WWI innovation: The Harlem Renaissance. 🎶
In the 1920s and 30s, Harlem was home to an explosion of Black American artistic expression (it was actually a transatlantic thing, but Harlem gets the notoriety).
(Book: The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman, ca. 1929.)
Regardless, the movement produced to some of the most important art of the 20th century, including a book by Wallace Thurman called The Blacker the Berry. 📖
Fast forward to 2016…. in his iconic performance at the Grammys, Kendrick Lamar performed
two songs from his 2015 album, To Pimp a Butterfly: “The Blacker the Berry” and “Alright.”
After watching it (so good!!) and reading the lyrics, my students wrote a reaction connecting Kendrick’s performance to the Harlem Renaissance (beyond the shared title).
One student started with “Never did I ever think I’d enjoy jazz rap…” 😂 I’ll take the win!
Students highlighted common themes: resilience, resistance, pride, hope, and strength.
One student wrote,
“Lamar’s performance utilized impactful lyrics and imagery to address modern racial issues like police brutality and systematic racism, perpetuating the tradition of using art to… celebrate Black culture and advocate for social change through their creativity.” ⭐
Another explained,
“Lamar’s art is a contemporary continuation of the Renaissance’s purpose to validate Black humanity and celebrate Black culture and identity.” ⭐
(Above image: The finale of Kendrick Lamar’s performance at the 2016 Grammys.)
Check out Kendrick Lamar’s 2016 performance… thoughts?
P.S. We also learned about Marcus Garvey this week, so I got to play Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” If you’re curious about how those two connect, I wrote about it on my blog.👈 Check it out!