Black Star Power... a celebration of black excellence thread on-going
- Thread starter playahaitian
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Fuck it I hope them boyz win the Super Bowl, they have balled this year. I wish they wouldn't have lost to the Falcons cause they could have damn well went undefeated.
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Beast
(before I start, if you think his performance set anything back, you lack basic context comprehension skills)
- Kendrick walks out on stage in a chain gang. And it’s artfully done. This isn’t to PROMOTE prison culture. This is to honor his friends who are locked up. When “i” was released, Kendrick constantly talked about how he made that song not for the masses, but for his friends and elders locked up who were/are tired of hearing mindless music. Who are tired of hearing violent music. People locked up want to hear about love and hope because they’re the only things they have left to hold on to.
- “You never liked us anyway, f*** your friendship, I meant it.” Blacker the Berry is a direct assault on White Supremacy. And I love that so many people are offended by it. Because it’s doing it’s job. It's not an assault on White People. It’s an assault on White Supremacy. Why would that be offensive unless you support or promote white supremacy. Just like folks said “Formation” was an assault on Police. NO, it’s an assault on Police brutality. If you’re offended by these two songs, you really need to unpack that. That says more about you than the lyrics.
- “Trap our bodies, but can’t lock our minds” - another ode to his friends/fam/elders locked away. It’s also a larger metaphor for the state of Black America right now.
- When the hook drops…. that turn up may never be matched at the Grammys again.
- The African drumming and saxophone bridge. Three black art forms, tradition African music, Jazz, and hip hop all on stage during ONE performance.
- Every single time I hear “Alright” it takes me to a place of serenity. There were times in late 2014 and 2015 where it’s all we had. I remember marching after Ferguson, and Baltimore while police officers hit my kids with bikes. While they pepper sprayed and arrested them for exercising their constitutional rights. And we got tired. And depressed. We were all in dark places. And someone would play Alright, and it always gave us the power to keep going. It was also the anthem for the 2015 PYPM team. Sometimes you just need to hear how “we gone be alright.” It matters.
- Traditional African Dance to “Alright.” On the Grammys. It reminds me of how this elder told me 808s are nothing but an emulation of African drums and it’s why we get so entranced by them. It’s why we turn up to them.
- Traditional African Dance to “Alright” with dancers dressed in traditional African clothing AND with the brothas dressed in County Blues. On a side note, after the performance, the dancers got interviewed backstage and was asked if they understood how the performance would create controversy. The response, “Hi Controversy!” UNAPOLOGETIC!
- Kendrick's entire last run was about Trayvon and how his death connects to a larger world. “In February 26th I lost my life too. It’s like I’m living a dark dream. Nightmares, the screams recorded. Saying they sound distorted but I know who it was. That was me yell for help while he drowned in his blood...” This shit is so important to me. Kavi has an amazing poem about the night we found out about Zimmerman’s acquittal. We were in a van coming back from a slam with 14 teenagers. I’ve never felt so helpless and hopeless in my life. A piece of us died that night. A piece of ALL OF US in that van died that night. And all we could do was cry as we drove in silence on the NJ Turnpike. I’m thankful he and Kavi were able to put that feeling into words because I’ve never been able to do it.
- The Africa/Compton pic. If you listened to TPAB, you know Kendrick had a revelation when he went to Cape Town. He now has a greater understanding of how connected Africans and African-Americans are. He said he was gonna take this understanding back to Compton. It reminds me of Malcolm’s revelation after taking his Hajj to Mecca and his trips to meet with African leaders.
- How all the black folks in the crowd, and a huge number of us who’ve watched the video are reacting like “CHURRRRRRRRRCH!!!!!” RiRi knew he shut it down. She could barely contain herself. Common looked like a 15 year old boy at his first hiphop concert. Rev Run looked like a proud father knowing he helped birth that performance. Then when you read the tweets. Busta said it was the most inspiring thing he's seen in hip hop in the last 20 years. Jidenna said it was mind-blowing. India.Arie said it was history making. LeVar Burton, Taraji, Snoop, Laverne Cox, Kobe, Diddy… The White House official Twitter account even said something.. His peers and his elders respect what he did and what he's doing. This is what happens when you stay true to yourself. Take note young artists. BE YOU. Speak for what matters to YOU. Speak for WHO matter to you.
- What he and Beyonce have done these past two weekends is an act of rebellion and freedom. Rebellion in the sense that we’ve thought these days were over. Artists at the peak of their popularity making statements on LARGE stages. UNAPOLOGETICALLY. Knowing the backlash will come. Knowing they have a lot to lose but not caring. Freedom in the sense that this gives other artists the inspiration or courage they’ve needed to create the art they want. Beyonce could just keep making club anthems. Kendrick could just keep being slick with his words while saying nothing. They’ve chose to not do that. And if they can do it, so can everyone else.