Kendrick Lamar and Religious Influence

In the introduction to his book Making a World with a Beat: Musical Expression’s Relationship to Religious Identity and Experience, Anthony Pinn writes, “Michael Dyson points to an interesting interaction, a stylization of self and community, addressing ultimate meaning within the context of a musically significant ‘process of repetition and recontextualization,’ deserving greater attention.”

The “stylization of self and community” constantly appears in rap music, specifically in Kendrick Lamar’s album, good kid, m.A.A.d. city. In the song, m.A.A.d. city, Lamar raps, “My pops said I needed a job I thought I believed him\ Security guard for a month and ended up leaving\ In fact I got fired cause I was inspired by all of my friends\ To stage a robbery the third Saturday I clocked in.” These four lines of the song paint a picture of Lamar’s childhood for the listener. The stylization of his life experience places the listener into Lamar’s shoes, creating the space for a connection between listeners and the artist.

So much of life is focused on finding meaning and doing what we view as socially expected or acceptable. When Lamar raps, “My pops said I needed a job I thought I believed him” he is talking about convincing himself that he needed what his father wanted for him. This is a very relatable experience for the listener, as people often persuade themselves to act in a way they believe they should, based on the expectations of religious leaders, texts, and/or experiences. People, for better or worse, use religion as a driving force in their lives. It helps them make decisions, similar to the help Lamar’s provided. Kendrick Lamar saw his father as a source of wisdom, one that would lead him to the right decision. Religion often plays the same role in people’s lives.