THE REVOLUTION OF AMERICAN SOCIETY December .032 ON KENDRICK LAMAR THROUGHLookbook ART: A FOCUS
Over the course of the century, the line between art and politics has become significantly blurred despite their apparent differences. Art has historically been seen as a tool to express human creativity and emotion, while politics has been seen as cold, rigid, and authoritarian. Never would humanity have expected politics to coincide with creativity or art in the way it does today. Artists are the new critics of our society.1 The complexity of our developing society requires creative solutions– new perspectives that see past the situation at hand and are capable of launching communities beyond their presumed capabilities. 1 West, Cornel. “The New Cultural Politics of Difference.” October 53 (1990): 93–109. https://doi.org/10.2307/778917.
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Whether it is creating technological advancements, being the driving force behind social movements, or inspiring millions of people, artists are the foundation of the future. Kendrick Lamar is a prime modern-day example of the influence an artist has on politics and society. Without art, there is no society. Kendrick Lamar’s masterful use of visual elements in his music videos supports his desire to push political messages to society. Through his choice of visuals and work as a creative director for his music videos, he meticulously constructs narratives and opens up a deconstructive conversation on American social justice, systemic racism,
police brutality, representation of black individuals and communities in the media, gang violence, substance abuse, and much more. He recognizes the origins of rap as a controversial topic– mainly depicting scenes of drugs, sexual objectification, and violence, and transcends rap history past these harmful representations to create a more constructive and positive platform within the rap community. Kate Conrad, Dr. Travis L. Dixon, and Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang categorized and discussed three main themes in rap music videos in the late 90s and early 2000s; controversial rap themes, gender portrayals, and skin tone distortion.2 2 Conrad, Kate, Travis L. Dixon, and Yuanyuan Zhang. 2009. “Controversial Rap Themes, Gender Portrayals and Skin Tone Distortion: A Content Analysis of Rap Music Videos.” Taylor & Francis Online.
