Only a couple days after his opening performance at the annual BET Awards, Kendrick Lamar released the music video for his newest single "Alright".
The single, produced by Pharrell Williams, is the third single off of his highly acclaimed album To Pimp a Butterfly. The video for this song was directed by the very well known Colin Tilley, and was shot in black and white, which drew more attention to the powerful imagery put forth by both Tilley and Lamar.
In one scene a police officer is shown shooting a fleeing man in the back, which could undoubtedly be a statement on the number of unarmed black men we've seen being killed in the news. Another scene shows a simulation of a rapper being shot off the top of a light pole by a patrol man.
Tilley spoke to MTV News about the message behind the video saying, "It basically shows the state of everything that's going on in the world. It's also showing how one man can basically spread positivity through all of the madness that's going on and how everything is gonna be alright."
The message in this video comes through clearly in its black and white imagery, and Kendrick Lamar has already built some of his reputation on having something to say on colorism and racism. Lamar's latest album is filled with references to Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela, Richard Pryor, Roots, and other symbols and figures within the black community.
Other acts have been taking notice of Lamar's ability to speak about current issues and affairs, such as Chuck D, the legendary frontman of Public Enemy. Chuck has cited Kendrick Lamar as a source of inspiration for Public Enemy's upcoming album, Man Plans God Laughs saying, "Kendrick is great. He's at a stage in his career where he can put a lot of words in a small area. He really knows how to use space. He's one of the people actually saying something."
Kendrick Lamar's album has him following in the footsteps of acts before him who used their voice to say something meaningful, while still clearing his own path. In the video for "Alright", together with director Colin Tilley, he puts powerful imagery together with overall positive lyrics to really give his fans something to think about.
By Devon Pyne for RAPstation.com
Kendrick Lamar debuts new video for Alright
Only a couple days after his opening performance at the annual BET Awards, Kendrick Lamar released the music video for his newest single "Alright".
The single, produced by Pharrell Williams, is the third single off of his highly acclaimed album To Pimp a Butterfly. The video for this song was directed by the very well known Colin Tilley, and was shot in black and white, which drew more attention to the powerful imagery put forth by both Tilley and Lamar.
In one scene a police officer is shown shooting a fleeing man in the back, which could undoubtedly be a statement on the number of unarmed black men we've seen being killed in the news. Another scene shows a simulation of a rapper being shot off the top of a light pole by a patrol man.
Tilley spoke to MTV News about the message behind the video saying, "It basically shows the state of everything that's going on in the world. It's also showing how one man can basically spread positivity through all of the madness that's going on and how everything is gonna be alright."
The message in this video comes through clearly in its black and white imagery, and Kendrick Lamar has already built some of his reputation on having something to say on colorism and racism. Lamar's latest album is filled with references to Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela, Richard Pryor, Roots, and other symbols and figures within the black community.
Other acts have been taking notice of Lamar's ability to speak about current issues and affairs, such as Chuck D, the legendary frontman of Public Enemy. Chuck has cited Kendrick Lamar as a source of inspiration for Public Enemy's upcoming album, Man Plans God Laughs saying, "Kendrick is great. He's at a stage in his career where he can put a lot of words in a small area. He really knows how to use space. He's one of the people actually saying something."
Kendrick Lamar's album has him following in the footsteps of acts before him who used their voice to say something meaningful, while still clearing his own path. In the video for "Alright", together with director Colin Tilley, he puts powerful imagery together with overall positive lyrics to really give his fans something to think about.
By Devon Pyne for RAPstation.com
