DAMN. is a revelation of straightforward, hard-hitting raps bat-signaling siren-focused lyrics of fate and will power in America and the decisions that plague upon our destiny with every action committed.
Why God do I have to suffer is a question that runs deep in the roots of Kendrick Lamar’s fourth coming album DAMN. “FEAR.,” the third to last song on Lamar’s fourth studio album illustrates the stages of fear from a child to adolescence and adolescence to an adult written from a parent—his mother and himself.
The angst in the mother’s delivery revives relatively a universal overlook of the relationship between parents—black especially, and their children of how they are groomed to “fear them if they don’t fear no one else.” Growing up as an adolescent in Compton, Lamar’s fear triples due to the worries that he faces in his community where he witnesses lives taken by the hands of gang-related violence.
Lamar also highlights his insecurities that God may be playing a practical joke on him and takes his career as a musician away at age 27 when he referenced the book of Jobwhen everything was taken away as a means to test his faith. About Job, he was a well-off man of God in the Land of Uz with an enormous family of seven sons and three daughters with a massive herd of domestic animals. With God knowing Job’s heart, he allowed the adversary, Satan, permission to test Job’s faith and discipline to him but with staying within the stipulations of not taking Job’s life in the process.
This true test of faith led to Job losing his family to natural disasters and losing his livestock to trespassers. Throughout the assessment, he maintained his faithfulness to God despite the circumstances that came in his direction. The lesson to be learned from this parable is to not only trust and show your devout honor to God when things are going right but to water that seed of optimism in knowing that he will provide a way when things are going wrong.
Understanding the root cause of fear unpacks the Pandora’s Box of a controversial conversation that Kendrick believes is necessary when he humbly confesses, “my DNA won’t allow me to involve in the light of God.”
Ultimately,Noisy Imagespoints out fromWikipedia, that fear itself comes from a feeling that is determined by a sense of danger or threat that transpires in certain entities which are rooted in adaptive instincts where there is a shift in organ functions and behavior where the natural reflex proves why organisms tend to flee or hide. This explanation could be an illustration for why people of the complexion of Kendrick feel similarly in spirit regarding the black experience in America.
While Kendrick is connecting his bloodline to his damaged relationship to God, he believes that the 305,326 African slaves during the Middle Passageof the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade transpired from a curse placed upon the Jews. These Jews, as described in The Book of Deuteronomy, were cursed due to their defiance in following the commandments that God delegated to Moses to establish in Israel as stated in the Book of Deuteronomy.
Kendrick insinuates that the hu complexion of the black and brown community are direct descendants of the Jews when his Cousin Carl, a Black Hebrew Israelite recited Amos 3:2, “You only have I known of all the families of the Earth. Therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities.” While Kendrick hints that his heritage stems from the chosen people of God, Carl Duckworth supports the claim in FEAR. by implying, “The so-called Blacks, Hispanics, and Native American Indians are the true children of Israel.”
Realizing that the Book of Deuteronomy not only emphasizes on the theme of free will versus determinism when Cousin Carl relays, “Until we come back to these commandments, we gonna feel this way, we gonna be under this curse.” However, the parable also demonstrates what will happen if you choose to obey or disregard the bylaws delegated by God to Moses to enforce upon the people of Israel.
Providing different prospectives through storytelling has been Lamar’s craft honed. However, monstrous and psychedelic tones used throughout the project brings the personas to life and adds flare to the woozy, atmospheric beats that crack the sky revealing Jesus’s presence when Lamar admittedly digs deep into self-discovery on the “DNA.” track similar to an exorcism when revealing recycled demons passed down from generations. DAMN. drives the urgency of its message with the obnoxious, head-rattling hypnotic beat selections as showcased on DNA. when Lamar rages, “Peace to the world, let it rotate. Sex, money, murder—our DNA.”
There have been many arguments and explanations about DAMN. One of the many theories was Lamar providing a second album due to the unexpected play out of Lamar getting gunned down by a blind woman in his eagerness to help her in “BLOOD.” The second album was said to be believed by fans as Lamar‘s resurrection. His symbolism purposely leads us to hunt for a second album to highlight the downfalls of humankind. Downfalls being, we want him to pray for us because he is an “anointed soul,” but are we praying for him even if he was simply Kendrick Duckworth. The blind lady in “BLOOD.” could be understood as Lucy—the devil, who finally cashed in on her “pimped butterfly”—Kendrick Lamar.
Nonetheless, the concept of DAMN. could be Lamar is personally conflicted with being a walking contradiction. He asks, “is it wickedness or weakness” that has him turning to his vices. Ultimately, love will kill him, or pride will be the death of him. His concept is the nature of man, and the relationship between God and Lucy has on him. “DUCKWORTH.,” the last song on Lamar’s latest album unravels an interesting story on fate, choices, and actions that occur from those decisions. The track focuses on Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith where he plans to commit a robbery where Kendrick’s father, Ducky, works. The theft could have resulted in Ducky’s demise, but his kindness caused Top Dawg to withhold from committing the robbery which could have placed him behind bars rather than—by chance signing a younger Lamar to his record label, Top Dawg Entertainment.
So, Lamar has placed four albums out thus far. Section .80 being the state of a generation. m.A.A.d city being the state of a community and TPAB being the state of time. Could DAMN. be the state of mind?