Kendrick Lamar released a new song entitled, "The Blacker the Berry." The song's release was seemingly well timed and reveals the current mental state of the accomplished 27-year-old rapper.
"The Blacker the Berry" debuted right after Lamar won two Grammys for his song "I", according to Rolling Stone. Jinx, from YouTube Channel Complex -- seen in the video below -- states that the song was first released on the net through a tweet by Taraji P. Henson.
Bet.com reports that Henson, an actress from the tv series "Empire," had the chance to listen to Kendrick's new album. The rapper supposedly also gave Henson permission to release her "favorite" song from the album.
The sound bed of the newly released song was produced by Boy-1da in collaboration with Terrace Martin, says Rolling Stone. Jinx adds that it also features vocals from Reggae artist, Assassin.
Lamar seems to be taking a darker, angrier direction with the release of "The Blacker the Berry," reports The Independent in UK. Jinx affirms this observation by stating that the song has a "confrontational sound."
The Independent reports that the rapper seems to "hit out at" racists in the U.S. by refrencing events that led up to the Ferguson unrest. In the past, the rapper had made comments about the Ferguson situation.
He told Billboard, "I wish somebody would look in our neighborhood knowing that it's already a situation, mentally, where it's f---ked up. What happend to [Michael Brown] should've never happened. Never. But when we don't have respect for ourselves, how do we expect them to respect us? It starts from within."
Most people responded negatively to Lamar's comment, noted The Independent. However, in his new song, he seems to try to explain and elaborate what he meant by his words.
Meanwhile, according to Jinx, the song shows Lamar's anger at institutional racism and systems of power that marginalize the black community. In addition, the song covers a number of topics ranging from slavery, indoctrinated beliefs, and gang violence.
It certainly does seem that Lamar's mental state has shifted towards darker waters, but as Jinx says, Lamar is asking the right questions. Though, he may not know the solutions.
The song seemingly alludes to Wallace Thurman's book, "The Blacker the Berry," published in 1929, reports Jinx. Thurman's book explores racial discrimination in the black community. The photo released with the song was taken by Italian photographer, Giordano Cipriani. It is a photo of a mother - from the Tribe of Surma in Ethiopia, breastfeeding her twin babies.
The song is expected to be on Lamar's new album, which will be coming out later this year, reports The Independent.
