Alexy Irving
Latest posts by Alexy Irving (see all)

Because it took me over 24 hours to process what just occurred in black media leading up to Kendrick Lamar’s epic performance, sorry!

 

This Black History Month, there is an amazing spectacle of Black liberation and pride in the media. From the boycott of the Oscar’s for not featuring African-American’s, to the Beyoncé mountain of racial rage promoting her intent of world domination. Black people are rocking this February! The new year served as an atomic bomb for creativity inside us and around us.

How amazing of a production was the set for Kendrick Lamar’s performance on the Grammy’s. The amount of detail and practice that goes into that is outstanding. From the lighting effects to the synchronized steps and dancing choreography, this performance took some time and effort. I, for one, really appreciated that effort because I’ve grown tired of seeing rappers pace back and forth with big booty chicks hiding their faces. This performance had a deeper meaning then just sex, money and alcohol… This performance was one to wake up the black mind to what is occurring around us. The music industry is breeding an amazingly talented group of black performers and its only proving itself to be an amazing opportunity for us. Granted the ones we see as “woke” are really in it for the betterment of their people, we should see a rise in positive change for African Americans world-wide because yes, the media does influence us a lot more then we care to admit.

Bringing the art of actually performing back to its roots can only push us towards an artistic renaissance. Throwbacks to when concert’s went on for hours and there was a full band behind the musician makes me wish I was born earlier, but its coming back and I couldn’t be more excited.

Every detail of Kendrick Lamar’s performance featured some sort of creative spark revitalizing your idea of music performances. The workings of what art truly is, is being played with now, so were seeing a hip-hop rapper in costume to represent the struggle in his community while still giving praise to Africa and his hood. Were seeing full bands behind a rapper who isn’t just preaching about stereotyping women as floozy’s you can just toss around. Were seeing black artist take from history and pay homage to the Black Panthers which defined our world today. This shift of black artist fighting for recognition as the best to come out of a fiery hell couldn’t make me more excited for everything else that will occur in the music industry.

Remember when everybody was fussing about the Oscar’s not featuring any black people for nominations? Well the Grammy’s was more then happy to promote black musician’s and I can only imagine it going up hill from here. Congratulations to Kendrick Lamar for winning 5 Grammy’s and to my people of artistic minds and a broader imagination then most, keep it up. Were making a serious change in this place and it’s going to get even better.

 

Kendrick at The Grammy's Kendrick at The Grammy'sBeyonce's Dancers Beyonce at the Super Bowl