THE DEATH OF THE GRAMMYS...A Revolution through Art!

Kendrick Lamar delivered what is now one of the most controversial performances ever at the 2016 Grammys, creating one of the most beautiful moments in music history. There were pyrotechnics both of the actual kind and of the emotional sort. But what was Kendrick saying?

At the start of the performance he came out in chains along with fellow inmate as the band crooned while locked in cages. Every jerk and twitch of his body matched the rhythm and beat of the music.

In front of a massive bonfire, Lamar turned the performance into a powerful message. Starting with the lyrics of “Alright” a song written as a part of the Black Lives Matter movement. As the portrayal showed celebration of who they are, there was undoubtedly a double meaning as fire can mean both love and hate, life and death, peace and war, after all it is a duality.

It was like the spirit of the underground burst through and took control of every word, phrase and movement, the man was a beast! No apologies!  And like all big things going on in the world…there was a piece of the Caribbean in the mix!

His name’s Assassin and this is the verse that had the audience of the Grammys gasping in horror!

            

Assassin

          

“Ah say them treat we like ah slave cuz we black

We feel whole heap ah pain cuz we black

And what we say, them put we in ah chain cuz we black

And watch here now, we gold chain full ah rocks

You nuh see the wip leave scar pon we back

But now we have ah big wip park pon the block

Them ah say we doom from the start cuz we black

But remember this, every race start from the black”

But allow me to digress for a moment…there seem to be a pattern here.

Join me for a quick flashback will you…

Beyonce made a bold statement at the 2016 Superbowl through her performance of “Formation”. Coming on the heel of the 50^th anniversary of The Black Panther Party, the performance paid tribute to the Panthers, as Beyonce and her dancers could be seen wearing black leather and sporting natural hairstyles...I think it was the day that white Americans realised Beyonce was...wait for it...black!

I may know what you’re thinking right now, I’m supposed to be talking about #allthingsunderground …but the message that is being sent right now has been in the making for years, mainstream music wasn’t protesting but the underground music scene has always been. We all know mainstream artists are censored, once you’re mainstream you have to follow strict orders, that’s why so many artists practice their craft under the radar. They get to keep their identity, but these recent activities are creating a change within some mainstream artists. They're starting to speak up and reclaim their identity.

So I’m asking you now…do you think that there could possibly be a gorilla movement through music? Could it be a revolution through the arts?

Take a look at Kendrick’s performance, and tell me if you think there could be something happening under the radar, or do you think it’s just another protest that will soon be long forgotten?

"If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music."

                                                                                                                - Jimmy Hendrix