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Good Kid M. A. D City By Kendrick Lamar Essay

Decent Essays

In the concept album, good kid m.A.A.d city, Kendrick Lamar creates an autobiographical narrative that describes the societal pressures of growing up as a black teenager in Compton, and how his self-awareness and musical passion allowed him to escape from the city’s cycle of violence. Through the album’s storyline Kendrick makes the case that, despite coming from a hedonistic, gang infested city, he is able to transform into a puritan. Kendrick narrates this story through several different perspectives, including actual people from his life as well as his own psyche. Kendrick Lamar mainly invokes the persona of K.Dot, who is based on Kendrick’s actual seventeen year old self. This story begins from the first person perspective of naive K.Dot, who is characterized by a raspy, inflicted voice. The lyrics of this character show the ignorance and lack of direction in his life, as well his self-doubts and impressionability. It is eventually revealed that K.Dot has a passion for music. While K.Dot is a good kid at heart who is not gang affiliated, his innocence is tainted by the desires of the Compton lifestyle. After a violent encounter, a transformation begins to occurs from within K.Dot. He realizes that the negative influences of gang culture have corrupted him, …show more content…

Kendrick begins to show more depth to his seventeen year old persona, as he ponders the choice between seeking salvation or succumbing to the vices of the street. It is clear to him that getting money through illegal means easy way out, but he is unsure of what other opportunities he actually has. K.Dot shows a great sense of self-awareness in this song, when he recognizes that he desires money, because it is the lifestyle portrayed in the rap music that he listens to. While driving, Kendrick thinks to himself about the possibility of living this

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