Kendrick Lamars Positive Influence Through His Song "Swimming Pools" Essay Example
Jacob Standage
Daniel Hogan
English 99
5 November 2012
Swimming Pools by Kendrick Lamar Many people listen and like music just for the rhythm or the flow, but not many people realize what kind of a message some of these artists are trying to send to society through their lyrics. Kendrick Lamar or “K-dot”, the lyrical genius of today’s rap culture, is one of my all-time favorite artists in hip-hop and is one of the rappers that send these messages to their audience. Recently, one of K-dot’s popular new singles “swimming pools” got released rapidly throughout the world. This single impacted society positively inspiring teenagers and anyone else with a family member that has drinking problems to get through it and to never give up by relating himself in that same situation, and it also impacted older high school and college students by hazing the negative effects of alcohol and also by stating the false feelings alcohol portrays. Some of Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics can have positive effects for teenagers growing up with, or living with, parents and family that are irresponsible drinkers by inspiring the teens to push through it and not to give up when times could get bad. He is very successful at this because he can relate to anyone in this situation. I think that the name of “swimming pools” serves as a metaphor for how some people’s lives are so engulfed by alcohol that it’s like their constantly swimming in it. Kendrick himself in one of his lyrics states “now I done grew up round some people livin their life in bottles, granddaddy had the golden flask, backstroke every day in Chicago”. In stating “granddaddy had the golden flask” this is not to say that his grandpa is a classy drinker, but rather that he may be an enthusiastic drinker and with having enough time to pour liquor from a bottle into a flask, his granddaddy probably has a drinking problem. In other words, Kendrick is explaining that his grandpa is one of those people that are engulfed in alcohol,
Daniel Hogan
English 99
5 November 2012
Swimming Pools by Kendrick Lamar Many people listen and like music just for the rhythm or the flow, but not many people realize what kind of a message some of these artists are trying to send to society through their lyrics. Kendrick Lamar or “K-dot”, the lyrical genius of today’s rap culture, is one of my all-time favorite artists in hip-hop and is one of the rappers that send these messages to their audience. Recently, one of K-dot’s popular new singles “swimming pools” got released rapidly throughout the world. This single impacted society positively inspiring teenagers and anyone else with a family member that has drinking problems to get through it and to never give up by relating himself in that same situation, and it also impacted older high school and college students by hazing the negative effects of alcohol and also by stating the false feelings alcohol portrays. Some of Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics can have positive effects for teenagers growing up with, or living with, parents and family that are irresponsible drinkers by inspiring the teens to push through it and not to give up when times could get bad. He is very successful at this because he can relate to anyone in this situation. I think that the name of “swimming pools” serves as a metaphor for how some people’s lives are so engulfed by alcohol that it’s like their constantly swimming in it. Kendrick himself in one of his lyrics states “now I done grew up round some people livin their life in bottles, granddaddy had the golden flask, backstroke every day in Chicago”. In stating “granddaddy had the golden flask” this is not to say that his grandpa is a classy drinker, but rather that he may be an enthusiastic drinker and with having enough time to pour liquor from a bottle into a flask, his granddaddy probably has a drinking problem. In other words, Kendrick is explaining that his grandpa is one of those people that are engulfed in alcohol,