DAMN, Maybe Kendrick Did Deserve A Pulitzer For That Album

During Superbowl LIX the first words uttered by Kendrick Lamar is his thesis statement for the entire performance. The very first song you hear is an unreleased and untitled song (the antithesis of playing the most commercially successful records of your career, as is expected on the Superbowl stage). Kendrick is breaking convention by performing on the biggest stage in America under his own rules, rather than the rules of the “great American game.” However, if we look back, we see that Dot has a knack for putting the thesis of a creative work right at the very top, like any good academic paper. Notwithstanding that, unlike an academic paper it takes some digging and life experience to understand the meaning of art and as such a Kungfu Kenny thesis statement. It is with this knowledge that we can begin to see the depth and richness of Mr. Duckworth’s 2017 text “DAMN”.

DAMN starts with a series of questions; “Is it wickedness? Is it weakness? You decide, are we gunna live or die?” Then a blind woman shoots Kendrick. I didn’t understand this prelude for 8 years and as such would skip it to get straight to the bangers. But this prelude unlocks the meaning of the entire album. In some ways what I am writing is a companion piece to a video essay by Digging The Greats who does some amazing music breakdowns on his YouTube channel. There he does more to break down the flow of the album which like the prelude, I never understood. Like many a hip hop fan, I was told that this album is really 2 albums and to play it in reverse for a different experience (this is further made clear by all of the reverse musical references whether it be voices, drums, samples, or the entire album on the last song). However, when I played it again I gained no further insight. Likely because I skipped the prelude.

The two keys needed to unlock the album are (i) who is the antagonist, and (ii) the differences between wickedness and weakness. Coming off of TPAB, we were used to Kendrick’s critiques of the American justice system (such a critique is pervasive in hip hop in general). However, it is a mistake to think of this critique as background or a given when it is very much meant to be the foreground. On the other hand, throughout this album Kendrick makes allusions to his cousin Carl who is a Black Israelite. I in no way am trying to breakdown the theology of this religion, instead simply how Kendrick uses his version of the theology as a tool. Kendrick uses the thought process that until Black folks return to the old testament law, we are a cursed people. Thus Kendrick points out two ways that struggle is placed upon Black people (i) the American justice system and (ii) God. These are the possible antagonists of the album.

To quote DJ Kid Capri, “we gone put it in reverse” and go back to the thesis statement. Therein a blind woman shoots Kendrick. The identity of this woman is never revealed because her identity changes based on the order in which you listen to the album. When listening how published the blind woman can be read as lady justice (traditionally portrayed as a blind woman to convey the supposed grace and impartiality of the American justice system). In the final track in the tracklist, as published, Kendrick points out how if Top and his father made different decisions, his dad likely would’ve died, Top would serve life, Dot would’ve grown up without a father and died in a gun fight. This is lady justice as an antagonist who causes the death of Kendrick Lamar. However, in reverse order the blind woman becomes God exacting justice on a cursed people. We must recall the theological tool in use whereby Black people are cursed, unless we return to old testament law. The now final song begins with royalty and loyalty as components of Dot’s DNA and ends with sex, money, and murder as representative of his DNA. The song in itself shows a rapid fall from grace based on Dot’s DNA that begins with some virtues but quickly devolves into vices. It is his DNA and the curse placed on him as a Black man which causes divine justice to mean his death. With a slick reference to the apocalypse[1] Dot explains that the vices passed down via DNA are key to the judgement passed down by God.

I know this sounds pretty bleak, but we have to consider our second key: wickedness versus weakness. Based on the flow of the album, death may be overcome based on your answer/decision to the question posed at the top, is it wickedness or weakness.  If the issues faced by Black people are divine justice due to vices inside of our DNA, it is wickedness. If it is wickedness then there is no escaping the sentence intended by God.  However, if the issues faced by Black people are due to the American justice system we may be able to overcome the intended death by strengthening our community. In the published tracklist, Kendrick’s father and Top overcome the weakness, by becoming friends instead of enemies. Because of these decisions Top and Ducky live and Kendrick grows up to be the greatest rapper, overcoming the death promised by lady justice.  Thus based on the flow of the album you can choose whether the problems of Black life able to be overcome or not. Damn, that’s kind of deep.

For 8 years I believed that the Pulitzer for DAMN was actually for TPAB, but when we examine the text of DAMN with all of the keys we see a text much richer than TPAB. A text which is simultaneously hopeful and pessimistic. A text which utilizes an African American theological view point to elucidate a query- is this battle spiritual or political? A text which contains the heft of these issues while being played on pop radio. While TPAB remains my favorite Kendrick album, to those committed to the dig, DAMN may be his magnum opus.

Side Note: This is my third piece in a row that has Kendrick involved. I’m not writing anymore verbose academic articles on him for a little while (Kenny please don’

[1] “Sex, money murder these are the breaks/ these are the times, level number 9/ look up in the sky 10 is on the way/ Sentence on the way, killings on the way”