Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” is characterized by an upbeat and optimistic message that promises better days ahead despite the present difficulties. As things are chaotic in the world, the song’s request that the requests made by people of color are not unreasonable or excessive. That they are treated the same as everyone else is all they want and that those demands for equitable treatment and opportunities for people of color should not be met with resistance.
Even though police brutality and racism have become ingrained in today’s America, Kendrick maintains an optimistic outlook. In his utterances, he assures his audience that everything will work out as long as they put their faith in God.
Following this, Kendrick addresses the music industry and police brutality. He also focuses on how his flaws have become more apparent as he has become more financially successful. He recognizes the hitches he faces and implies that his sins are hopeless and that karma will have its way with him shortly.
Despite the temptations of the adversary and the deep depression he experienced after going to fame from poverty, the author vows to keep writing until he is reconciled with God.
The rapper draws parallels to the subject of police harassment and tells his audience not to lose hope because things will get better in the future, regardless of the systemic chaos and racial disparity.
What it Means to Be All Right
Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” song lyrics play with the idea that we engage God differently depending on the situation depicted in the song. From his perspective, though, he knows that no one can victimize him if he is loyal to them.
The rapper is known for incorporating religious allusions and symbols into his song “Alright.” Many Christians believe that God has a plan and that if you’re actively following that plan, things will work out in the end.
Jesus Christ grew up, gained perspective, and pleaded for a change in the world in Nazareth, Israel. When Nathanael learned that Jesus Christ had preached from Nazareth, he asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” because the town had a reputation for being impoverished and nasty.
Many people in his neighborhood tried to shun him and his faith. In the song’s opening verse, the rapper may draw parallels between Nazareth and his hometown of Compton, California.
Hope and Peace Out of True Chaos
Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” has profound relevance for the Black Lives Matter movement, as the song’s meaning makes clear. It is a cultural phenomenon that shows no signs of disappearing. The only thing that worries me is that asking for justice in the 20th century is considered rude.
Act respectfully toward others. It is not a complicated task. The globe will become increasingly alienated if we do not conform to obtaining equal opportunity and fair treatment. People need to get over their racial prejudice “I find it pitiful and appalling” said Lamar.
In an interview, Lamar talked about the song becoming a protest anthem.
Interviewer: Let’s talk about “Alright” for a second. It has become our generation’s protest song.
Kendrick Lamar: Yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: When you wrote it, did you have that in mind? Did you think of it as a protest song?
Kendrick Lamar: No. You know what? I was sitting on that record for about six months. The beat’s Pharrell. And between my guy Sam Taylor and Pharrell, they would always be like, Did you do it? When you gonna do it? I knew it was a great record—I just was trying to find the space to approach it. I mean, the beat sounds fun, but there’s something else inside of them chords that Pharrell put down that feels like—it can be more of a statement rather than a tune. So with Pharrell and Sam asking me—Am I gonna rock on it? When I’m gonna rock on it?—it put the pressure on me to challenge myself. To actually think and focus on something that could be a staple in hip-hop. And eventually, I came across it. Eventually, I found the right words. You know, it was a lot going on, and still, to this day, it’s a lot going on. And I wanted to approach it as more uplifting—but aggressive. Not playing the victim, but still having that We strong, you know?
In the song “Alright,” Kendrick Lamar does not consider himself the most vital person. Nonetheless, the people who mean the most to him inspire him to keep going. The confidence that “all is going to be all right” helps him persevere cheerfully through the battles.
The song has made waves throughout the world, and has been featured in TV shows like The Quad, The Challenge, Insecure, Ballers and in the movie The First Purge.
Alls my life I has to fight, n*gga
Alls my life I
Hard times like, yah!
Bad trips like, yah!
Nazareth, I’m f*cked up
Homie, you f*cked up
But if God got us then we gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
We gon’ be alright
Do you hear me, do you feel me? We gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
Huh? We gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
Do you hear me, do you feel me? We gon’ be alright
Uh, and when I wake up
I recognize you’re lookin’ at me for the pay cut
But homicide be looking at you from the face down
What MAC-11 even boom with the bass down
Schemin’! And let me tell you bout my life
Painkillers only put me in the twilight
Where pretty pussy and Benjamin is the highlight
Now tell my mama I love her but this what I like
Lord knows, twenty of ’em in my Chevy
Tell ’em all to come and get me, reapin’ everything I sow
So my karma come in heaven, no preliminary hearings on my record
I’m a motherf*cking gangster in silence for the record, uh
Tell the world I know it’s too late
Boys and girls, I think I’ve gone cray
Drown inside my vices all day
Won’t you please believe when I say
Wouldn’t you know
We been hurt, been down before, n*gga
When our pride was low
Lookin’ at the world like, “Where do we go, n*gga?”
And we hate po-po
Wanna kill us dead in the street for sure, n*gga
I’m at the preacher’s door
My knees gettin’ weak and my gun might blow
But we gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
We gon’ be alright
Do you hear me, do you feel me? We gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
Huh? We gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
Do you hear me, do you feel me? We gon’ be alright
What you want you, a house? You, a car?
40 acres and a mule? A piano, a guitar?
Anything, see my name is Lucy, I’m your dog
Motherf*cker, you can live at the mall
I can see the evil, I can tell it I know when it’s illegal
I don’t think about it, I deposit every other zero
Thinkin’ of my partner put the candy, paint it on the regal
Diggin’ in my pocket ain’t a profit, big enough to feed you
Everyday my logic, get another dollar just to keep you
In the presence of your chico ah!
I don’t talk about it, be about it, everyday I see cool
If I got it then you know you got it, Heaven, I can reach you
Pat Dawg, Pat Dawg, Pat Dawg, my dog, that’s all
Bick back and Chad, I trap the bag for y’all
I rap, I black on track so rest assured
My rights, my wrongs, I write ’til I’m right with God
Wouldn’t you know
We been hurt, been down before, n*gga
When our pride was low
Lookin’ at the world like, “Where do we go, n*gga?”
And we hate po-po
Wanna kill us dead in the street for sure, n*gga
I’m at the preacher’s door
My knees gettin’ weak and my gun might blow
But we gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
We gon’ be alright
Do you hear me, do you feel me? We gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
Huh? We gon’ be alright
N*gga, we gon’ be alright
Do you hear me, do you feel me? We gon’ be alright
I keep my head up high
I cross my heart and hope to die
Lovin’ me is complicated
Too afraid of a lot of changes
I’m alright and you’re a favorite
Dark nights in my prayers
I remembered you was conflicted
Misusing your influence, sometimes I did the same
Abusing my power full of resentment
Resentment that turned into a deep depression
Found myself screamin’ in the hotel room
I didn’t wanna self destruct, the evils of Lucy was all around me
So I went runnin’ for answers
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Kawan Prather / Kendrick Lamar Duckworth / Mark Anthony Spears / Pharrell L. Williams
Alright lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc
Listeners that enjoy songs about Rebellion may also be interested in the song Old Town Road by Lil Nas X
This article was first published September 26th, 2022 and last updated May 19th 2023
