"The Blacker the Berry" is a song by American hip hop recording artist

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his Progressive rap, progressive musical styles and Social consciousness, socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most infl ...

. It was included as the thirteenth song on the track-listing of his third studio album ''

To Pimp a Butterfly ''To Pimp a Butterfly'' is the third studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 15, 2015, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album was recorded in studios throughout the Uni ...

'' (2015). "The Blacker the Berry" was released as the second single from the album on February 9, 2015. The song shares its title with the novel '' The Blacker the Berry'' by American author

Wallace Thurman Wallace Henry Thurman (August 16, 1902 – December 22, 1934) was an American novelist active during the Harlem Renaissance. He also wrote essays, worked as an editor, and was a publisher of short-lived newspapers and literary journals. He is be ...

. The track produced by

Boi-1da Matthew Jehu Samuels (born October 12, 1986), known professionally as Boi-1da ( , a play on "boy wonder"), is a Jamaican-Canadian Record production, record producer and songwriter based in Toronto, Ontario. The Toronto raised producer has work ...

Terrace Martin Terrace Jamahl Martin (born December 28, 1978) is an American musician, rapper, singer, and record producer. He is perhaps best known for producing records for several prominent artists in the music industry, including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dog ...

, and KOZ. It has a chorus that features Jamaican artist

Assassin Assassination is the murder of a prominent or VIP, important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not ha ...

. The album version also contains additional vocals provided by

neo soul Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and contempo ...

singer

Lalah Hathaway Eulaulah Donyll "Lalah" Hathaway (born December 16, 1968) is an American singer. In 1990 Hathaway released her first album titled ''Lalah Hathaway''. After releasing another album, titled '' A Moment'' (1994), it debuted at number 34 on the To ...

. Upon its release, "The Blacker the Berry'" received rave reviews from contemporary

music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...

. However, its also elicited controversy due to Kendrick Lamar's commentary on the death of

Trayvon Martin Trayvon Benjamin Martin (February 5, 1995 – February 26, 2012) was a 17-year-old African-American from Miami Gardens, Florida, who was fatally shot in Sanford, Florida, by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old Hispanic American. Martin had accompa ...

. In the United States, it peaked at number sixty-six on the U.S. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

chart. The single has since been certified

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA).

Background

Being Kendrick Lamar's first major statement since " i", a single released in late 2014, "The Blacker the Berry" is a departure from its "self-love-promoting" predecessor. Whereas "i" was sweet and naïve, "The Blacker the Berry" is discordant and fierce, being a racially-charged song. American record producer and multi-instrumentalist

worked with several musicians, including Robert Glasper, Lalah Hathaway, Thundercat, Anna Wise to compose the politically charged number. The track features a " boom-bap beat", with lyrics that celebrate his African-American heritage, and "tackles hatred, racism, and hypocrisy head on." Its lyrics have Lamar castigating himself for being no better than the police. The song's chorus is performed by Jamaican

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...

artist

, notable for performing on

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

's 2013 LP ''

Yeezus ''Yeezus'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on June 18, 2013, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. West gathered a number of artists and close collaborators for the production, ...

''. "The Blacker the Berry" is thought to be a response from Kendrick Lamar to criticism he received for comments made regarding the

shooting of Michael Brown On August 9, 2014, 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Brown was accompanied by his 22-year-old male friend Dorian Johnson, who later stated that Brow ...

and the subsequent

Ferguson unrest The Ferguson unrest (sometimes called the Ferguson uprising, Ferguson protests, or the Ferguson riots) were a series of protests and riots which began in Ferguson, Missouri on August 10, 2014, the day after the fatal shooting of Michael Brow ...

. Its sentiments echo statements Lamar made regarding the death of Michael Brown. In a ''

'' interview, when asked if he ever had been mistreated in encounters with police, Lamar replied, "plenty of times. All the time." But when questioned about the highly publicized killings of African-Americans by police officers in 2014, Lamar stated, "What happened to ichael Brownshould've never happened. Never. But when we don't have respect for ourselves, how do we expect them to respect us? It starts from within. Don't start with just a rally, don't start from

looting Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...

-- it starts from within." His comments sparked a backlash from audiences, journalists and fellow rappers, including

Azealia Banks Azealia Amanda Banks ( ; born May 31, 1991) is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. Raised in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, she began releasing music through Myspace in 2008 before being signed to XL Recordings at age 18. In 2 ...

who called it "the dumbest shit I've ever heard a black man say." The release of "The Blacker the Berry" came after

Darryl McDaniels Darryl Matthews McDaniels (born May 31, 1964), better known by his stage name DMC, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Run-DMC, and is considered one of the pioneers of hip hop culture. Early life McDaniels grew ...

of the influential rap group

Run-DMC Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of ...

claimed that radios were "too afraid" to play Kendrick Lamar because he speaks the truth. In an interview with ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'', he stated, "I don't believe in conspiracy theories but people are scared of a young man that looks like that from their neighborhood talking about real issues." Sharing similar sentiment, producer Terrance Martin remarked, "That line speaks personally to me. When you grow up in L.A. (or anywhere but I'm specifically talking about where I grew up), you can be pro-black, pro-self-love and say, "I'm on this march and love thy brother and no black-on-black," but you go to the gas station, somebody rolls up next to you and you sense danger." He continued saying, "The more we trip over other 'hoods and kill each other, it puts another dark thing nderyour belt. That spoke to me because I've been in those situations where I'm talking this love shit, this

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

shit, but another dude doesn't wanna hear that and there's an issue. Sometimes talking about love doesn't work all the time."

Artwork lawsuit

On July 10, 2015, a lawsuit was filed by photographer Giordano Cipriani, stating that Lamar and the song's associated record labels (

Top Dawg Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) is an American independent record label founded in 2004, by CEO Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. Terrence "Punch" Henderson is president of the label. There are currently eleven artists signed to the label: the label's f ...

Aftermath Aftermath may refer to: Companies * Aftermath (comics), an imprint of Devil's Due Publishing * Aftermath Entertainment, an American record label founded by Dr. Dre * Aftermath Media, an American multimedia company * Aftermath Services, an Americ ...

Interscope Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Musi ...

) used a photo of his without permission or payment. The photo in question features a mother breastfeeding two children. Cipriani states that he had taken the photo in 2011 while he was in Africa. He is also demanding $150,000 for each time the photo was used.

Recording

The track was produced by American record producer,

multi-instrumentalist A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays two or more musical instruments at a professional level of proficiency. Also known as doubling, the practice allows greater ensemble flexibility and more efficient employment of musicians, where ...

and rapper

. He played a key role in strengthening the brand of his cousin

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

after graduating from high school. Martin has been behind studio album released in 2014 by artists such as

Big K.R.I.T. Justin Lewis Scott (born August 26, 1986), better known by his stage name Big K.R.I.T. (a backronym for King Remembered in Time), is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, he started his musical career in 2005. Af ...

and YG in addition to his own record, '' 3ChordFold'' (2013). During an interview with ''

'', Martin spoke about the making of "The Blacker the Berry," describing his experience working with Kendrick Lamar and the message they sought to deliver on with the song. The lyrics of its verses were finished when Lamar approached Martin but the singing had yet to be laid over the track. Its hip hop beat was constructed from hard-hitting drums by

. Meanwhile, Martin integrated the

arrangements which arrive at the song's conclusion, taking cues from

and

James Fauntleroy James Edward Fauntleroy II (born May 16, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Inglewood, California. He is best known for writing credits on tracks by high-profile artists such as Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, Kendrick ...

. Martin incorporated a jazz section for the ending of the record to give the intense feeling left by its third verse some sense of resolution. He worked with Glasper on a Fender Rhodes in addition to Fauntleroy, Hathaway, Thundercat on bass to compose the arrangement. Martin had listened to and meditated on the record and came to believe that Lamar was discussing issues that were perfectly time for what was going on in life. He stated, "It's a soulful record, it's a record that needed to be done, and it's like the modern times of

Public Enemy "Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe p ...

. It's a black record. It's a record about being black and being proud at the end of the day. It inspired me to counteract what he was doing with something hella jazzy. He just got done talking about 'hypocrites' and pro-black shit, and I'm like, "Let me calm that down because we

re about to Re or RE may refer to: Geography * Re, Norway, a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway * Re, Vestland, a village in Gloppen municipality, Vestland county, Norway * Re, Piedmont, an Italian municipality * Île de Ré, an island off the we ...

cause a riot out here!"

Composition

"The Blacker the Berry" is a politically charged hip hop song that lasts for a duration of five minutes and twenty-eight seconds. Along with amorphous

song structure Song structure is the arrangement of a song, and is a part of the songwriting process. It is typically sectional, which uses repeating forms in songs. Common forms include bar form, 32-bar form, verse–chorus form, ternary form, strophic form, and ...

s, its musical composition is marked by cinematic production. The track is built on a

boom bap Boom bap is a subgenre and music production style that was prominent in the East Coast during the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The term "boom bap" is an onomatopoeia that represents the sounds used for the b ...

beat while providing subversive musical styles reminiscent of

Parliament-Funkadelic Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive fu ...

. The song's lyrical content retains intense social commentary. Lamar surveys the world around him in a foreboding manner. His urgent

rapping Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

demonstrates discipline and control, even as an irregular

cadence In Western musical theory, a cadence (Latin ''cadentia'', "a falling") is the end of a phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards.Don Michael Randel (1999) ...

hits and runs over beat. Each of his straightforward lines comes at a direct and cutting pace, with Lamar abandoning his habitual tendency to fill up lines with melodious syllables. The song opens with a dark, bleary

loop Loop or LOOP may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live * Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets * Loop Mobile, an ...

and wistful recitation of the words, "blacker the berry, sweeter the juice." Lamar begins his verse by declaring himself "the biggest hypocrite in 2015" atop the bombastic beat. Following the opening lines, he prophesies, "Once I finish this witnesses will convey just what I mean." Throughout the number, Lamar celebrates his African-American heritage while bluntly tackling hatred and racism. During the first two verses, Lamar strike at racism and stereotypes blacks face in America, all while continuously labeling himself "the biggest hypocrite of 2015." Lamar is at his most confrontational in "The Blacker the Berry," addressing issues such as police brutality and accepting his African heritage with lyrics about his skin color and coming from "the bottom of mankind." As he rails at racial injustice, Lamar lets rage break his usual cool composure. With an angry, guttural delivery, the pitch of voice near both screams and sobs but his words manage to come across clearly. The song's lyrics offers revolutionary

slogan A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a clan, political slogan, political, Advertising slogan, commercial, religious, and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose, with the goal of persuading members of the publi ...

s before Lamar turns his scope on the final verse.

Critical reception

"The Blacker the Berry" received rave reviews from

music journalist Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...

s. Comparing its musical content to the work of

Ice Cube An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be produc ...

Alexis Petridis Alexis Petridis ( el, Αλέξης Πετρίδης; born 13 September 1971) is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for the UK newspaper ''The Guardian'', as well as a regular contributor to the magazine '' GQ''. In addition to his mus ...

of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' called the number "remarkable" and credited Lamar's snarling vocal performance. He remarked, "Lamar goes right ahead and screams his head off ... powered by post-Ferguson fury, plagued by the kind of self-doubt and qualification that comes from knowing any statement you make is going to be at best picked apart and at worst torn to pieces on

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

." ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...

'' deemed it their "Best New Track", with reviewer Jayson Greene claiming that the song "might be amar'smost focused and upsetting performance." Steven J. Horowitz of ''

'' gave the song four-and-a-half stars out of five, writing "Lamar flips to beast mode on the serrated "The Blacker the Berry," an aural manifestation of #blacklivesmatter." Kyle Anderson from ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' described the song as "galvanizing."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

's David Jeffries cited "The Blacker" as an album highlight. Likewise, Patrick Ryan for ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'' also regards "The Blacker the Berry" as among the four best songs in addition to being a part of the album's moodier portion which "packs the bigger punch."

Controversy

The song elicited controversy following the lines, "So why did I weep when

was in the street, when gang-banging make me kill a nigga blacker than me? Hypocrite!" which people perceived to be Lamar judging the black community. During an interview with

MTV News MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...

, while breaking down ''To Pimp A Butterfly'' at the W New York – Downtown, Lamar spoke about the single, his ''Billboard'' interview and the criticism he's faced. Lamar stated, "A few people think it's just talk and it's just rap; no, these are my experiences. When I say, 'Gang banging made me kill a nigga blacker than me,' this is my life that I'm talking about. I'm not saying you, you might not even be from the streets. ... Know who I am first, understand where I come from before you make any remarks, because I've been through a lot and I seen a lot. Where I come from -- I did a lot to tear down my own community. So, for you to not recognize that and see 100 percent flip, please learn it."

Live performance

Lamar performed a medley of "The Blacker the Berry" and "

Alright Alright, All Right or Allwright may refer to: Music Albums * ''Alright!'' (album), a 2007 album by Bogdan Raczynski * ''Alright'', a 2011 album by Jerry Williams * ''All Right'', a 1982 album by Himiko Kikuchi Songs * "Alright" (Cast song) * ...

" at the 58th Grammy Awards. Following an intro from actor Don Cheadle, the rapper marched out onstage in chains with a backdrop imitating a prison for "The Blacker The Berry" before creating a bonfire for "Alright" and wrapping his set with an illuminated image of his native city Compton in the outline of Africa. In the untitled freestyle finale, Lamar references Feb. 26, the date of

's death in 2012.

Track listing

Charts

Certifications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blacker the Berry 2015 singles Kendrick Lamar songs Songs written by Kendrick Lamar Songs about black people Songs against racism and xenophobia Interscope Records singles Aftermath Entertainment singles Top Dawg Entertainment singles 2015 songs Songs written by Boi-1da Songs written by Stephen Kozmeniuk Songs written by Eskeerdo Songs about violence