Album Rating: 5.0

knowing Kendrick, he'll find a way to fit "i" into the album pretty well. before gkmc dropped, there were a bunch of singles, like the art of peer pressure, that lacked context

Album Rating: 5.0

and is that tracklisting with "i" in it even confirmed?

Hope not to be honest it reminds me of a tracklist from like a year ago which was obviously not correct

Album Rating: 4.5

why is racism not a relevant topic today? systematic racism has left historically disadvantaged groups like African Americans with very little economic, political, and social power in a nation where they comprise 15 percent of the population. they go to the worst schools, are serviced by the worst hospitals, suffer police brutality far more than any other group, lowest life expectancy, at least to black people racism is a relevant topic. racism is basically at the root of any other serious political issue blacks face, so I think it's more than fair "99/100" political rap songs are about it

Album Rating: 3.0

you are just throwing around words like "systematic racism" "historically disadvantaged" "very little economic, political, and social power" and assuming all of that exists without actually demonstrating it does, especially TODAY. Like, in what way do blacks lack social power?



most of the time people just use these incredibly vague 'forms of discrimination' as excuses, at least somewhat, meaning: these types of racial discrimination might exist to a certain extent, but it's not enough to explain the state of black america per se, the black median income isn't 15 times lower than whites because of police brutality, its a combination of a lot of things and by writing it off to racism you are being careless and not even trying to get to the actual root of the problem.



Racism is not the root, you have the chicken and the egg mixed up. Systematic racism existed in the past, it is almost nonexistant today though, what black people face is basic income discrimination, which they falsely attribute to racism. In the meantime they refuse to ally with other poor white people because they think they are racists, and countless innocent white people are killed or they have their businesses or cars destroyed in these riots and no one even cares.



So no, its not worth 99/100 rap songs, if you ask me its not worth 1/100 rap songs, its honestly more counter-productive than anything to make a song about racism, you are just rehashing the past for no reason. (well the reason is its seen as hip, intellectual and cutting edge)

Like, in what way do blacks lack social power?

Album Rating: 3.0

In my mind if blacks lacked social power then programs like Affirmative Action that benefits the black community at the cost of others would not exist. Today, they have a ton of social power in particular, its an overcompensation for the way they were treated in the past, and it comes from blacks being able to force people into feeling guilty about the past whether or not their (black) ancestors or your own (white or other) ancestors had anything to do with slavery or jim crow.



It also has to do with them being seen as cool. Just think about all the harm that has been done by gangsta rap alone, how could you say they do not have social power when they have more power over white kids than their parents?

I'm not in the mood for an argument about this but regarding the last question, well I'd expect people who are old enough to have any kind of power to be wise enough to not live by the dumbass shit ignant rap tells them.

yes it is

http://pitchfork.com/news/58756-kendrick-lamar-confirms-to-pimp-a-butterfly-tracklist/

Album Rating: 5.0

"you are just throwing around words like "systematic racism" "historically disadvantaged" "very little economic, political, and social power" and assuming all of that exists without actually demonstrating it does, especially TODAY. Like, in what way do blacks lack social power?







most of the time people just use these incredibly vague 'forms of discrimination' as excuses, at least somewhat, meaning: these types of racial discrimination might exist to a certain extent, but it's not enough to explain the state of black america per se, the black median income isn't 15 times lower than whites because of police brutality, its a combination of a lot of things and by writing it off to racism you are being careless and not even trying to get to the actual root of the problem.







Racism is not the root, you have the chicken and the egg mixed up. Systematic racism existed in the past, it is almost nonexistant today though, what black people face is basic income discrimination, which they falsely attribute to racism. In the meantime they refuse to ally with other poor white people because they think they are racists, and countless innocent white people are killed or they have their businesses or cars destroyed in these riots and no one even cares."



You're Wrong [123]

wtf discussion

Album Rating: 4.5

are having to go to the worst schools, being serviced by the worst hospitals, suffering police brutality far more than any other group, having among the lowest life expectancy, the second lowest average income second only to Native Americans not examples of "very little economic, political, and social power"? even in the South where African Americans comprise the largest ethnic groups in certain states they still constitute only a minority of those holding political office. "Racism is not the root" racism IS the root. up until 1865, upwards of 85 percent of African Americans in the US were enslaved. once liberated, they were continually denied the rights to vote, equal pay, equal public accommodation, and few grew prosperous. they were harassed, lynched, had their businesses vandalized, confined to the dirty assholes of cities via segregation and the effects of all this are still being felt even today. You're forgetting that up until 45 years ago white people were still hanging black folk and getting away with it. sure, rigid "systematic racism" is largely a thing of the past but that's irrelevant, because the 45 odd years between now and the end of it (at least in theory) is no where near long enough to reverse it's damaging effects. White folk got a 400 year head start on black folk.

Album Rating: 5.0

Lots of stupidity in this thread tbqh.

A racism discussion composed almost entirely of white guys talking in the name of black people.

Album Rating: 4.5

lack of social power? how about being eyed suspiciously by law enforcement when engaging in public assembly, how about having rock ' n ' roll, blues, hip hop, and other genres of distinctly black music being appropriated by white mainstream America and essentially deprived as a voice for black empowerment/pride/appreciation, how about being seen as nothing but a nuisance and source of entertainment not meant to be taken seriously by much of the mainstream media as well

Album Rating: 4.5

I'm Mexican stfu Gwyn

Album Rating: 4.5

"programs like Affirmative Action that benefits the black community at the cost of others would not exist" I hope you realize that this doesn't only benefit the black community but rather several minority groups and women as well, and getting the slightest preference in employment in no way reverses the damaging effects of racism in the past and even present

Album Rating: 4.5

"overcompensation for the way they were treated in the past" please, don't be vague. examples? Japanese families interned during WW2 were granted financial compensation, Native Americans were granted a degree of autonomy on tribal lands and not made to pay taxes, when did blacks get their 40 acres and a mule?

Album Rating: 5.0

It's not overcompensation; how can you overcompensate for something as horrific as slavery, cold-blooded hate crimes, and segregation/discrimination?



Nothing will ever fix that dark moment in our history. Thus, society shouldn't still be trying to make reparations. Special treatment won't do anything except encourage minorities to remain prominent percentages of the poverty cycle. We should be focusing on correcting the real issues at hand, not providing crutches that say "hey look, we did good" while we turn our heads and keep repeating past mistakes.

poetic justice is so fun