Breakdown of the song alright by kendrick lamar

Show Image 1, вЂњAlrightвЂќ Lyric Excerpt, and ask students:.

How do the people in the clip argue that вЂњAlrightвЂќ is an appropriate song for the context of a protest? Do you agree or disagree?.

The song begins around the 2:00 minute mark.

According to the clip, why did the protesters at Ferguson choose not to sing the more traditional song вЂњWe Shall OvercomeвЂќ? (Teachers can play a clip of вЂњWe Shall OvercomeвЂќ sung during the March on Washington here.

How is the song being presented in the clip? What are the circumstances under which this song is being sung?.

Have you heard this song before? Where?.

Play Clip 1, Soundtracks вЂ“ вЂњAlright.вЂќAsk students:.

In this lesson, students compare Kendrick LamarвЂ™s вЂњAlrightвЂќ with black protest songs of the past in order identify common themes and ideas that artists have used to illustrate black experience in the United States. вЂњAlrightвЂќ additionally points to the role hip-hop has played in speaking out against injustice, from Public EnemyвЂ™s assertive вЂњFight the PowerвЂќ to N.W.A.вЂ™s вЂњStraight Outta Compton,вЂќ which brought to light issues of urban poverty and dispossession among the black community. These songs transcend genres and generations, from Billie HolidayвЂ™s haunting anti-lynching song вЂњStrange Fruit,вЂќ to Nina SimoneвЂ™s вЂњMississippi Goddam,вЂќ sung as a reaction to the murder of Civil Rights leader Medgar Evers and the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, to James BrownвЂ™s jubilant вЂњSay it Loud вЂ“ IвЂ™m Black and Proud,вЂќ often regarded as an anthem for black pride.

But unlike the origins of вЂњWe Shall Overcome,вЂќ the chant вЂњwe gonвЂ™ be alrightвЂќ wasnвЂ™t based on a gospel song вЂ“ rather, it came from the 2015 hit вЂњAlrightвЂќ by Grammy award-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar.Д«y being adopted into these demonstrations and into the Black Lives Matter movement more generally, LamarвЂ™s вЂњAlrightвЂќ has solidified its position within a historic repertoire of songs that speak to African AmericanвЂ™s continued struggle against injustice. Many journalists and writers noted that chanting these lines collectively was reminiscent of вЂњWe Shall Overcome,вЂќ the unofficial song of the Civil Rights Movement. вЂњWe gonвЂ™ be alright! We gonвЂ™ be alright!вЂќ This phrase became a common refrain at demonstrations following the murders of teenager Michael Brown, 12-year old Tamir Rice, and father Eric Garner, whose last words, вЂњI canвЂ™t breathe,вЂќ became a rallying cry in protests against police brutality.

(Note: this lesson contains racial slurs and violence.Teacher discretion advised.)

Breakdown of the song alright by kendrick lamar