The Blacker the Berry

Kendrick Lamar

About The Blacker the Berry

"The Blacker the Berry'" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar. It was included as the thirteenth song on the track-listing of his third studio album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). "The Blacker the Berry" was released as 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. The track produced by Boi-1da, Terrace Martin, and KOZ. It has a chorus that features from Jamaican artist Assassin. The album version also contaions additional vocals provided by neo soul singer Lalah Hathaway. Upon its release, "The Blacker the Berry'" received positive reviews from contemporary music critics. However, its also elicited controversy due to Kendrick Lamar's commentary on the death of Trayvon Martin. In the United States, it peaked at number sixty-six on the U. S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single has since been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). 


Year:
2015
5:28
1,688 
#6

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Everything black, I don't want black
I want everything black, I ain't need black
Some white some black, I ain't mean black
I want everything black
Everything black, I don't want black
I want everything black, I ain't need black
Some white some black, I ain't mean black
I want everything black

Six in the morning, fire in the street
Burn baby burn, that's all I wanna see
And sometimes I get off watching you die in vain
It's such a shame they may call me crazy
They may say I suffer from schizophrenia or something but homie you made me
Black don't crack my nigga

I'm the biggest hypocrite of 2015
Once I finish this, witnesses will convey just what I mean
Been feeling this way since I was 16, came to my senses
You never liked us anyway, f*ck your friendship, I meant it
I'm African-American, I'm African
I'm black as the moon, heritage of a small village
Pardon my residence
Came from the bottom of mankind
My hair is nappy, my dick is big, my nose is round and wide
You hate me don't you?
You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture
You're fuckin' evil I want you to recognize that I'm a proud monkey
You vandalize my perception but can't take style from me
And this is more than confession
I mean I might press the button just so you know my discretion
I'm guardin' my feelins, I know that you feel it
You sabotage my community, makin' a killin'
You made me a killer, emancipation of a real nigga

The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice
The blacker the berry, the bigger I shoot
I said they treat me like a slave, cah' me black
Woi, we feel a whole heap of pain, cah' we black
And man a say they put me in a chain, cah' we black
Imagine now, big gold chain full of rocks
How you no see the whip, left scars pon' me back
But now we have a big whip, parked pon' the block
All them say we doomed from the start, cah' we black
Remember this, every race start from the block, just remember that

I'm the biggest hypocrite in 2015
Once I finish this, witnesses will convey just what I mean
I mean it's evident I'm irrelevant to society
That's what you're telling me, penitentiary would only hire me
Curse me till I'm dead
Church me with your fake prophesizing that I'mma be another slave in my head
Institutionalize manipulation and lies
Reciprocation of freedom only live in your eyes
You hate me don't you?
I know you hate me just as much as you hate yourself
Jealous of my wisdom and cards I dealt
Watchin' me as I pull up, fill up my tank then peel out
Muscle cars like pull ups, show you what these big wheels bout
I'm black and successful, this black man meant to be special
CAT scans on my radar bitch, how can I help you?
How can I tell you that I'm making a killin'?
You made me a killer, emancipation of a real nigga

The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice
The blacker the berry, the bigger I shoot
I said they treat me like a slave, cah' me black
Woi, we feel a whole heap of pain, cah' we black
And man a say they put me in a chain, cah' we black
Imagine now, big gold chain full of rocks
How you no see the whip, left scars pon' me back
But now we have a big whip, parked pon' the block
All them say we doomed from the start, cah' we black
Remember this, every race start from the block, just remember that

I'm the biggest hypocrite in 2015
When I finish this if you listenin' I'm sure you will agree
This plot is bigger than me, it's generational hatred
It's genocism, it's grimy, little justification
I'm African-American, I'm African
I'm black as the heart of a fuckin' Aryan
I'm black as the name of Tyrone and Dareous
Excuse my French but f*ck you, no f*ck ya'll
That's as blunt as it gets
I know you hate me, don't you?
You hate my people, I can tell because it's threats when I see you
I can tell because your ways deceitful
Know I can tell because you're in love with the Desert Eagle
Thinkin' maliciously, he get a chain then you gone bleed him
It's funny how Zulu and Xhosa might go to war
Two tribal armies that want to build and destroy
Remind me of these Compton crip gangs that live next door
Beefin' with Piru's, only death settle the score
So don't matter how much I say I like to preach with the Panthers
Or tell Georgia State "Marcus Garvey got all the answers"
Or try to celebrate February like it's my B-Day
Or eat watermelon, chicken and Kool-Aid on weekdays
Or jump high enough to get Michael Jordan endorsements
Or watch BET cause urban support is important
So why did I weep when Trayvon Martin was in the street?
When gang banging make me kill a nigga blacker than me?
Hypocrite!

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Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987), simply known as Kendrick Lamar, is an American hip hop recording artist from Compton, California, currently signed to Top Dawg, Aftermath, and Interscope. Lamar is a member of hip hop supergroup Black Hippy, along with fellow West Coast rappers and label mates Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul. He first gained major attention after the release of his fourth mixtape, Overly Dedicated, in 2010. In 2011 he released his first independent album to critical acclaim, Section.80, released exclusively through iTunes and instantly ranked as one of the top digital hip hop releases of the year. Early in his career, before releasing his major label debut, Lamar amassed a large Internet following, and had already worked with D… more »

10 fans

Written by: Jeffrey Campbell, Kendrick Duckworth, Stephen Noel Kozmeniuk, Matthew Jehu Samuels, Zale Epstein, Alexander Izquierdo, Brent Andrew Kolatalo, Ken Lewis, Terrace Martin

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


15 facts about this song

Release Date
"The Blacker The Berry" by Kendrick Lamar was released on February 9th, 2015.
Album Appearance
The song is embedded in the album "To Pimp a Butterfly." It is the 13th track on the album.
Grammy Recognition
The song won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 2016.
Inspirational Source
The title 'The Blacker The Berry' is inspired by the novel of the same name written by American author Wallace Thurman. This novel was a groundbreaking work of the Harlem Renaissance.
Genre
The song is a part of the Hip-Hop/Rap genre.
Producer Collaboration
The song was produced by Boi-1da and Terrace Martin. It also features vocals from Jamaican dancehall singer Assassin.
Social Commentary
The song provides a social commentary on racial tensions, specifically focusing on hypocritical self-hatred within the Black community and acts of violence perpetrated against Black people.
Sample Track
The chorus of "The Blacker The Berry" samples a line from a 1988 hip-hop song, "Ya Don't Quit" by Ice-T.
Artistic Achievement
The track is highly praised for its powerful lyrics, Kendrick’s intense delivery, and the jazz influenced instrumental.
Album Release Strategy
This was the second song to be released from "To Pimp a Butterfly", following "i" which was a much more upbeat and positive song. The contrast between the two songs was a strategic move on Lamar's part, demonstrating the diversity and range of the album.
Chart Ranking
"The Blacker the Berry" peaked at no. 66 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Controversial Reception
Though acclaimed, the track was also subject to controversy due to its explicit lyrics and strong racial themes.
Music Video Absence
Unlike many other songs from "To Pimp a Butterfly", "The Blacker the Berry" did not receive an official music video.
Personal Expression
Lamar has described the song as "angry" and "ignorant". It provides a window into Lamar's personal experience and feelings about race in America.
Griot Influence
The song's structure follows the tradition of the West African Griot, a storyteller who uses music to catalogue history and spread social commentary.

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    The Blacker the Berry

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 2015

    Billboard #66


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