If you thought Beyonce’s “Formation” performance/video was controversial, just wait; Kendrick Lamar’s performance of “The Blacker The Berry” & “Alright” At The 58th GRAMMYs may just take the cake.
Kendrick began the set with “The Blacker The Berry” as an inmate in a chain gang, a direct reference to disproportionate number of black and brown men in prison. He then transitioned to his single “Alright” in front of a bonfire and tribal African dancers, a reference to his African roots.
He then unleashed a rapid-paced flow before the image of the word “Compton,” his hometown, is shown over the image of the continent of Africa, symbolically connecting the two previous scenes in a powerful display of today’s reality, yesterday’s reverence, and the coming together of both.
Lamar was nominated for 11 Grammys for his sophomore LP To Pimp A Butterfly, and at the time of this writing, he has won five.