
All over the United States and the world there are neighborhoods filled with crime and poverty that dictate the lives of so many individuals, mainly the innocent youth. To help out the situation, it’s best to alter the minds of the youth first and foremost, because they’re learning what’s right and wrong so the little bit of influence they can get can strive them to be great and good people. To focus more of that attention on say the middle-age adults could show to be a waste of time because they’re already influenced and past the stage of changing their beliefs. A powerful figure is the only way to change the beliefs of society. For instance, Martin Luther King, Ghandi, and so many more are all figures that moved to change the beliefs of society in a positive way. These are political figures and Kendrick is known to be a political rapper so his implications and actions all follow along the same lines as theirs except their benefit and memory in society is much greater. Not only is Kendrick’s lyrics influential, but the videos he has for these songs provides just as good of a picture for his intentions than his lyrics and this is immensely seen in his video for the song “Alright.” Kendrick Lamar brings a new light to society and cultures all over the world through his music and video “Alright” by giving the people their own hero and bringing a new beginning to the crime riddled youth and others. 

Kendrick Lamar is one of the world’s most renowned rappers and has influenced many people not only across the nation but across the world as well. The poor, tough, and violent times are portrayed in his video for Alright. The video is black and white through its entirety to show a dustier time that Kendrick had to go through as well as the kids living today. A key symbol throughout this video is Kendrick himself. His big influence on everyone around the world has kids looking up to him left and right. Having this big of an influence on so many individuals could make Kendrick a big role model or in other terms a hero. Throughout the video he isn’t flying but he’s hovering down the streets as people watch. As he’s hovering, or floating, the people in a way have his back. The crowd of guys is all behind him dancing to him and the kid he passes on the street just stares with dazzling eyes. This is all because they envy the position he’s in and want to become him because of the things he accomplishes and the rewards that follow. Once Kendrick is done floating down the streets he stops at a light post where he is eventually shot. This action by the cop is the parts of society that are trying to bring him down but his powerful influence on our culture has already gone far enough to take its effect, which is the reason he is still able to crack a smile. That smile is also because he knows that there’s others parts of society that are doing the opposite and lifting him up. This is seen at the beginning of the Alright video when the TDE crew was held up by the police. The scene looks as if they are in trouble but that really just shows that society can bring him down (falling off post) and also hold him up. He also draws the support from so many of his peers that it holds him up as well which is seen when he body surfs the crowd of rowdy men holding drinks. Him body surfing is another form of how he is held up by society throughout his whole video and no matter the fall he still remains lifted. Society’s response to what this hero is portraying is key to the development of more influential works of Kendrick’s because the more support he has, the more he knows how much he is changing people’s lives.  

Kendrick himself is the most symbolic feature in this music video. He not only represents a hero to people but he also portrays or represents a new beginning. While Kendrick floats down the streets he draws eyes from all around. While he stands on the light post a boy squints in amazement at him as he dances. These kids are physically and mentally looking up to him and the amazement shown on the boy’s face proves it. This does not just mean the eyes currently around him, it’s the eyes around the world, which are mainly they eyes of children. Kendrick is being critiqued all around the world constantly whether it’s good or bad but moving past that and accomplishing what you desire is the message that Kendrick is sending. With all eyes on him he puts himself as a leading figure since there are many that want to follow in his path. Due to this, the influence that Kendrick has and the remarkable selfless actions of his to do this for his community establishes a sense of a new beginning for the rising generation. Through his song and video, he relates to what the kids are experiencing now except when Kendrick was their age he had to make it out on his own. Commonly throughout the music video you see more kids than adults and that is due to two reasons: the first being that when Kendrick witnessed everything and went through struggles he was just a child, and the second reason being that its happening more to the youth in today’s society and the message he is sending is to them. The child counting the stacks of money and the kids spray painting and looting is shown throughout the video as well. This is shown along with adults who do the same thing as those kids, but those adults look to be in not so great shape and almost all of them cannot walk the streets without some type of booze in their hands. Kendrick shows this to show a timeline on what that lifestyle at such a young age is like. He relates the image that following that lifestyle will take you as far as those adults so following the right path could lead them out of that lifestyle. Now, Kendrick is providing the youth with examples and guiding them through the rigorous childhood so that they can make it out as well and do good as well as give back. The guiding that Kendrick is doing through the video and lyrics is paving the way for a new beginning for the generations to come. Others on the other hand may think otherwise.

Many people disagree with the message shown throughout the Alright video. People believe that the image of protesting and looting and disobeying the police shows no positive outcome on today’s youth. Critics think that Kendrick’s use of the police officer at the end of his video shooting Kendrick down shows a negative image on the police and a very harsh one too. This is also followed by dancing on the spray painted cop cars. Another critic is that the images shown throughout the video show the troubled kids who are disobeying the law show the kids looking happy and so that may influence the audience to act in another direction. All of these are valid points and the real meaning would have to come from how you look at it. If you were to play the video without any lyrics then the images would seem rather disturbing and it could make you think of it in a negative way. But with lyrics added, the images shown in the video get more meaning and understanding the video and it’s movements along with the lyrics is key. The police shooting him down does seem harsh but it gets the message across because the police in his area around the time he grew up may not be like the police some see in different parts today. Also the kids shown doing bad things could interest the youth to do bad things, but showing what the outcome of that may be throughout this video with the adults doing nothing but hanging out on the streets and drinking alcohol can sway the youth to think more lawfully and less counterproductive.    

Nothing has more of an influence on a child than seeing the actions of their favorite artist, ball player, or movie star out in society. That is why the actions of these role models are the most important in shaping the next generation. They can do this through their music and their videos. Kendrick Lamar is someone who grew up in a tough time and in a tough area. Through his excellence and determination, he was able to prevail and become the famous figure he is today. Now, everything he does he is being watched. Kendrick is loved by most people because he is one of the few to give back and speak words of wisdom that bring light to some families. He isn’t a super hero flying through los Angeles saving people, but he’s doing the same amount of saving just with his words and selfless actions. This makes him a super hero in his own way. His actions have the biggest influence on so many and with that in mind he needs to set an example to be followed. Kendrick gives a sense of hope when times are tough and teaches you to just smile. Kendrick brought a new light to society is his Alright video by becoming a hero and starting a new beginning. Kendrick’s video is critiqued and said to be no different than any of those other hood videos that disrespect police and society. Looking at it in a certain way that could be true but the deeper image lies in the eyes of the hero in the video which is Kendrick and the eyes of the youth that is most common in his video. Kendrick’s alright video could be pictured as a biography. The biography is not about Kendrick but it is what life is like growing up a certain way and how that can change you and shape you into the person you will become. Throughout his video he was lifted down the streets and brought to newer heights which is what his music and visuals do for others and the growing youth, and that in general is what Kendrick himself represents: a hero bringing about a new beginning for his world renowned audience which includes everyone, but mainly refers to the youth.  

  