Kendrick Lamar and the Super Bowl

To quote Shannon McKarney: "Channel some Ted Lasso: be curious, not judgmental." Luckily there are resources to feed your curiosity when it comes to lyrics.

When you can’t understand a word

Do you enjoy opera or ballet? Do you enjoy Latin music even though you don’t really understand Spanish? Do you listen to the broad category called “World Music?”

Some genres of entertainment tell stories visually or rhythmically or physically or melodically.

Some genres are also not my cup of tea or my go-to, even if they are lots of other people’s jam.

In my experience, it isn’t about understanding a word they say.

I’m not an opera buff. I can appreciate an aria or two, but a whole three hours? Not my cuppa.

The only ballet I ever really saw live was The Nutcracker. I have a friend who’s a season ticket holder to their local ballet, and it always looks like an elegant and lovely night out. Yet, I don’t feel moved to check it out. Not my cuppa.

I love Latin music, but if I can pick up even a few rudimentary phrases when listening, I feel unreasonably proud. (I missed the opportunity to learn Spanish from my family as a kid, and it’s a true regret.)

I have several artists amongst my favorites that sing in languages other than English…notably Youssou N’Dour, Zazie, Gipsy Kings, Sheila Chandra, Marc Anthony, Bebel Gilberto, Hikaru Utada. Or even Cocteau Twins, who made up their own language.

But to be clear, there are plenty of artists who do sing in English where understanding every word is challenging for me (maybe, I’ll admit, even more challenging as my ears get older 😬)

Now, I absolutely love lyrics. I’m a Sondheim girl after all. Some of his lyrics can send me into rapture.

Life is often so unpleasant
You must know that, as a peasant
Best to take a moment present
As a present for the moment

-Stephen Sondheim, Into The Woods

I mean.

I also remember the first rap song I ever heard. I was driving to my college job at Macy’s in 1982, and The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five came on the radio. I sat in the parking lot to finish listening to the whole thing. The lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks (link to lyrics). Being blown away by one song didn’t result in a lifetime of rap fandom, especially when plenty of rap isn’t socially conscious like The Message.

So, I am by no means a rap aficionado. I’m also not a classical, jazz, or country aficionado. Honestly, I’m probably only an 80s music and musical theatre aficionado 😹

But as I always used to say, when people complained about this BlogHer session topic or that BlogHer speaker, there is a difference between unworthy and simply not your cuppa.

Sort of like there’s a difference between not liking someone’s laugh vs not liking someone’s plan to dismantle democracy. 🤷🏻‍♀️ But I digress.

Anyway, genius.com is your friend. And I think we can all understand these words:

Once upon a time, all of us was in chains
Homie still doubled down calling us some slaves
Atlanta was the Mecca, building railroads and trains
Bear with me for a second, let me put y'all on game
The settlers was using town folk to make 'em richer
Fast-forward, 2024, you got the same agenda
-Kendrick Lamar

And here is the Genius.com link to read (and learn about) the lyrics.

Now, without yucking my yum, I’m curious: What intrigued you about Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance? And: Which art forms do you enjoy without understanding a word?

Events from Optionality:

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