"Bitch, I deserve it all" - UNFINISHED

Connecting Theme(s): #afrofuturism #hiphop #art #freedom

Kendrick Lamar’s GNX is an Afrofuturist album. It’s worthy of its own post. For this one, I’m focusing on “Man at the Garden”. “Man at the Garden” captures the Afrofuturist Attitude. I literally just typed this. I have no clue what it means, so let’s define it. I suppose the Afrofuturist Attitude is a way of looking and leaping into the future with the exaggerated swagger of a Black teen. Lol, does anyone know if that guy lost his job for that? Really, the entire team that worked on that Gamespot video (2:59 mark)? Not that I’m advocating for that…but niggas have been cancelled for less. 

Anyway, the Afrofuturist Attitude summarizes the essence of the track. Kendrick slides on a beat that’s almost like a hip hop hymn (HHH? I think I made another new word! No, this isn’t Christian rap!) [EDIT: another failed attempt at novelty…]. The beat is simple, with plenty of space that maintains a rhythmic pace with its low drums. It reminds me of Hozier’s “Work Song”; both “Man at the Garden” and “Work Song” pull listeners into a rhythm producing a sense of toiling man. Kendrick raps about the hard work he’s put into his career throughout the entire album. Track 4 continues this theme both sonically and lyrically. The consistent and simple rhythm, rainfall sound effect, and the sense of space create the image of an empty rainy road. When Kendrick raps “I’m wakin’ up at 6:00am/Six miles a day, conditioning my wind/I deserve it all”, it’s easy to picture him running on that empty rainy road; it takes faith and consistency for brilliant work to earn its reward. The similarities between “Work Song” and “Man at the Garden” also extend to their shared theme of spirituality. The title of Kendrick’s track is a reference to the Garden of Eden. Kendrick raps “More money, more power, more freedom/Everything Heaven allowed us”, “'Cause my intentions was pure/Even when you wasn't sure/Even with every allure/How much temptation you endured?/You'd probably look for every cure/I said I deserve it all”, and “A close relationship with God/Whisper to me every time I close my eyes/He say, ‘You deserve it all’”. Spirituality isn’t just about the faith Kendrick references. 

Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1sEskbVjm8 (Gamespot vid); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH7bjV0Q_44 (Work Song by Hozier)