“The Blacker the Berry – The Book” Kickstarter!

UPDATE: You can now purchase The Blacker the Berry book at blackerberry-book.com.

I’ve teamed with artist/Dissect listener Hannah Sellers to create a book called The Blacker the Berry, now available for pre-order on Kickstarter. The book is a visual exploration of the social and historical context of Kendrick Lamar’s song “The Blacker the Berry.” Hannah created beautiful graphic collages that accompany my analysis of the song, and it really enhances your experience and understanding of Kendrick’s message. Seriously, this thing is absolutely gorgeous, a true piece of art.

For a limited time, you can back this project by pre-ordering your very own copy. We’ve also set a stretch goal, and if reached, we’ll donate $1 of every book sold to Social Works, a youth empowerment charity started by Chance the Rapper.

Support this project by visiting our Kickstarter!

S1E15/16 – The Blacker the Berry by Kendrick Lamar

Our season long analysis of To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar continues with the album’s thirteenth track “The Blacker the Berry.”

Listen now: iPhoneStitcherGoogle PlayiTunes

The song was the album’s second single and released amidst the height of the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s incredibly potent, packed with references to the historic oppression of the black community, race relations in contemporary American society, police brutality, the US penitentiary system, and the complexities of black identity, among many others. Continue reading “S1E15/16 – The Blacker the Berry by Kendrick Lamar”