Genuinely confused that some people didn't hear the musicality in Kendrick's Superbowl performance. It's in the voice, friends. American schools really need to bring back the study of poetry!
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I’ve seen a lot of people digging into the layers of subtext in the performance and the multiple references and how it is protest performance art. But my algorithms are well curated.
I just can't get over how his voice ✨️sounds✨️ it just isn't for me. and that's okay! he's still talented and I loved the performance! I just...don't like his voice.
I enjoyed the visuals of it but I'm old and it isn't my music. I googled the beef between Kendrick and Drake. But it's not really my thing. I'm an alternative rock kinda person. I did like the Uncle Sam being Samuel L. Jackson Poetry has nothing to do with it.
The fantastic educator leading the @wordfest.com Youth Program taught Kendrick Lamar in her high-school English classes. Just got this text from her: “One of my old grade 10s messaged me to say “I bet you are losing your mind over this” 😂😂 my jaw did NOT leave the floor!!!!!!!”
Give it a watch on YouTube! Seems like they cleaned up the audio for that because I thought it sounded very clear there - I didn’t watch the game itself.
I honestly believe Fux screwed up the sound, just as they faked the boos with cheers for 🍊 💩. We could not understand any of his words. Ya, I’m old, but not that old!!
Poetry? I enjoyed the halftime show, but if, say, the words to Kendrick’s raps were close captioned at the bottom of the screen, I suspect that any number of viewers might “swear off” the study of Compton rap poetry for their kids.😮😀
Personally I didn't hear it because I was too focused trying to figure out what he was saying (rap is just too fast for me to process) but I loved the visual symbolism going on & when I looked up the lyrics to the songs after the fact I gained a much greater understanding of what he was saying!
Lyric Genius! I like that they also have lots of annotations from other people which helped me understand a lot of the references that I never would have gotten in a million years!
Looking at his lyrics after the fact really gave enough time to look at all the layers and double meanings in his songs, which is definitely not something I would have gotten on a first listen even if I was able to process what he was saying fast enough so I'm glad i took the time to do that!
All through school and college, even in English classes, we never once discussed poetry. Actually most classes were watching movies, or discussing current event topics. In high school we only even read just 1 book a year
I had some awesome English teachers in middle and high school, plus I took English Lit classes in college. We got into some pretty heavy stuff like structure and analysis.
Anyone saying they don’t understand should reflect back on their middle school years when trying to read and understand Shakespeare. Understanding meaning when consuming complex and layered writing requires work and also curiosity and care.
I am referencing some of the experiences of my family & others in the South. It is an over generalization. I also am limited in that I have lived 7 decades in the South which narrows my views bcause of the extreme here.
Poetry is not limited.
It should be celebrated in all forms.
Poetry. Breath control. Annunciation. Poise. Stage presence (hard to do for such a short individual). Showmanship. If they missed that, then they probably missed all the other stuff too.
Maybe if the lyrics were displayed on the screen (closed caption didn’t get it) and every cast member didn’t grab his own crotch every two minutes, it would have made a better impression. I did like the bell bottom jeans.
Exactly! Kendrick’s delivery is so rhythmic and intentional—his voice is an instrument in itself. People get too caught up in looking for obvious melodies and miss the nuance in his cadence, inflection, and phrasing. It’s wild how some don’t hear the musicality in that.
I think the Super Bowl performance every year (and to a lesser extent complaints about snl musical guests) tends to reveal how most people don’t listen to very much live music
I remember my English teacher in high school had a whole month in our year dedicated to studying Tupac and his poetry. I’ll never thank her enough for it.
I don't want to see the venn diagram of the people saying this who were totally into beat poetry as a musical art form in the 60s because it would only depress me more.
It was simultaneously the most watched and the most openly hated superbowl halftime show and it’s genuinely because people are too stupid to understand his point
He is able to speak so quickly and so succinctly, its difficult for me to keep up...but also...he is able to speak so quickly and so succinctly...that his voice is an instrument...you can just listen to the sound...read the words later.
I heard and read the lyrics and I don’t understand. Because he’s gesturing to a zeitgeist that I’m not a part of. And using language in a way I don’t get (yet, I’m learning). I’m fine with that. My ignorance doesn’t take away from him and that’s something a lot of people don’t get
In an opera, the music is what is most important. There are lyrics, but they can be hard to follow because they are fitted to the music. It's the same with rhythm and flow in hip hop. Speaking clearly isn't the only priority. You may have to look up some of the lyrics, as with other music.
Sounds like a legit complaint many people were having was mixing over tv speakers being shit.
I haven't tested it myself, but some say rewatching it on other devices has been a better experience.
Reportedly Fox put up incorrect subtitles too, but can't confirm that
Yeah, I’m far from conservative and I enjoy some hip-hop but l have heard enough of KL to just think he is not good. His lyrics may be good but if I want a great hip-hop lyricist delivered with meaning and musicality, give me something like great Chuck D.
I don’t think that’s necessarily true. I watched - liked the dancing, love Lamar, but I couldn’t understand a single word. I needed subtitles! I would like to read the lyrics and rewatch it.
But u can still get into the spirit of it, u don’t have to understand every word, but u can appreciate the music. Those aren’t the ones being referred to. I honestly only caught about 1/2 the lyrics myself 🤣🤣🥰🥰
i am only on bluesky. i follow some pretty cool people. i have not seen a single person who did not appreciate Kendrick's Superbowl performance. I have not seen any hate or disrespect. I love my timeline. I love the vibe here on bluesky.
That sounds like a dream. A timeline where people actually appreciate artistry instead of nitpicking or being contrarian for engagement? Bliss. Bluesky really does seem to have a different vibe—more curated, less chaos. Who are some of the cool people you follow?
My follow list is large. I stay away from the stuff that I have no reason to engage in.
Yeah, I feel pretty content with my curated list. I am always finding new and interesting people to follow.
Thank you, @bsky.app
It sounds like you're enjoying your experience on Bluesky! Having a well-curated follow list can make a huge difference in keeping your feed engaging and relevant. Are there any particular topics or types of accounts you find yourself drawn to the most?
You can call it poetry. You can call him talented. You can say his voice was clear. You can say his performance is great, if that’s your thing. Just please do not call it music. And do not call him a musical artist. Everything about that performance says he isn’t and it wasn’t. No melody or singing.
Seriously. The PERFORMANCE was solid, even if the person didn’t “like” the music style. I think for many of the loudest, they just didn’t want to see Black Excellence.
Down with poetry
But I’m really getting in a diabetic coma with all the bullshit being spread about
This halftime show that was unintelligible most of the time.
I’m over it!
Language barrier. I could not hear the words he was singing I caught a few words but it was really hard to hear him and make out the words I’m going to watch it on Utube today
If you want poetry take time to read the lyrics of the Poet Laureate of the 20th century. His voice may be grating to your ears but his lyrics are superb. Nothing tops him IMO. I still really enjoyed the halftime show. Excellent choice this year. 👏🏼 Oh yeah, I was talking about Robert Zimmerman.
I agree 100% but I just feel that Dylan was the original lyric genius. They’ve both made history in their own niche/genres. I just love music and I’ll listen to just about anything. There’re so many different lyrical geniuses out there to discover. There’s also a lot of crap too. Lol.
When Kid Rock started out we had a friend who was convinced that he was going to be bigger than Elvis was in his day. We ridiculed him endlessly. Kid Rock always was and always will be trailer trash in the worst possible way.
I am also bewildered at the people claiming he mumbles. No, he doesn’t! Those words are just going by very quickly and if you feel like his mic wasn’t loud enough, that’s a sound mixing issue.
Right? Kendrick enunciates incredibly well, especially for how fast he raps. If people can’t keep up, that’s on them—not on him. And yeah, if the mix wasn’t perfect, that’s a technical issue, not a "mumbling" problem. Some folks just aren’t used to processing rapid-fire lyricism,
He is def not a mumble rapper. Maybe they were confusing him with Lil Yachty? Kendrick is incredibly well spoken, his lyrics are clear and precise and cut like a poet.
His flow is super fast for someone like me who doesn't listen to a lot of rap. Like I could tell there was clear diction the same way you can tell an auctioneer has clear diction, I just couldn't keep up.
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https://www.newsweek.com/doge-announces-its-slashing-881m-education-department-contracts-live-updates-2029353
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-abolish-department-education_n_67aa307ee4b09fd55bc642b6
Poetry is not limited.
It should be celebrated in all forms.
Interesting!
https://soundscroll.blogspot.com/2022/11/five-more-albums-pulitzer-prize-winning.html
Also, I listen to a lot of music which some people can't hear the musicality of (Phill Niblock, Art Ensemble of Chicago, etc.)
I haven't tested it myself, but some say rewatching it on other devices has been a better experience.
Reportedly Fox put up incorrect subtitles too, but can't confirm that
Yeah, I feel pretty content with my curated list. I am always finding new and interesting people to follow.
Thank you, @bsky.app
The Drake trolling was epic though.
But I’m really getting in a diabetic coma with all the bullshit being spread about
This halftime show that was unintelligible most of the time.
I’m over it!
Regardless, you don’t need to know the words to know the message - it came through loud and clear and angry, and no I don’t mean about Drake.
HE got rid of $115B in moneys to support the arts.
The people need their diversions. The Arts will not make it on their own. We need to replace this money or the Arts will not exist in the US any more.
But that's what YouTube at0.75x was for.