"Anecdote for Fathers" and "The Art of Peer Pressure"
by Kendrick Lamar
(Societal pressures)
"ANECDOTE FOR FATHERS"
I have a boy of five years old, His face is fair and fresh to see; His limbs are cast in beauty's mould, And dearly he loves me. One morn we stroll'd on our dry walk, Our quiet house all full in view, And held such intermitted talk As we are wont to do. My thoughts on former pleasures ran; I thought of Kilve's delightful shore, My pleasant home, when spring began, A long, long year before. A day it was when I could bear To think, and think, and think again; With so much happiness to spare, I could not feel a pain. My boy was by my side, so slim And graceful in his rustic dress! And oftentimes I talked to him, In very idleness. The young lambs ran a pretty race; The morning sun shone bright and warm; "Kilve," said I, "was a pleasant place, "And so is Liswyn farm. "My little boy, which like you more," I said and took him by the arm-- "Our home by Kilve's delightful shore, "Or here at Liswyn farm?" "And tell me, had you rather be," I said and held him by the arm, "At Kilve's smooth shore by the green sea, "Or here at Liswyn farm?" In careless mood he looked at me, While still I held him by the arm, And said, "At Kilve I'd rather be "Than here at Liswyn farm." "Now, little Edward, say why so; My little Edward, tell me why;" "I cannot tell, I do not know," "Why this is strange," said I. "For, here are woods and green-hills warm; "There surely must some reason be "Why you would change sweet Liswyn farm "For Kilve by the green sea." At this, my boy, so fair and slim, Hung down his head, nor made reply; And five times did I say to him, "Why? Edward, tell me why?" His head he raised--there was in sight, It caught his eye, he saw it plain-- Upon the house-top, glittering bright, A broad and gilded vane. Then did the boy his tongue unlock, And thus to me he made reply; "At Kilve there was no weather-cock, "And that's the reason why." Oh dearest, dearest boy! my heart For better lore would seldom yearn, Could I but teach the hundredth part Of what from thee I learn. |
"The Art Of Peer Pressure"
Everybody, everybody, everybody Everybody sit your bitch ass down and listen To this true mothafuckin' story told by Kendrick Lamar on Rosecrans Ya bish Smoking on the finest dope, aye aye aye aye Drank until I can't no more, aye aye aye aye Really I'm a sober soul but I'm with the homies right now And we ain't asking for no favors Rush a nigga quick then laugh about it later, aye aye aye aye Really I'm a peacemaker but I'm with the homies right now And momma used to say One day, it's gon' burn you out One day, it's gon' burn you out, out One day, it's gon' burn you out One day, it's gon' burn you But I'm with the homies right now Me and my niggas four deep in a white Toyota A quarter tank of gas, one pistol, and orange soda Janky stash box when the federales roll up Basketball shorts with the Gonzales Park odor We on the mission for bad bitches and trouble I hope the universe love you today ‘Cause the energy we bringing sure to carry away A flock of positive activists and fill the body with hate If it’s necessary Bumping Jeezy first album looking distracted Speaking language only we know, you think is an accent The windows roll down all I see is a hand pass it Hotboxing like George Foreman grilling the masses Of the working world, we pulled up on a bunch of working girls And asked them what they working with – look at me I got the blunt in my mouth Usually I’m drug-free, but shit I’m with the homies (Yea nigga, we off a pill and Remy Red Come through and bust ya head nigga) Me and the homies (Sag all the way to the liquor store Where my niggas pour up 4 and get twisted some more) Me and the homies (I ride for my mothafuckin’ niggas Hop out, do my stuff, then hop back in) Me and the homies (Matter fact, I hop out that mothafucka and be like “Doo! Doo! Doo! Doo!...Doo! Doo! Doo! Doo! Doo!”) It’s 2:30 and the sun is beaming Air conditioner broke and I hear my stomach screaming Hungry for anything unhealthy and if nutrition can help me I’ll tell you to suck my dick then I'll continue eating We speeding on the 405 passing Westchester You know the light skin girls in all the little dresses, good Lord They knew we weren’t from ‘round there ‘Cause every time we down there we pulling out the Boost Mobile SIM cards Bougie bitches with no extensions Hood niggas with bad intentions, the perfect combination Before we sparked a conversation We seen three niggas in colors we didn’t like then started interrogating I never was a gangbanger, I mean I was never stranger to the folk neither I really doubt it Rush a nigga quick and then we laugh about it That’s ironic ‘cause I’ve never been violent, until I’m with the homies (Just ridin’, just ridin’) Me and the homies (Bullshittin’, actin’ a fool) Me and the homies (Trippin’, really trippin’) Me and the homies (Just ridin’, just ridin’, just ridin’...) Bragging ‘bout the episode we just had A shot of Hennessey didn’t make me feel that bad I’m usually a true firm believer of bad karma Consequences from evil will make your past haunt you We tryna conquer the city with disobedience Quick to turn it up, even if we ain’t got the CD in But Jeezy still playing and our attitude is still “nigga, what is you saying” Pull in front of the house that we been camping out for like two months The sun is going down as we take whatever we want (Ay, ay, nigga jackpot nigga, pop the safe Ay nigga, I think it's somebody in this room Wait, what? Nigga, it's somebody in this room!) I hit the back window in search of any Nintendo DVDs, plasma screen TVs in the trunk We made a right, then made a left, then made a right Then made a left, we was just circling life My mama called – "Hello? What you doin'?" “Kicking it” I should’ve told her I’m probably ‘bout to catch my first offense with the homies But they made a right, they made a left then made a right Then another right One lucky night with the homies K. Dot, you faded, hood? Yea we finally got that nigga faded. I think he hit the wrong blunt though Ooh, which one? Well which one he talking 'bout? I was finna hit the one with the shenanigans in it I pray he ain't hit that Nah, that nigga straight. He ain't hit that one Got the shenanigans? Give that nigga the shenanigans Nigga I think we should push back to the city, fo real doe Nigga, for what? What that nigga, what's that Jeezy song say nigga? "Last time I checked I was the man on these streets!" Yea, yea, that shit right there. I'm tryna be the nigga in the street There he go. Man you don't even know how the shit go Look, here's the plan luv. We gon' use the kickback as a alibi. Wait 'til the sun go down, roll out, complete the mission, drop K. Dot off at his mama van, at the park, cause I know he trying to fuck on Sherane tonight That's what he’s not gon' do. Then we all gon' meet back at the block at about 10:30 That's straight but we should meet up around 12, I'm tryna fuck on something too Nigga sit yo dumb ass back down, nigga you ain't doing shit tonight Matter fact, nigga get in the mothafuckin' car. We finna get active |
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The Parallels:
This poem presents us with the idea of child like innocence. We have two different means of understanding; there is the understanding of the father, or adults in general, and then the son which is the child like innocence that was previously mentioned. With the song "The Art of Peer Pressure," we as listeners observe this same split of understanding. In the poem, we have a father that wants his son to pick one of two places to live for the sake of saying which he thinks is best. The boy doesn't understand this reasoning, as his understanding of which place is better is determined by simply feelings. Not necessarily the traits of the location. In the song we have a split Kendrick. He's normally a good kid, but when he's with his friends he's what society would consider as a thug. His peer represent the father like force that impose their will and perceptions of the world on him.
This poem presents us with the idea of child like innocence. We have two different means of understanding; there is the understanding of the father, or adults in general, and then the son which is the child like innocence that was previously mentioned. With the song "The Art of Peer Pressure," we as listeners observe this same split of understanding. In the poem, we have a father that wants his son to pick one of two places to live for the sake of saying which he thinks is best. The boy doesn't understand this reasoning, as his understanding of which place is better is determined by simply feelings. Not necessarily the traits of the location. In the song we have a split Kendrick. He's normally a good kid, but when he's with his friends he's what society would consider as a thug. His peer represent the father like force that impose their will and perceptions of the world on him.