It's a great, great experience to finally get the reception that you know you rightfully deserve.
The majority of my interactions with police were not good. There were a few good ones who were actually protecting the community. But then you have ones from the Valley. They never met me in their life, but since I'm a kid in basketball shorts and a white T-shirt, they wanna slam me on the hood of the car. Sixteen years old.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the negative experiences many people have with law enforcement, while acknowledging that some officers truly serve and protect the community.
In this quote, Kendrick Lamar shares his personal experiences with police interactions, emphasizing the disparity between the few officers who protect the community and the many who demonstrate bias and aggression based on appearance. His story underscores the broader issues of racial profiling and the impact of negative encounters with law enforcement, illustrating how these experiences shape the perceptions and lives of young individuals in marginalized communities.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in discussions on police reform initiatives.
More from Kendrick Lamar
All quotes βI've been called a recluse. There's definitely truth in that. I like to spend time alone.
Every time I write these words they become a taboo,_x000D_ _x000D_ Making sure my punctuation curve, every letter here's true,_x000D_ _x000D_ Living my life in the margin, and that metaphor was proof.
This is the thing about hip-hop music and where people get it most misconstrued: It's all hip-hop. You can't say that just what I do is hip-hop, because hip-hop is all energies. James Brown can get on the track and mumble all day. But guess what? You felt his soul on those records.
People have to go through trials and tribulations to get where they at. Do your thing - continue to rock it - because obviously, God wants you here.
I penetrate the hearts of good kids and criminals
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I didn't cross the line, you drew it in after I traversed it.
Whites know never tell blacks what you really think and what you really feel because you risk being seen as a racist. And the result of that is that to a degree, we as blacks live in a bubble. Nobody tells us the truth. Nobody tells us what they would do if they were in our situation. Nobody really helps us.
Kiss and make up-but too much makeup has ruined many a kiss.
When you write about animals, of course, you are really writing about the people who love and live with them. Animals mirror and reveal us. Dogs in particular are often reflections of us, and what we need them to be.
I am far more of a loner than people would imagine. But I am the most gregarious and socially interactive loner you ever met. The thing is, I am fascinated by people's stories and I'm very talkative and can't ever say no to anything or anyone, so I tend to over-socialize, to give away too much of my time to the many people I adore.
The single most important thing you can do politically for gay rights is to come out. Not to write a letter to your congressman but to come out.