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The Grammys are generally pretty lame, but Kendrick Lamar leads the pack with a total of 11 nominations this year, so they're doing something right. A new clip released ahead of the ceremony on February 15 showcases Lamar's hometown, as Comptonites rap his "Alright" before being joined for a joyous performance of the song with the rapper himself.
"Alright" has been nominated for four Grammys alone, including Song of the Year. Pitchfork also named it the #1 song of 2015, and its original music video has been named as one of the year's best. Most importantly, though, the song's chorus, (with its chanted refrain of "we gon' be alright!") has become an anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement.
"It's a chant of hope and feeling," Lamar told the New York Times. When asked if he felt like we were in the midst of an era for radical and political black music, he responded:
Music moves with the times. It's not something we have to consciously do. This is what's happening in the world—not only to me but to my community. Whenever I make music, it reflects where I'm at mentally. And this is where we're at. When you look at other artists doing the same thing, it's of the times. And it's much needed.
Kendrick Lamar is nominated for 11 Grammys, including Album of the Year for his critically acclaimed To Pimp A Butterfly. Thankfully, he's not up against Macklemore this year.
