How much a dollar cost

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

Danier Aghaei

Wilson Huang

Sparsh Motamarri

Andrei Ciordas

Milan Schatorje

Milan Molenbrugge

How much a dollar cost

Table of content

- Music Video

- Introduction

- Themes

- Analysis 

- Language

- Stylistic Devices

Introduction

- To pimp a butterfly (2015)

- Obama's Favorite song

- encounter with a homeless man (dollar)

- leave him alone

- stereotyping

 

Themes

Selfishness

- refusing to give a dollar

- self-assured by wealth

4    Gotta see how I'm chilling' once I park this luxury car

27   I told him I ain't have it and closed my door

Themes

Prejudice

- homeless man, drug addict

- he would buy more crack

- his prejudice foreshadows

- the guilt afterwards portrays danger of prejudice

Forgiveness:

- building up in song

- reason: lack of compassion/generosity

- last paragraph climax reached

Themes

Compassion

- later on in song he is becoming more compassionate

- realising his mistakes

- before wealth he was more compassionate

- fame and wealth = greedy

- Seen in Lines 65-67 & 56 (discussed more in detail)

Poverty:

- ‘’he begged and pleaded asked me to feed

him twice’’

-‘’a homeless man with a semi-tan complexion

asked me for ten rand stressin about dry

land’’

Analysis

  1       How much a dollar really cost?                                                      - What do you guys think?

          The question is detrimental, paralyzin' my thoughts              

          

          Parasites in my stomach keep me with a gut feeling, y'all     

  5      Gotta see how I’m chillin' once I park this luxury car                  

          Hopping out feeling big as Mutombo                                           

          

          ''20 on pump 6," dirty Marcellus called me Dumbo                    

          Twenty years ago, can't forget

          Now I can lend him a ear or two

 10     How to stack these residuals tenfold

          The liberal concept of what men'll do

         

       

Parasites do not benefit their host in anyway, they even are detrimental to the host.  Kendrick foreshadows that his sins (the parasites) are feeding of his soul ( stomach). It foreshadows that he will be punished

Dikembe Mutombo is a former 2.18M NBA player. He shares the confidence when he is parking his luxury car in Johannesburg. But when doing this he gets this gut feeling that something is not right. 

Kendrick asks an attendant to fill his car up for 20 dollars even though the currency in South Africa makes it seem as if 20 dollars is 20 rands which is equal to 2 dollars

''The Liberal economic theory—the dominant ideology of the U.S. and the western world—purports that men are primarily interested in seeking wealth.'' (Wikipedia contributors. (2022, 22 juni). Classical liberalism. Wikipedia. Geraadpleegd op 19 juni 2022, van https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_liberalism)

 These references highlight the differences in wealth and economic maturity between South Africa and Kendrick’s America.''

Analysis

         

  12   "20 on 6," he didn't hear me                                                  -  South Africa has station clerks, confusion 

         Indigenous African only spoke Zulu                                   - Zulu is one of the main branches of Nguni (clicking  

         My American tongue was leery                                              sounds)  

        

 15    Walked out the gas station

         A homeless man with a semi-tan complexion                - mixed origin ( Europe, Asia and Khoisan, Bantu tribes)

         Asked me for ten Rand, stressin' about dry land            - ten (g)rand, dry land: drowning in poverty, addiction,                                                                                                                        victim to intense climate

Analysis

18      Deep water, powder blue skies that crack open                             Euphemism: line 18 

19      A piece of crack that he wanted, I knew he was smokin'              Themes in these lines 

20     He begged and pleaded                                                                         Language 

21      Asked me to feed him twice, I didn't believe it

22     Told him, "Beat it"

23     Contributin' money just for his pipe—I couldn't see it

 

Analysis

24       He said, "My son, temptation is one thing that I've defeated        - Story in the bible 

25       Listen to me, I want a single bill from you                                           -  Identity of the homeless man

26       Nothin' less, nothin' more"                                                                       - Cost of a dollar 

27       I told him I ain't have it and closed my door                                       - Closing the door 

28       Tell me, how much a dollar cost?                                                           - Themes

Analysis

30      It's more to feed your mind

          Water, sun and love, the one you love

          All you need, the air you breathe

What Kendrick means by this chorus on lines 30-32 and lines 53-55, Kendrick says the following lines ‘It’s more to feed your mind. Water, sun and love, the one you love. All you need, the air you breathe.’ What Kendrick really wants to tell the audience is that the answer to the question ‘How much a dollar cost’ is way more complex than God’s perspective on the minimal needs there are for things to survive, which state that water, sun, love and air are all you need for nourishment.

Analysis

            He's starin' at me in disbelief

35       My temper is buildin', he's starin' at me, I grab my key

           He's starin' at me, I started the car, then I tried to leave

           And somethin' told me to keep it in park until I could see

          The reason why he was mad at a stranger

           Like I was supposed to save him

40     Like I'm the reason he's homeless and askin' me for a favor 

          He's starin' at me, his eyes followed me with no laser

         He's starin' at me, I notice that his stare is contagious

       ' Cause now I'm starin' back at him, feelin' some type of disrespect

         If I could throw a bat at him, it'd be aimin' at his neck

45    I never understood someone beggin' for goods

        Askin' for handouts, takin' it if they could

        And this particular person just had it down pat                                                 

Analysis

48     Starin' at me for the longest until he finally asked

         "Have you ever opened up Exodus 14?

          A humble man is all that we ever need"

 51     Tell me, how much a dollar cost?

(Enduring Word. (2018, July 6). Enduring Word Bible Commentary Exodus Chapter 14. Retrieved June 22, 2022, from https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/exodus-14/)

Exodus 14 tells the story of Moses parting the Red Sea, guiding the scared and confused Israelites to safety.

Line 50 is a response to 49 and can be seen as a metaphor, describing the power one man can have to lead his people. Kendrick wants someone in his place to lead as an example for others to follow, who does donate the homeless man money.

Analysis

57       Guilt trippin’ and feelin’ resentment.

           I never met a transient that demanded attention

           They got me frustrated, indecisive and power trippin’

60      Sour emotions got me lookin’ at the universe different

lamar expresses doubt, he starts to realise he might be the one who is in the wrong

Transient means a person who is staying somewhere for a short time only.

This has a double meaning because a homeless man ofcourse doesn’t stay in the same place for a long time

But this is also dramatic irony and foreshadowing because the same can be said for the man who he later reveals to be.

Lamar realises that his emotions got in the way, and he was indeed wrong for not giving the dollar

Analysis

61       I should distance myself I should keep it relentless.

          My selfishness is what got me here, who the fuck I’m kiddin’ ?

          So I’ma tell you like I told the last bum

64     Crumbs and pennies, I need all of mines

          And I recognize this type of panhandlin’ all the time

          I got better judgment, I know when nigga’s hustlin’, keep in mind

67     When I was strugglin’, I did compromise now I comprehend 

Lines 61-62

Lamar goes on and in contrast to the previous few lines he now talks himself out of the idea of admitting that he might be the one who is wrong.

This is seemingly the end of his doubt and he makes a statement

This is Lamar showing compassion for the homeless man, seeing his past has been similar

Lamar shows compassion again, the alliteration in compromise and comprehend shows the fine line between the two.

Analysis

68    I smell Grandpa's old medicine, reekin' from your skin                  

- Allusion to song ''Swimming Pools''

Analysis

69    Moonshine and gin, n*  you're babblin', your words ain't flatterin'               - Allusion to ''He Got Game'' 

         I'm imaginin' Denzel but lookin' at O'Neal                                                        - Denzel not taking O'neal Seriously          71     Kazaam is sad thrills, your gimmick is mediocre                                              symbolising Kendrick and homeless                 The jig is up, I seen you from a mile away losin' focus                                     man

73     And I'm insensitive, and I lack empathy                                                            - Kazaam movie of O'Neal (weakness)

          He looked at me and said, "Your potential is bittersweet"                           - Act of homeless people (stereotype)

75     I looked at him and said, "Every nickel is mines to keep"                             - Influence but greed

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                              

Analysis

76      He looked at me and said, "Know the truth, it'll set you free                    - Theme of religion, allusion to bible

77     You're lookin' at the Messiah, the son of Jehovah, the higher power      -  Selfishness and refusal- homeless      78     The choir that spoke the word, the Holy Spirit                                               - man turns out to be god

79     The nerve of Nazareth, and I'll tell you just how much a dollar cost         - Dollar and greed

80     The price of having a spot in Heaven, embrace your loss—I am God"     - Nazareth = Compton

                                                                                                                                             

                               

Analysis

81     I washed my hands, I said my grace

         What more do you want from me?

83    Tears of a clown, guess I'm not all what it's all meant to be

         Shades of grey will never change if I condone

86    Turn this page, help me change to right my wrongs

 

(Pontius Pilate | Biography, Facts, Religion, Jesus, & Death. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved June 22, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pontius-Pilate)                                                                                                                                           

                               

These are the last lines of the song. Kendrick Lamar feels ashamed of his greed and lack of empathy. In line 81 82 Kendrick Lamar says I washed my hands, I said my grace

What more do you want from me? This is a reference to the Roman governor Pontius Pilates, who wrongfully executed Jesus in the biblical Gospel of Matthew.. He excecuted Jesus because he felt unsettled by him, just like Kendrick Lamar was unsettled by the homeless man and refused to help him. Pontius later understands how good actually Jesus was and wanted to spare his life, but it was too late as he had already declared Jesus’ excucution to the Roman citizens. To absolve himself Pontius washed his hands and told the crowd Jesus was innocent, but the execution was fueled by the crowd. Ultimately, even though Pontius did not directly kill Jesus he was still part of the system that did it. In the same way Kendrick Lamar wants so say that he did not directly cause poverty and death of the homeless but him not donating to the homeless fuels the poverty further. In lines 83 to 86 Kendrick Lamar reflects upon himself, saying that he is not all what its to be means he should not deserve all this recognition. Kendrick Lamar uses the two last lines as a turning point, saying that the negativity will never change if he doesnt change, and that he seeks forgiveness for all the cruelty that he has done

Language

- Vernacular English (AAVE):

''is the variety of English natively spoken, particularly in urban communities, by most working- and middle-class African Americans and some Black Canadians.'' 

- Leaves out letters such as the g : ''Somethin, buildin, starin''

- words put togethor y'all = you all

(Wikipedia contributors. (2022a, June 21). African-American Vernacular English. Wikipedia. Retrieved 19 June 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_Vernacular_English#:%7E:text=African%2DAmerican%20Vernacular%20English%20(AAVE,working%2D%20and%20middle%2Dclass%20African)

Stylistic Devices

Oxymoron: 

 

74    He looked at me and said, "Your potential is bittersweet"

2 words meaning the opposite in this case bitter and sweet. Which is a reference to his greed and lack of humanity.

Simile/ Imagery:

6      Hopping out feeling big as Mutombo

The word as, confidence

Stylistic Devices

Metaphor: 

 49        Have you ever opened up Exodus 14?  

50        A humble man is all that we ever need.

Describes the power one person can have to guide his people. 

Personification:

42      “He’s starin’ at me, I notice that his stare is contagious.”

very intense, the stare cannot be contagious 

Dramatic Irony:

4        Parasites in my stomach keep me with a gut feeling, y'all

Stylistic Devices

Repetition: 

 

21         Asked me to feed him twice, I didn't believe it

22        Told him, "Beat it"

23        Contributin' money just for his pipe—I couldn't see it

Point of view:

First point of perspective, his story

Rhyme:

16       A homeless man with a semi-tan complexion

17       Asked me for ten Rand, stressin' about dry land