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Its disorienting looking back at the unrest of 2014 and 2015.
The rift never healed.
Lamar came out to stir the pot a little more before playing the song in full.
The feeling was electric.
We needed to hear that we would be alright.
What wasnt clear is how long it could take.
The sentiment suddenly felt premature, like the big hit landing too early in the live show.
The world the song envisioned seems far away, though not out of reach.
The moment requires a different kind of protest song.
The countrys current No.
Streams of Kendricks Alrightjumped up almost 800 percentas protests broke out across the country.
N.W.As trenchant Fuck tha Police got a bump, as did YGs FDT.
Hip-hops social consciousness pokes through even when the artist is trying to be lighthearted.
Hip-hop has always had a strong political backbone.
