“Back to reality we poor/ Another
casualty at war.” –Kendrick Lamar
The song “Money Trees (Featuring Jay
Rock),” by Kendrick Lamar, is much more than just another hip-hop record. “Money Trees” is a depiction of the tragedies
and struggle one faces growing up in a dangerous neighborhood. Growing up in Compton, California, Lamar
learned that life could seem okay for a second, but turn horrible the next
second. Danger loomed at every alley and
street corner, and lives could change from one gunshot or robbery. It is clear that both Lamar and Jay Rock
experienced these horrible events through their clear voices and detailed
verses. Even though things are awful in
the present tense of the song, each rapper infuses a theme of hope into their
lyrics. Things seem bad now, but the
thought that the future could be better is a constant thought in each rapper’s
mind.
Life in rough neighborhoods like
Compton is incredibly rough for kids growing up. Lamar had an especially hard time, as he lost
a father figure in his life when his Uncle Tony was killed in cold blood
outside of a burger stand. Losing a
loved one is so, so difficult, but losing your only role model is even
tougher. Kendrick Lamar was stricken
with grief, and he explains how it will last with him forever; “That Louie’s
Burgers never be the same/ A Louis belt will never ease that pain.” Lamar is saying that no sum of money could
ever fill the hole of his Uncle Tony’s absence, and that he is irreplaceable. Young children are exposed to drugs and violence,
growing up in rough neighborhoods. The
horrible images of a world filled with crime stay in their heads the rest of
their lives, and Lamar describes this in detail. The sights he saw as a child are things most
of us will never see in out entire lives.
Living in Compton was awful for Lamar, and many people still face the
tragedies he had to endure.
On the other hand, hope is a major them
in the song. A violence-free future is a
hope for both Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock.
However, the path they chose to reach this goal was (ironically) through
violence. It can be inferred that jobs
were hard to come by for black teens in the area, as they turned to crime to
make money. Robberies and drug deals
were a major source of needed cash for Lamar and Jay Rock. Even though they state these acts bluntly, it
doesn’t seem like they agreed with what they were doing. In fact, the tone when discussing their
crimes is filled with regret. Still, the
future is the most important thing for them in this situation. Jay Rock discusses how he was willing to do
whatever he had to do to reach his goals; “In the streets with a heater under
my dungarees/ Dreams
of me getting shaded under a money tree.”
The “money tree” in this song obviously plays off of the saying “money
doesn’t grow on trees.” It is used here
as a metaphor for a successful and calm future, rather than the violent and
frightening present. A better future
seems obtainable in this song.
As you can see, “Money Trees” is a song
about misfortune and the constant fight to make it out of poverty, as well as
hope, and the promise of a better future.
Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock both lay out the trials they have been
through, and the hardships they have overcome.
At the same time, the idea that life could improve is present. All they need to do is make it out of
Compton, which is easier said than done.
This song definitely relates to people with hard situations all over the
world, and tells a very true story.
Kendrick Lamar is more than a rapper.
He is a storyteller, who communicates his ideas in complex and truthful
ways.
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