Philosophy (Tuesday’s) High School Presentation
Kendrick Lamar is a lyrical genius that supersedes the likes of his predecessors (the greatest Rap artist dead or alive).
This is my philosophy (opinion), me explaining why this is true, is me “arguing” the affirmative. Affirmative is defined as arguing something is true or correct.
By a show of hands, who says, Nas? How so?
Okay who feels like Jay-Z? How so?
By a show of hands who says Tupac? How so?
Okay, who feels like Notorious Big or anyone else you can think of is the best rapper?
Each of you who chose someone other than Kendrick Lamar, are taking the negative. Negative is defined as expressing, containing or consisting of a negative, refusal, or denial. Indicating opposition or resistance. United States took the affirmative when they prosecuted each one of us, you took the negative. Arguing that there was no evidence in the government’s claims of guilt in violation of U.S. code “statue” (Section) 841.
This my brothers is Philosophy. Philosophy is defined as; The study of the nature, causes, or principles or reality, knowledge, values, based on logical reasoning. (2) A system of thought based on or involving such study (3) the study of theoretical underpinnings of a particular field or discipline; (4) A underlining theory or set of ideas relating to a particular field or activity or to life as a whole.
The term Philosophy comes from the Greek word philosophia, which means the love of wisdom. Philosophy is commonly used in daily discussion such as thinking of better ways to live. “Logical reasoning” “If I eat healthy, exercise, or have a stress free life. I will live longer”
Religion is a philosophy; Eastern Religion philosophy is Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism’ and Taoism. Western philosophy is Christianity, and Judaism. At any time, you can be in a room with various people sharing different philosophy’s. Those who don’t necessarily care for the idea of philosophy, or reject it; is in it self a philosophy. Even what’s considered to be a Black person or white, share differences in philosophy and some share the same.
Though philosophy can cover just about everything, its typically broke down in five Branches of philosophy;
- Metaphysic’s; which is the fundamental nature of reality, existence. Coincides with “Existentialism”, Existentialism concerns explorations of the various ways human consciousness, experiences, orders, and understanding the meaning of its existence.
- a.) Metaphysics has two categories Ontology and Cosmology,
- Ontology is the study of being (Of being alive)
- Cosmology is the study of the physical universe
- a.) Metaphysics has two categories Ontology and Cosmology,
- Epistemology; aims to determine the nature, basis and extent of knowledge; What is truth? The process of thinking, configuration of deep thought.
- Logic; is the study of principles and methods of reasoning. Reasoning in law is called an “Argument”
- Ethics and Political Philosophy; which is concerned with human conduct, character and values. One’s obligation to one’s self.
- Aesthetics; which deals with the creation and principles of, and judgements about art and beauty. The aesthetic experiences that is our thoughts, feelings, and attitudes when we see, hear, or read something beautiful, such as drawing, or expression of words, or in this case Music, poetry, and what we have come to call Hip Hop.
I still take the affirmative that Kendrick Lamar is a lyrical genius. Each of you expressed some talented artist, and put up a good argument on how and why Nas, Jay-Z, and Tupac are better. However, in 2018, Kendrick Lamar won the Pulitzer award for his album “DAMN”. Anyone familiar with the Pulitzer prize?
Joseph Pulitzer is the founder of New York World News Paper, and St. Louis Post-dispatch. In 1917 Columbia College set Pulitzer’s visions in motion before he died, he bequest (left money in his will), money to be awarded annually for work published in literature, journalism, art and music. The Pulitzer award, is giving to artist and writers whom work of art is profoundly recognized as the greatest writing/art/music of the previous year.
Kendrick Lamar is the only Rap artist to ever receive this award, and his work of art has been compared to the likes of Orchestras and Symphony’s. In fact Aretha Franklin has not been awarded this award, but was noted for all of her work by the Pulitzer board. How is Kendrick’s work compared and awarded over Orchestras, Symphony’s and Aretha Franklin’s 50 year catalog? Good Question.
Kendrick Lamar “Mother I Sober” from Kendrick’s Album, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, explains how and why. But for you to fully understand how and why, we first have to understand the differences in philosophy and logical reasoning of philosophy it self.
In this song, Kendrick encompasses multi philosophies, including but not limited to these 20. I challenge each of you to look up these words, and see if you can correspond or parallel each philosophy with the bars in his song “Mother I sober”;
- Aesthetics
- Cosmology
- Determinism
- Dialectic
- Empiricism
- Epicureanism
- Ethics
- Existentialism
- Hedonism
- Humanism
- Idealism
- Logic
- Materialism
- Metaphysics
- Nihilism
- Pragmatism
- Rationalism
- Realism
- Skepticism
- Utilitarianism
In doing so you will be studying Introduction to Philosophy, 101. Each philosophy is tied to a specific time, and usually a person and sometimes that philosophy is named after that person. The Republican party is a philosophy, the Democratic party is a philosophy, do you know the difference between the two philosophy’s?
In college my professor listened to Kendrick Lamar’s album and couldn’t figure out how he rhythmically, rhymed a continuum of philosophy’s about himself. He argued that it wasn’t humanly possible and would take decades to decipher and decode all of his works. My professor, said “He can not be human!”
In my opinion (philosophy), this is what makes Kendrick a lyrical genius that supersedes his predecessors dead or alive.
