♪ (ragtime music) ♪
- "Welcome to Compton." Oh.
- ♪ I got a bone to pick ♪
- Oh, is this this movie about Compton?
- ♪ I got a bone to pick ♪ - Oh, god.
I do too. I don't like hip-hop rap. - ♪ ...my throne again ♪
- Expecting to hear some foul language.
- He's kinda F-bombing a lot.
- ♪ Kunta, black man taking no losses ♪
♪ The yam brought it out of Richard Pryor ♪
♪ ...gonna kill a couple rappers, but they did it to themselves ♪
♪ Everybody's suicidal ♪
- I don't know them. I mean, I appreciate their style.
It's just not my thing.
- ♪ Everybody's screamin' "Compton" ♪
♪ I should probably run for mayor when I'm done ♪
- See, you feel like dancing to the beat.
- ♪ Bitch, where was you when I was walkin'-- ♪
(gunshot pops) - (snickers)
- (man) By the time you hear the next pop...
- They're always shooting somebody!
- (man) ...the funk shall be within you.
(gunshot pops) ♪ (gangsta funk continues) ♪
- (women) ♪ We want the funk ♪
♪ We want the funk ♪ - Foxy girlfriends.
- (man) ♪ ...take it ♪
♪ (music stops) ♪ - (women) ♪ We want the funk ♪
- I like that video.
- To me, it's crap. Sorry. I like music to have melodies.
- I really don't like most rap.
This, actually, I would've watched the whole thing.
I wouldn't have just turned the channel.
I'd just be curious.
For some reason, it had something different about it.
♪ (trance intro) ♪
- Gold chains.
- ♪ Pour up (Drank) ♪ - It's getting a little passe by now,
don't you think?
- ♪ Sit down (Drank) ♪
♪ Stand up ♪ - That's Kendrick Lamar.
- ♪ Pass out (Drank) ♪
♪ Wake up (Drank) ♪
♪ Faded (Drank) ♪ - She's beautiful.
- ♪ Now, I done grew up 'round some people ♪
♪ Livin' their life in bottles ♪ - Interesting.
- ♪ Backstroke every day in Chicago ♪
♪ Why you babysitting only two or three shots? ♪
♪ I'ma show you how to turn it up a notch ♪
♪ First you get a swimming pool... ♪
- It's filmed very well. - ♪ Then you dive in it ♪
- I mean, I see the production value is really pretty cool.
- ♪ Now open your mind up and listen me, Kendrick ♪
- "Open your mind up." It looks like a drug house of some sort.
- ♪ I see the love in her eyes, I see the feelin' ♪
♪ The freedom is granted as soon as the damage of vodka arrived ♪
♪ This how you capitalize ♪ - I just wish they'd slow down
a little bit, so I can understand what they're saying.
- I don't know how they talk that fast.
- ♪ [Bleep], why you babysitting only two or three shots? ♪
♪ I'ma show you how to turn it up a notch ♪
♪ First you get a swimming pool full of liquor ♪
♪ Then you dive in it ♪
- See, I've been too close to this kinda thing
to appreciate it as being good.
- ♪ (Drank) Stand up (Drank) ♪
♪ Pass out (Drank) ♪
♪ Wake up (Drank) ♪ - Drank.
- ♪ Faded (Drank) ♪ - Drank. Okay.
- I just saw it many times. I never saw the video. Pretty cool.
- Production value-wise, kinda fun to watch.
But I mean, I prefer to turn off the sound.
- Falling in the water, the bottles falling in the water.
It's breaking. Kinda giving you an idea
that not only is the bottle breaking but might be breaking you.
♪ (music playing) ♪ (applause)
- Even on stage, Lamar is.
- ♪ I'm the biggest hypocrite of 2015 ♪
♪ You hate me, don't you? ♪
♪ You hate my people ♪
♪ Your plan is to terminate my culture ♪
Everybody, just stop! - Ooh.
♪ I said they treat me like a slave, cah' me black ♪
♪ Woi, we feel a whole heap of pain ♪ Oh, that's cool.
- ♪ And man a say they put me in a chain, cah' we black ♪
♪ Imagine now, big gold chain full of rocks ♪
♪ ...race start from the black ♪
- This is more like rappy Blue Man or something like that.
♪ (loud percussive instrumental) ♪
- This has more action than the others.
- ♪ I recognize you're looking at me for the pay cut ♪
♪ But homicide be looking at you... ♪
- This is a big production.
- ♪ We said give 'em so mo', this one time ♪
♪ Do it for the show ♪
♪ But we gon' be all right, hah ♪
- Wow.
- I hope they got that fire under control.
- ♪ I don't talk about it, about it, every day I see ♪
♪ I don't talk about it, about it, every day I see ♪
♪ Pet dog, pet dog ♪ - Oh my goodness.
- ♪ Pick back and chat I shut the back ♪
♪ ...God ♪ (audience cheers and whoops)
- He's a cute guy.
- Great production. I mean, it looks fun.
It's fun to watch. It's exciting. - ♪ It's been a week already ♪
♪ Feeling weak already, got me at peak ♪
♪ This is modern-day slavery ♪
♪ The reason why I'm by your house ♪
♪ You threw your briefcase all on the couch ♪
♪ I plan on creeping through your damn door... ♪
- I need closed captioning, like old people do. (chuckles)
- ♪ Cut off the engine then sped off in the rain ♪
♪ Conversation for the entire nation, this is bigger than us ♪
(audience roaring) - "Compton."
Compton and Africa. "Compton" is written over Africa.
I wonder why.
- I'm sure that he's very popular with teenagers, younger people.
Hopefully they understand what he's singing about.
I don't, because he's going too fast.
- He'd be good to see in person. I mean, I hesitate to say that.
But I mean, that presentation is very rock-and-roll to me.
(movie reel clicks)
- (Finebros) So do you know who that was? - I have no idea.
- It's not Jay Z or someone like that, is it?
- I don't have a clue.
I'm not into rap music.
- I've seen him, but I can't remember what his name is.
- Kendrick Lamar.
The show he put together: very good show,
with his dancers and what have you.
- (Finebros) Well, this is the Grammy-winning rapper
Kendrick Lamar. - Okay, never heard of him.
- Kendrick Lamar-- have heard of him, yes.
- The only Lamar I know is Lamar Odom.
- Oh, THAT'S Kendrick Lamar.
Okay, I know the name. I know he's huge.
- (Finebros) Would you say that you liked his music?
- Some of it.
- Have I heard music, then maybe I could say that I liked it.
- Well, it's typical rap. I don't like rap.
- I like the music. I mean, I would dance to the music.
- The show was fun.
Obviously, people love him. He's a talented guy.
But, you know, why can't they come up with something clean?
- (Finebros) Some of the songs we showed you
have won Grammy Awards,
and Kendrick himself also is nominated many times.
What do you think it is about Kendrick Lamar that resonates
not only with the public but with music critics as well?
- I think he does it well.
When he raps, he really does it well.
- He's full of energy. He's focused.
He's believable. I mean, you really are with him.
- He's really intense and intentional.
And he makes you want to listen.
I wanted to listen to what he was saying.
- (Finebros) The last video we showed you
was actually from his performance at the 2016 Grammy Awards.
What did you think about it?
- Uh, yeah, it goes back to it's not my cup of tea.
- He has, you know, a high energy and a charm.
- I liked how it was staged. I liked the action.
I like the dancing.
- I didn't like it, because they have the background.
They got jails, you know?
It's like, when do we ever get away from that?
We got more guys-- black guys in jail than we have in college.
Why don't they start rapping about
the kids who are starting to go college now, you know?
My daughter's the first in our family--
one of the first in our family to go to college.
None of us went to college.
You know, let's start talking more about how we're progressing
rather than how we're still going to jail.
- (Finebros) Kendrick raps a lot to the issues of the time.
And his perfomance at the Grammys
a lot of people think reflects that.
What do you think? - Compton's got a lot of problems.
Africa's got a lot of problems. There's some fixing to be doing.
And maybe he's working on that.
- I think it's worthwhile
considering all the things he's talking about
and being aware of them
and maybe trying to understand them a little bit.
- People of color a lot of times get profiled, you know?
And I'm a supporter of policemen. I have policemen in my family.
But I know from personal experience
that you do get treated a different way.
- It's somewhat of the movement
that so many black people end up in jail,
when, in fact, more blacks are arrested than anybody else,
and it's not really fair.
They sort of speak for the millions and millions of people
who have no voice really in anything, and many don't even vote.
So at least they speak for these people.
- (Finebros) Some more information about Kendrick's success:
he's received more Grammy nominations in a single year
than any other rapper. - Wow.
- Really? Oh, so he's more famous now than Eminem.
- (Finebros) And the second most Grammy nominations
overall in a single year, with 11,
surpassed only by Michael Jackson, who had 12.
- Wow!
For rap and everybody, remember when it started,
and they're all like, "Oh, it's gonna be gone in six months."
Uh-uh.
- (Finebros) From what you've heard of his music,
what is it about Kendrick Lamar
that makes him stand out from other rappers?
- Well, unfortunately, maybe I'm really out of touch.
I don't see a difference.
- Maybe the fact that he does get political in it
and he has sort of a protest theme.
- It appears that he has a larger message than just,
"Look, I'm powerful and strong and rich."
- He gives out good messages to the young people.
And also, he's good. He raps well. (chuckles)
- (Finebros) Finally, after hearing some of his music
and learning a little about him,
what do you think about Kendrick Lamar now
compared to when you just watched the music videos we showed you?
- I don't think any more than before.
- I don't think I feel that differently.
- I like him now better.
- I really like his style.
He's creative. I like his music.
- I give him credit for doing this political stuff
and for trying to be sort of a symbol of his people.
- I would hope the people would be open-minded enough
and give it a chance.
You don't always know what you're gonna get,
and you never should assume.
- A little bit higher respect for him, yeah,
'cause it looks like a man with a mission.
And it's not only about--
I don't think it's just about making money for him.
So hats off to him. The guy's talented.
- Thanks for watching this episode of Elders React.
- Like what you saw? Hit that Subscribe button.
- Let us know in the comments what music we should react to next.
- Thanks for watching. Bye, everyone.
♪ (ragtime music) ♪