Within the past two months, I have seen two of my favorite artists live in concert for the first time. Jason Isbell and Kendrick Lamar come from two very different backgrounds and produce genre's of music that are on the other side of the spectrum. However, after seeing them both live and listening to them explain their new albums, their musical career's are closer than what one would expect.
While Lamar grew up in the streets of Compton facing the aftermath of the cocaine plague of the '80s, he was influenced by his atmosphere of gang violence and drug abuse. Jason grew up in a trailer park in the low-income town Green Hill, Ala., Isbell's music reveals his reality he's faced with seeing poverty and alcoholism. Both artists use their music to reveal their desire to escape the reality of their childhoods, only to return to their roots and spark a renaissance.
In Kendrick Lamar's EP, "Kendrick Lamar," on the track "Far From Here," he explains how he is truly misunderstood. He wants to escape the gang obsessed and ruthlessness of Compton's attitude. "Average Joe" is another Lamar song that expresses his difference from those around him. He wishes to influence those around him to leave the stereotype of Compton behind and move past the violence.
As for Jason Isbell, his desire to be remembered as something more is evident in his song, "Speedtrap Town." He talks about the repetitive life of a small town, with nothing to do but drink away time. Both speak of escaping their reality, and it has shaped the artists we have today.
Lamar grew up in the streets of Compton looking up to the infamous rappers of the time Tupac and Dr. Dre. On the anniversary of Tupac's death, Lamar released an open letter explaining the first time he saw Tupac.
"I was 8 yrs old when I first saw you. I couldn’t describe how I felt at that moment. So many emotions. Full of excitement. Full of joy and eagerness. 20 yrs later I understand exactly what that feeling was.
Inspired.
The people that you touched on that small intersection changed lives forever. I told myself I wanted to be a voice for man one day. Whoever knew I was speaking out loud for u to listen.
Thank you.
K.L."
Lamar grew up idolizing the entrepreneurial superstars of gangster rap. He used the spark from them to create a career in gangster rap with those he idolized as a child. Lamar is now working with Aftermath Records, which is Dr. Dre's record company, and he's highly respected by those within the genre largely because of his careful language choices in his lyrics, along with the methodic release of all his albums. It is rumored that Lamar has planned "To Pimp A Butterfly" since his original EP under the name of K. Dot.
Jason Isbell grew up only a short distance from Muscle Shoals, Ala., the holy mecca of all great music. He was a protease of David Hood. Isbell recaps about his teenage days saying, "Those older guys would record behind other people during the day and go out and play these intense R.&B. covers at night, they took a real interest in me.
They taught me a great deal.” But they weren't recording behind just anyone. They were behind the boom of music from Muscles Shoals, like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, the Rolling Stones, and the list goes on.
Both artists were surrounded by monumental mentors and created a dream for themselves. Isbell has received praise from the entire bluegrass community. He has developed a reputation for his powerful, yet simple lyrics that highlight the working man and the not so glorious lifestyle of the poor southern man. John Prine, a monumental bluegrass artist commented on Isbell and his Southeastern album saying, ""I'm kind of picky about songwriters, you know," says John Prine. "But when I heard "Southeastern," it just killed me. I loved it. I like songs that are clean and don't have much fat on them -- every line is direct, and all people can relate to it. That's what I try to do, and that's what Jason does. I really haven't heard anybody that different in probably 30 years."
In short, I never realized the comparison of these two artists could be applicable, but they are both creating history with their music. They have a strong relationship to the purity of what the true art of music and songwriting is, which is often lost in today's music.
