The ‘Liberatory Thinking’ of Toni Morrison & Kendrick Lamar
My favorite novel of all time is Song of Solomon or SOS by Toni Morrison.
The protagonist of SOS is Milkman Dead (Macon Dead III) who, over the course of the book, changes from a immature, selfish man, willing to do almost anything to gain independence from his family, into a deeply moral, selfless man who is almost completely indifferent to material things. His father, Macon II, encourages him to love business and money, but he longs to free himself from his father’s influence and travel far away from him. I was reminded of this story when listening to Kendrick Lamar’s album Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, especially the song and music video for “N95” during which Lamar is portrayed as a ‘savior’ suspended in the air.
In SOS, while searching for his Aunt Pilate’s gold, which he hopes to use to gain his independence, he has a spiritual awakening, and rejoices when he learns that his great-grandfather, Solomon, could fly. It’s left up to us to decide how much Milkman has changed at the end of the novel when he finally learns how to fly. In “N95” (and the album) Kendrick Lamar takes on a similar journey. Cole Cuchna recently posted a lyrical analysis of “N95” that can be explored with the music video accompaniment (see above).
Servin’ up a look, dancin’ in the drought
Hello to the big stepper, never losin’ count
Ventin’ in the safe house, ventin’ in the sa-, AHH!
As he hunts for the gold, Milkman Dead comes to realize that the economic freedom gold could bring him is outweighed by the betrayal and jealousy the gold attracts. The broader point is that financial independence isn’t freedom— it’s just a subtler, more psychological form of imprisonment. In SOS Milkman’s father Macon II is the ‘big stepper’, which is referenced in Lamar’s album title and mentioned in “N95.”
Liberatory thinking is way of thinking that creates opportunities for liberation, especially for historically excluded people. The overarching theme of Lamar’s album is personal and spiritual liberation in spite of barriers such as materialism and ego, against a backdrop of trauma and grief. Throughout the song “N95” Kendrick uses the words “take off/take it off” repeatedly as an anaphora or literary device that, according to Cole Cuchna, uses a repeated word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines or clauses. In comparison, Toni Morrison uses “O Sugarman” as part of a liberatory call to action. In the book flight symbolizes freedom, escape, and the ability to break free from the constraints of a difficult past, as well as the present. This notion of flight is also explored in Kendrick’s videos.
To fly, in this instance, is to become untethered from grief, trauma, and the trappings of success. We hear and see this in Lamar’s work, as well as in the conclusion of SOS. Throughout the Mr. Morale album we hear the influence of German-born spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle who writes and speaks about the “egoic perception of self”:
As we grow up we begin to identify with things. Identify means we derive our sense of self from certain things. Where you’re identified with something that you’re not, it always leads to suffering and unhappiness.
Milkman Dead’s search for gold mirrors the ego’s unending search for more and more (sex, material things); which often leads to addiction. Kendrick Lamar addresses his own addictions in his music. It seems that Kendrick used Eckhart Tolle’s work to escape chronic suffering.
Can I vent all my truth?
I got nothin’ to lose
I got problems and pools
I can swim in my faith
Water, especially being immersed in water, is another common theme in SOS and Kendrick Lamar’s music/videos. In SOS, water serves as a powerful motif, symbolizing both the barriers and the potential for rebirth and connection, particularly for Black Americans struggling with their identity and history. In “N95” and previous songs such as “Sing About Me” the lack of water is significant.
You dying of thirst, you dying of thirst
So hop in that water, and pray that it works…
According to Cole Cuchna, water in Kendrick’s songs is a metaphor for God’s spirit. Water is the substance that material items are lacking. More specifically, water refers to Christian baptism that symbolizes dying to sin and no longer being held by it. Like Milkman Dead in SOS, Kendrick Lamar, as Mr. Morale, uses flight (symbolically) to free himself from his ‘family’ (biological, business) and other attachments, to become who he wants to be (deeply moral, selfless).
Can I vent all my truth? I got nothin’ to lose.
From personal experience, therapy and introspection led to some of the happiest, successful, social, and productive periods of my life. It liberated me from what was keeping me down. “N95” and the entire Mr. Morale album was a turning point for Kendrick, leading to drastic changes (GRAMMY sweep, Super Bowl halftime, etc.). Songs like “N95” give space for Kendrick to creatively express his own truth in hopes that it encourages listeners to turn the mirror on themselves to ask how much we are willing to compromise for what we desire. Through the music we may find the enthusiasm or spirit to accomplish our goals or ‘stay the course’.
Here is the video with Cole Cuchna’s analysis of “N95”: