My Own Person
Kendrick Lamar’s song “Swimming Pools” is a subversive song that has shaped my life, specifically regarding drugs and alcohol. This song talks plenty about alcohol and weed, it motivates me not to fall victim of giving in to peer pressure and choosing to drink or smoke just because others are telling me to do so. Kendrick Lamar sings “Nigga, why you babysitting only two or three shots? I’mma show you how to turn it up a notch first you get a swimming pool full of liquor, then you dive in it pool full of liquor, then you dive in it.” This part of the song emphasizes how another person is pressuring him to drink more by pointing out that he is taking a very long time to drink what he has been given. He makes fun of the fact that somebody is sipping on their drink instead of chugging it, which is what I feel I’ve been taught to think represents a good time rather than enjoying your drink even if it means “babysitting.” The lyrics point out the encouragement to swim in pools full of liquor which is emphasizing the pressure applied towards turning up, in other words if you’re swimming in a pool of liquor then you are not having fun. This subversive song has a good message that speaks to me, it pushes me not to be like most people who fall victim of over drinking or smoking just to fit in. I do not see myself trying anything I don’t want in the first place, especially when others are the ones pushing them on me.
Making the decision not to try drugs or overdose on alcohol has truly helped me live my life a lot more positively. I feel like I have more self-control over my body and when I go to a party and somebody offers me drugs or alcohol I am more confident in making my own decisions, especially when it comes to saying no. I was always taught not to worry about what others felt or thought about me so falling victim of being peer pressured was something I did not shy away from. Once I got over the idea of what people thought about me because I wouldn’t do what they wanted me to just because everybody else was doing them it helped me view the world differently, saying no became easy for me and it helped me choose my friends differently. That does not mean I do not have friends that sadly don’t know how to do the same, but it does mean that I have friends that respect me when I say I wish not to drink any more than what I would like. Why do people give in so quick to drugs? I believe most people are not mentally strong. People make up different reasons that validate why they should try all the drugs and alcohol that is pushed on them. I do not like it when I feel judged, so I try not to judge others, especially when they make the decision to smoke more or drink a lot more uncaringly. It is hard not to judge though, especially when I see most people following the crowds and treating it as if it were normal to have their “friends” encouraging them to rage with overdoses of drugs because that is what is defining the meaning of a good time. I have concluded that I can only control me and what I decide to involve myself in, despite me worrying about those who I am choosing to hang out. It makes me question whether I should be in certain places with certain people because there is a point of discomfort when you start to feel like people are going out of control. It no longer becomes fun, it becomes scary to witness. Kendrick Lamar raps “Some people like the way it feels some people wanna kill their sorrows some people wanna fit in with the popular, that was my problem.” These lyrics explain the reason why people would want to try drugs or why they can’t stop consuming them. It gives an excuse to why people allow themselves to drink too much or try drugs. Forgetting about your problems or wanting to fit in do not make sense to me. Our problems have to be faced by us and we need to come up with real solutions, drugs and alcohol are not the answer. That’s they way I see it at least. Why? Because these are the morals I was raised with. I have also experienced the kind of consequences we face when we don’t face our problems and try to hide away from them instead. Fitting in should not require compromising our health. It annoys me to think that people would be willing to put themselves at risk just because they want in on the popular crew. Our real friends should care for us for who we are and how we choose to live our lives.
In Krohn’s and Suazo’s article “Contemporary Urban Music: Controversial Messages in Hip-Hop and Rap Lyrics” Krohn and Suazo say “Rappers seem to take pride in their illegal drug consumption. Many rappers have a history of drug dealing or abuse” (7). In Kendrick Lamar’s song “Swimming Pools” he doesn’t have a problem advertising drugs and alcohol making it seem like it’s a normal thing to do. Kendrick Lamar’s song is an example of Krohn’s article involving drugs in his song making it a subversive song. Kendrick Lamar sings “Pour up, drank, head shot, drank sit down, drank, stand up, drank pass out, drank, wake up, drank faded, drank, faded, drank.” This points out people drink whenever and whatever they are doing, making it seem as if nothing stops them from drinking and smoking. In Kubrin’s article “A Potential Censorship or Criminalization of Rap Music” Kubrin says “We remove content and may escalate to law enforcement when we perceive a genuine risk of physical harm, or a direct threat to public safety. You may not credibly threaten others or organize acts of real-world violence.” Kubrin’s article can relate to Kendrick Lamar’s song. If someone were to post his lyrics on social media, it would get people to think that using drugs will relieve pain. The sad truth though is that this will only lead to harm such as alcohol poisoning. The lyrics that Kenrick Lamar sings in his song can lead to a negative lifestyle for those getting influenced by the song in a negative way. I call these people weak minded because they allow others to control their decisions in life. These lyrics can be dangerous for those people who do not challenge the messages coming across. Krohn, Suazo, and Kubrin all make points worth considering about subversive music being a risk to audience’s lives influencing them in a bad way making them follow the artists footsteps thinking it’s ok to listen to what these songs are saying. These two articles mention things that Kendrick Lamar’s song “Swimming Pools” talks about in his song as well proving the two authors points correct.
Kendrick Lamar’s song has not only influenced my life in a positive way but it has also made me believe that subversive music can influence others to think differently. Even if songs encourage the use of drugs and alcohol, I feel like it won’t change my mind about wanting to try them because I am conscious of the kinds of consequences that can come from them. I have witnessed negative experiences that close relatives of mine have had to go through because they failed not to make better decisions regarding the use of drugs. It makes me upset when songs make it sound acceptable to rage and make dumb decisions about the safety of their own lives. Drugs can lead people to the wrong paths in life. Instead of influencing them in a negative way and making them want to try drugs they should influence them not to want to try them. “Swimming Pools” talks about how everyday they drink and smoke and let people peer pressure them into drinking more then what they want to have. Making them not have a voice for themselves and being overpowered by others making decisions for them. By this song helping them change their mind about drugs it can be possible for many other people to do the same as them. The perception Kendrick Lamar’s song gives them towards other people is believing that there could be people in the world who drink and smoke everyday of their lives not caring how much they are harming their body because they have gotten so used to consuming drugs and enjoy how it makes them feel. The perception this song has shaped towards themselves makes them feel glad that the song is not describing them, making them feel proud with the decision they chose. Making them healthy and not harming their bodies by consuming drugs all the time like the song says.
There can be many events in our lives that can lead to us being pressured into doing drugs but it all depends on our decision to allow drugs to control our lives. We must learn how and when to say no. We all want to have a good time and enjoy life but there will always be a safe way of going about doing that. Songs like “Swimming Pools” involving drugs does not influence anyone is doing drugs, it is on them if they will let a song influence them in a negative way or use the song as a message to not do drugs. They can choose right from wrong and should not blame a song for the actions they choose to do. Many people don’t think much of these types of songs, but they can cause a big impact on peoples’ lives, it will all depend on how we choose to perceive and apply them to our lives.
Works Cited
KendrickLamarVEVO. “Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank).” YouTube, YouTube, 3 Aug. 2013, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5YNiCfWC3A.
“Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank).” Genius, 31 July 2012, genius.com/Kendrick-Lamar-swimming-pools-drank-lyrics.
Krohn, Franklin B, and Frances L Suazo. “Contemporary Urban Music: Controversial Messages in Hip-Hop and Rap Lyrics.” pp. 1–18.
Kubrin, Charis E. “A Potential Censorship or Criminalization of Rap Music.” 3 Dec. 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/12/03/should-facebook-do-more-to-monitor violent-expressions/a-potential-censorship-or-criminalization-of-rap-music.
Subversive Music 