Kendrick Lamar has a couple of hits that I’ve heard many times, but I don’t really know his other songs. Luke explained the backstory of this song to me which made the lyrics way more interesting.

To begin, “Duckworth” by Kendrick Lamar is about a man named Anthony who had a difficult upbringing. Although he was very bright and funny, Anthony grew up in a rough neighborhood and was one of eleven children. His mother was a crack addict, and he was surrounded by drugs and police brutality from a very young age. Anthony had to become tough to make a living and survive. He decides to rob a KFC but spares a worker named Ducky who has always been kind to him. Ducky speaks with him and helps him turn his life around. About two decades later, Anthony “Top Dog” Tiffith owns his own record label and signs a 15-year-old named Kendrick Duckworth, professionally known as Kendrick Lamar. It turns out this 15-year-old is the son of Ducky.  

I really enjoyed the beat of this song. I think Kendrick and his team do a great job at mixing beats and matching them with the lyrics in a way that is very satisfying. 

One line that stuck out to me was, “It was always me vs the world until I found it’s me vs me.” This line refers to people who gain a victim mentality and feel like everyone is working against them. This belief causes people to simply accept negative situations instead of trying to work towards positivity in their life. Most people aren’t working against you, and much of your life is affected by your own beliefs and actions. This line also made me think about how as people get older, they hold themselves back. They tell themselves that they’re not capable of doing something, so they just don’t do it. But if people don’t stop themselves and allow themself to experience new things, they’re bound to grow and evolve.  

Another line that stuck out to me is “they can make their own choices and live with it.” This line felt very powerful because some people who grow up in a difficult environment believe that this life is the only option for them which isn’t true. Although it takes a lot of effort and strength, people can break the cycle and live a better life than their parents did.

I give this song an 8/10. I found the story very interesting because it shows how one little action can greatly change someone’s life. Also, it was told in a captivating way and had universal relatability.  

Work Cited 

Kendrick Lamar – DUCKWORTH. genius.com, https://genius.com/Kendrick-lamar-duckworth-lyrics. Accessed 27 Nov. 2022. 

Kendrick Lamar – YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3lBXcrKFnFAFkfVk5WuKcQ. Accessed 27 Nov. 2022.