Inspiration from both past and present day

— Jose Marin

When we went over this text in class, I connected to it most because I heard of this song before. “Swimming Pools”, written by Kendrick Lamar was the first Kendrick song I’ve heard. Looking back at it now, I can tell why I enjoyed it so much and why it was the first one I got around to. Kendrick already had a handful of discographies long before “Swimming Pools”, so why did I connect with it so much that pushed me on this path to go and find more work of Kendrick. I questioned this as I looked at the assignment and looked at all this from a changed mentality. Every artist has their own form of expression. These expressions have a pattern. The work of artists can reflect the art of the past, art of the present, or art for the future. In “Swimming Pools”, Kendrick pulls in inspiration from both past and present day. He calls back on when he battled a drinking problem and modern-day pressure. Taking inspiration from his own life adds this personalized tone to the song and as the listener I was like “he gets how we feel”. Life can be tough, and this feeling of intoxication can often serve as an escape. Once we’re too far deep into this escape, it can be hard to get out from. I love how Kendrick calls this piece “Swimming Pools”. What do pools have to do with drinking? A lot more apparently. He’s so smart with the way he makes comparisons. It’s like he’s trying to convey the message “oh you don’t understand what I mean? Well imagine your like drowning in a pool”. That’s exactly what it feels like to be so far into your own personal demons. You feel like your drowning in a pool and that intoxication can be hard to get out from. The character he takes on during the song, the one that’s trying to peer pressure him to drink more than he should reminded me of moments. Before I would go to some house parties. At some of these parties’ people would be doing the most. Some people would be blacked out. Someone throwing up in the bathroom. People doing things they wouldn’t normally do. At times I would see friends pressure each other to do one more shot. Majority of the time they take it. I’ve been in their shoes too. It can be a comfortable setting. All your friends are around, you’re having a good time, so it’s so easy to say yes right away. Kendrick’s song serves as a wake up call to this problem. He speaks on real problems and how it’s so easy to take it one drink too far. I found this so creative. I was pushed back and said “wow”. To add more of a connection, I got up and rapped along to the lyrics as the song played. The music just takes you. You get sunk into that reality and see it through the artists eyes. I was honestly impressed.